Battery question

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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 09:22 PM
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I have an aftermarket audio system and I was wondering what battery would be good to get because the one I have is about 5 years old. It is having some trouble staying charged so its time to replace. Autozone has the duralast gold and walmart has the everstart maxx or interstate mega-tron plus and they are all about 120-150 but what can I trust? Suggest something because I dont want a POS...
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Old Jul 25, 2011 | 09:33 PM
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https://ls1tech.com/forums/general-m...ght=battery%27

and there are 100 more threads about battery's if you search!!
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 01:31 AM
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I've had good luck with the Optima Yellow Top batteries. My first one lasted 6 years.
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 07:59 AM
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Originally Posted by TruBloodTransAm
I've had good luck with the Optima Yellow Top batteries. My first one lasted 6 years.
The old ones were good. Ever since interstate took them over and started making them cheaper, they are crap.
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 10:31 AM
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Really, so stay away from the yellow top optima? Blackfly 105 says they are are good specially for running a sound system in your car. That is why I asked this question.

cookba... I did a search and got a lot of usless information for what I needed to know so i posted one. I need a good battery for running a beefy engine with a nice stereo system... most people have a pair of 10's or 12's in the trunk of these cars and i need to know what type of battery is better to use.
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 11:06 AM
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Look on line for the stinger battery ....It is a deep cell dry battery made by the original owners of optima....
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 01:08 PM
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My Walmart battery lasted 7 years. Just get one from a place that has high turn over so you're more likely to get a fresh one.
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 01:42 PM
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i run a duralast gold battery and they seem to do the trick. the 75 series i run puts out 700cca which is very good. forgot the reserve capacity, but ill use the radio with the car off alot and ive even driven the car off the battery for a bit with no problems at all. they also carry a 3 year free replacement warranty followed by 5 years of pro rata warranty. goes for a little over 100 out the door .

i believe there are only 3 battery manufacturers in the country that i know of: johnson control, exide, and east penn. JC makes the duralast, everstart, optima, and i believe the interstate brands. east penn makes superstart and a few others. exide makes diehard as far as im aware. point is, most wet cell batteries are going to be basically the same. now agm (optima style) is a whole different animal, and might be better suited for you since you have a big system .
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 01:51 PM
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My red top optima is 4 years old now and still works like a champ, I have 2 10's in the back and no issues. I have also driven it on the battery alone many times when I had alternators failing left and right.

Had a red top in my Z71 also that was at least 4 or 5 years old and it would play the radio with the truck off for hours and still start up like I hooked the starter up to an electrical socket.

As a tech, the battery I saw cause more problems including causing repeat alternator failure's were everstarts, they had the nickname never start for a very good reason. We used interstate batteries and always had good luck with those.
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 03:29 PM
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Yellow top here.

and an Interstate on our Z71

both have served well. so far.
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 03:59 PM
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yellow top optima goin on three years still going strong, whoever said optima doesnt make a good battery needs to have their head checked THEY RUN EM IN MONSTER TRUCKS FOR GOD SAKES and if you go to the race track go look and see what 90 percent of the people are using OPTIMA'S!!!!!!
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Old Jul 26, 2011 | 09:59 PM
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Originally Posted by 00pooterSS
My red top optima is 4 years old now and still works like a champ, I have 2 10's in the back and no issues. I have also driven it on the battery alone many times when I had alternators failing left and right.

Had a red top in my Z71 also that was at least 4 or 5 years old and it would play the radio with the truck off for hours and still start up like I hooked the starter up to an electrical socket.

As a tech, the battery I saw cause more problems including causing repeat alternator failure's were everstarts, they had the nickname never start for a very good reason. We used interstate batteries and always had good luck with those.
Do you use a capacitor on your stereo system?
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Old Jul 27, 2011 | 07:31 AM
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Maybe they work fine in normal auto applications, but in 4 wheeling where we use winches and really tax the batteries, no one will touch an optima anymore. It seems the break point was when interstate took over and started using different materials. Optima even has an employee who has signed up on the boards and trolls for them.

When I used to install stereo's, we just made sure the car had a good battery and would install a capacitor. I have had my DD like that with a big system for 10 years and no problems.
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Old Jul 27, 2011 | 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Texas-Firehawk
Do you use a capacitor on your stereo system?
No man I don't. I actually have never had one on any of my systems. I don't know how much they help if any. My roommate tried one on his for a little while didn't notice any changes and my little brother tried one and didn't notice any changes.

When I started installing systems I don't think they even had capacitors for automotive stereo systems. Back in the mid 90's.. If they did I don't remember ever seeing them. But I have always also thought as the battery as a capacitor, a capacitor stores power, so does the battery..
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Old Jul 27, 2011 | 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by 00pooterSS
No man I don't. I actually have never had one on any of my systems. I don't know how much they help if any. My roommate tried one on his for a little while didn't notice any changes and my little brother tried one and didn't notice any changes.

When I started installing systems I don't think they even had capacitors for automotive stereo systems. Back in the mid 90's.. If they did I don't remember ever seeing them. But I have always also thought as the battery as a capacitor, a capacitor stores power, so does the battery..
Listen, people will say "a capacitor is a waste of money, there are other things you can do to help your system.." etc. (H.O. Alternator and the "Big Three")

Sure, but like other systems being built (engine, turbo systems etc.) Each have components. A "Cap" helps take the load off of your battery and reduces the demand on the alternator. It theoretically extends the life of each of those components by storing power for the sub woofers demands.

If you have a pully installed, I would highly suggest you add a capacitor.

If you are the type that listens to music that demands a lot from your subs (heavy Bass rap, Trance, dance, Regatone way!(sp) etc.) you might consider getting a Cap.

If you are the type that listens to classical, country, sunny 99.1 etc. I seriously doubt one should worry about a CAP.

A Cap is a component IN a system specifically for big amp applications. It's your choice to add one to your system.

I have a capacitor on my Alpine MRP-M500 amp pushing a single Alpine SWR-1023D @ 2 OHM. I listen to mostly Country, 94.5 the Buzz and trance from my Ipod. I also have a pully installed.
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Old Jul 27, 2011 | 02:36 PM
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Originally Posted by Blackfly
Listen, people will say "a capacitor is a waste of money, there are other things you can do to help your system.." etc. (H.O. Alternator and the "Big Three")

Sure, but like other systems being built (engine, turbo systems etc.) Each have components. A "Cap" helps take the load off of your battery and reduces the demand on the alternator. It theoretically extends the life of each of those components by storing power for the sub woofers demands.

If you have a pully installed, I would highly suggest you add a capacitor.

If you are the type that listens to music that demands a lot from your subs (heavy Bass rap, Trance, dance, Regatone way!(sp) etc.) you might consider getting a Cap.

If you are the type that listens to classical, country, sunny 99.1 etc. I seriously doubt one should worry about a CAP.

A Cap is a component IN a system specifically for big amp applications. It's your choice to add one to your system.

I have a capacitor on my Alpine MRP-M500 amp pushing a single Alpine SWR-1023D @ 2 OHM. I listen to mostly Country, 94.5 the Buzz and trance from my Ipod. I also have a pully installed.

I don't have a pulley, I don't have a "big" amp, and I don't have charging system problems so i'm not going to have a cap either. The Camaro also isn't my daily driver so i'm not concerned. It may be beneficial but not at this time for me.
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