So went to connect the battery to find out my battery is done.. won't even charge!! Grr adding that to the list.. excuse to buy the optima?! Haha

 

I dunno about the Optima. I've heard not-so-good things about them. I've had good luck, and have been buying almost exclusively (mostly because it's easy and convenient) AGM batteries from O'Reilly's (i don't remember what they're called, offhand). As I understand it, most batteries are made by Interstate regardless of the label.

 

Optima batteries are good on a constant use basis. Daily drivers do great with them, constant exercise. If the vehicle sits for extended periods an Optima just dies of boredom.
Optimas don't like extreme cold either.

At least that's from my experience.

IF your optima isn't taking a charge they will, sometimes, respond to a high current kick. It requires a couple of GOOD, strong, fully charged batteries wired in PARALLEL with the Optima. Not something that works well with normal lead-acid batteries. If the Optima is shorted it won't work, might even smoke a bit.

 

Well I must add, I have a trickle charger but it's on my boat I could've also switched the leads over I just didn't think about it. But it's an AutoZone one so ehhh

 

I have a red top optima and after my engine rebuild (which took 9 months thanks to supply chain shortages) things started right up without a problem. No trickle charger or anything, just left it sitting on the floor in the garage while I did the engine work. Just my experience.

 

That's all I had to hear.

 

You could run a parallel jumper to keep both batteries on that tricle charger.

 

True. I had a rack with 2 batteries always on charge but with time I used them up without replacing them.. oh wellz.

 

This thread went from headlights to batteries??

I will add this, I ran a Yellow Top Optima deep cycle/start for a few years. Battery voltage dropped to 10 volts & I was told by Optima, that voltage dropped like that wouldn't matter what size alternator, battery will not recover!
Went to a Odyssey PC1500, these batteries are a military grade battery with a 7 year replacement & 12 year self life!
I do have a GM SI 12 alternator with 100 amps @ idle & 160 @ rmps
No problems with batteries !!

 

That's a good spec battery. I also must add, you need a decent battery/alternator to power awesome headlights!

 

I just picked up a yellow top for my daily. Probably should of bought something else. The first somewhat cold day it had a little trouble. Its been doing alright and getting colder without trouble. Apparently you don't want to drain them completely. If you buy from an auto parts store they will try to sell you on the optima charger because a regular one will not work. There is a trick to getting one to work though. Might even try with your dead battery now. You take a known good battery and hook it up with the dead one then charge.

I'll see how the optima holds up when I get my airbag setup going. I was running a nearly 10 year old battery before and when I added my stereo I saw voltage under 12 when driving at times. It's been holding up to the stereo under load. I'll probably replace it with an odyssey when it goes. Like said it's has about a 10 year life span and optima has about 5.

 

Optima yellow top is a deep cycle battery. Not really designed for automotive use. Red top would have been a better choice. Deep cycle batts are really for powering electric devices, like a trolling motor or solar storage where a constant draw is present. In auto use a battery that can dump a lot of power over a short period of time and have a relatively short charge time works in that circuit better. In an automotive application the battery, after starting the vehicle, acts as a capacitor. The alternator should supply all the current to operate the vehicle. Deep cycle batteries don't like that type of operation.

 

Damn, 10 yrs on battery to me, is unheard of.. I'd be driving around with it's replacement..hahahaha the only thing I've had on a car for 10 yrs might be the paint.. IFFFF that.

 

Yeah and it was just a standard battery too. I had to do a double take on the date.

 

Most people don't keep a car for ten years.

 

those people don't drive Toyotas ;-)

 

Yea I just replaced mine on my Jetta nd it only had 4 yrs.. opted for a bit higher cca nd man does it feel like a brand new car..

 

That's true ASF!