Optima battery question

Hello,

Anyone running a yellow or red top optima battery? What’s the difference between the two?

Has anyone got a link to the one I would use as a main battery.. maybe a uprated one as I have got lights, winch etc. I am running a two battery set up but this one will replace my original battery so not powering winch etc.

Thank you!

Redmond

Optima batteries contain purer lead and use an expensive construction technique, the result of which is lower self discharge than a cheap battery. Owners of classic cars like optima red top- but they disconnect the battery in storage.

A red optima is a starter battery. These are only to spin the engine over and then get recharged by the alternator, so they typically only ever go between 100 - 95% charge.
A yellow optima is a deep cycle battery, and is rated for around 200 cycles taking it down to 50% charge (but you can't leave it discharged for long) and recharges quickly, especially on these "modern" cars. like Fords and my Renault Nee-san that charge at over 14V (and blow headlight bulbs all the time......)

You can use a yellowtop as the only battery, especially suited to light winch use, as you can happily let it go down to 50% with the engine running.

In America, ambulances and other emergency vehicles have yellowtop batteries, as they shorten the life of standard batteries when they stand with lights on etc.

As above, if you just want a starter battery, and the slave battery powers everything (do you have a charge-splitter?) then any optima is expensive overkill for the starter, and you need a yellowtop for the slave.

Exide Maxxima MAX900DC-P7502

I've had this on my wish-list for a while, seems to have good specs. Relatively compact, and fulfils both battery roles. Slightly cheaper too.

Anyone with experience of these, or further thoughts as to their quality / usefulness?

Here in the states the OPTIMA spiral cell battery quality was quite good; approximately 7 years ago the manufacturing plant was moved to Mexico and the quality of the battery declined due to lack of quality assurance. Off Roaders have been in search of a quality replacement battery. Sears & Roebuck has a Diehard Platinum and Gold AGM battery that is a better battery for about the same price if you find them on sale. The ODYSSEY battery is a much better battery than the Optima, but they cost over $125 more.

Hope this video answers your questions about battery differences.

Hi
I swap my old Yuasa on red Optima three years ago (Optima Red Top Battery RTU 4.2 (8004-250).
If you need more details, please don't hesitate to contact me (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
First we must make battery tray little wider. I didn't have welder, so I mount a piece of steel using M6 screws.
Second problem (if it does any matter?) is that fuse bracket has legs with different length, so one leg goes on, one under the new tray.
Third - you must exchange clamps on wires.
Fourth - we must cut air filter box as it touches Optima (not a big deal).



Cheers
Richard