I have had great service too! I had an alternator fail years ago, thought it was a bettery for some stupid reason. Replaced the batter with a redtop optima. Drove it for a few days until the headlights where almost orange in color, alternator completely died. I replaced the alt and forgot to hook up the cables to provide current to the batt :pat: Well after replacing another alt cause I thought it was the alternator again (didnt see the cable not connected until after I got the new alt). The battery started right up and ran strong ever since.

It's been about 6 years since I got the redtop in the first place and it's still being used in the truck. No problems here. I see no benifit to pay more for a dozen more amps. Granted Odyssey has that PHCCA or what ever it's called thats produces some ungodly amout of amps, but only for 5 seconds. I am not using a winch for only 5 sec.

 

If your main use for a battery is starting your vehicle and you winch only occasionally here and there then you can get away with most any quality battery.
But Optimas do not like to be completely discharged and really do not like to be charged back quickly. So if you need a single battery to do a variety of things (start the vehicle, run accessories, winch, etc.) that will pull it down often and have a high amp alt that will charge it back quick then the life shortens significantly-- moreso with a stock alt that never really charges it up.
This is where the Odyssey really shines. They are not damaged by being completely discharged and they can be recharged as fast as you can feed em amps--again, without damaging them.
Bottom line is this.
If you haven't had issues with an Optima it is likely because you do not discharge it much or often and do not recharge it quickly.

 

So you must be talking about the red top because it's not a deep cycle battery. You have to get the Yellow or Blue top to get deep cycle capabilities.

 

I've wondered about the top posts on my D34M Blue Top. I have the Truck running off the main lead posts and the Warn hooked to the threaded secondary wing nut posts. It makes for a very clean install but I wonder about the amperage rating of the Secondaries? My luck with the RedTop has been OK but I love the BlueTop.

 

I cant find any info for certain, but I think the secondary side screw thingys are rated lower an amps. Dont know the numbers, but im looking on the site to find out.

 

No. The red top will actually take a charge quicker without suffering any damage. Running a yellow top or blue top Optima as a vehicle main battery is not a good idea because it is not being deeply and consistently discharged and then again it is not being recharged gradually. It is being charged quickly which it is not designed to handle. This will shorten the life of both the yellow top and blue top.

 

From Optima "Remember, it is possible for the customer to have a completely discharged Yellow Top OPTIMA that will not start their engine; the advantages of the Yellow Top are that it can accept a rapid recharge and it will recover from discharge many more times." Seems like the deepcycles can be charged quickly and not just gradually like you say.

 

deep cycles work just fine and dandy in a starting application! Ive been running SVR 75s as starting batteries for 4 years now with no issues and that was with a 190amp alt quick charging them...

Blue, Yellow, or Orange tops are just fine going under the hood.

And unless you experience starting temps under -20*F, a red top is kinda useless imo.

 

Ok, I wrote this late (for me ) last night and obviously mistyped.
Should say:

a) They outgas
b) They are not suppose to be mounted upside down
c) They are not suppose to be mounted inside a vehicle





Fred

 

This is how I have used my original yellow top since 2000. I also have a higher amp, 100, alternator. Never had a problem.

Use it for starting, lights, vehicle off stereo, winching...