calrockx

i need a new battery.

so i'm looking at the optimas. i've read a lot about them on the board, and i've gathered that for basic use the red top is the way to go, and for extended use with the engine off/power hungry accessories, the yellow top is the way to go.

but i want the best of both worlds. i want a battery that i won't have to worry about no matter what i'm doing. so that lead me to the blue top. it seems to have the starting advantages of the red, and the endurance of the yellow. nice. the only real extras i have now to drain the battery are a cb radio and the lightforce lights, but i know i'll be adding a winch/upgraded stereo, and possibly more lights.

but what i need are some details on a blue top install. based on the optima site, it looks like the model i need is the D34M. can anyone verify this?
the +/- terminals seem to be on the right side, with + being on the pass side. is this correct?
also, do i need to extend/replace any wires or cables? pictures on this would be nice. i figure i'll have to use the spacer, but don't know about the cables. if so, are there any write-ups on this? i'd like to my own work, but i've never done anythink like that so i don't know what's involved.

then, optima threw me a curveball and i saw they have a dual purpose (starting and deep cycling) yellow top battery. any reason to go with this dual yellow, and the same questions above apply to that too.

Bigkahuna808

Yep the post are backwards. I had to break the body mounts on my negative terminal. And chop and extened the power wire on my battery. I did have to place a piece of wood underneath the battery. I love my blue top, it takes masive discharges when I slam my sounds and never has failed me. Here you go with the pic man. Im planning on installing 2 more blues once I get my new alternator.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Most battery cables are 4/6 gauge wire and there is nothing to making one and crimping the ends. You can get all you need at the local auto parts store. Just get some longer cable, perhaps upgrade to 2 gauge since you are going to add that stuff, some post connectors, perhaps some longer adapter posts if the blue top has front posts to - to connect accessories to, and you should be good to go. Cut the cable to length w/ some big wire/bolt cutters (hack saw), cut off enough covering on the end to expose the metal cords to put on the connector, enough to mash it on, mash it on there, then crimp it with the wire/bolt cutters and then finish flattening it with a hammer. Don't forget to use heat shrink. With an Optima you will probably need the spacer, which you should be able to get from the place you buy it, to work with your OEM mount.

I was kinda hesitant about doing all that stuff myself too, since it is electrical, but after I've done it, nothing to it...nothing.

Good luck.

Email/PM me if you have anymore questions. There are some pics on my website under "dual batteries".

Bumpin' Yota

2ga? ha! Try 1/0ga! if yer gonna be a bear, be a grizzly!

Blue top is a damn good battery. If you are in alaska and need starting power in -70* temps, then go Red and a HUGE alternator. Anywhere esle yellow or blue.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

1/0 is overkill for 99% of most people IMO, but I guess better safe than sorry. I'm not powering all the hi-fi stereo crap that draw all that juice, so 2 gauge is more than enough for me and it is as thick as a horse's leg already!

calrockx

good tips guys.

so bigkahuna, based on this autozone site, it looks like you used the 34MD-OB?
http://autozone.com/servlet/UiBroker...ters=Batteries

EDIT: now that i look at it, the D34M seems to be the one i want.
http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/...le_battery.asp

Bigkahuna808

Dont worry boys I got about 80 feet of 1/0 gauge coiled up in my room waiting to be installed some time this summer. Ive been lazy. I dont really know what model the battery I bought was. All I cared that is was a optima

kevin444

Go to your local welding supply shop for dirt cheap 1/0 cable!

mt_goat

Here's a pic of my Blue D34: http://community.webshots.com/photo/...66765883ucOJdQ

I made a spacer out of 3/4" plywood and covered it with a 1/8" sheet of rubber. I also put a little rubber on top between the clamp and the battery.

I love the battery, I can leave my refrigerator running all night: http://community.webshots.com/photo/...85195029LtpBAI

calrockx

okay, what you're saying is to extend my current wires right? i don't want to get inolved with replacing the whole cable cause that inovles other wires and connecting to the starter, etc. i just want to extend the wires i've got. there's only 3 i need to do that to: the postive battery power cable, one from the fuxe box, and the negative ground one.

so since the wire i've got it, say, 4 gauge, i might as well just get the same right, it wouldn't make much difference if i add 2 ga to only the ends.

okay so i get that extra wire, strip the ends, then connect the terminal/post connector to one end, got that. but the other end, what type of connection should i use to connect it to the stock power cables/wire?

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

They make cable fittings/connectors to do just that. Check the hardware store and the local auto parts place since you are using the common gauge battery cable. Rest of it sounds good.

calrockx

man why is so hard to find what i need? every shop i call just says there's no way to extend the cables, just that i have to replace what i've got. they say an extension wouldn't give a sufficient connection for the power. hm...

brian, do you have any links to those cable fittings/connectors you mentioned? i'm trying to find what you were talking about, but no luck.
i guess my plan b is to simply buy separate 4ga wire from radio shack or something, and then the connections?

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

They are saying that so you buy some new cables from them!

When I spliced my 2 gauge ground, I used a piece of copper tubing...soldered the ends of the stipped wire together, wrapped the copper tube around it, hammered it down to crimp it, heat shrink wrap.

With a 6 gauge wire for a battery cable, for the hassle you are going to go through, buying a longer one might be cheaper and more time efficient.

I have seen fittings for splicing wire at the hardware store, it is just like a big coupling that you use for the smaller gauges like 14-16 gauge, which are blue, and 18-22 gauge, which are red.

Either way, it is a simple fix. If you are going to add some high amp stereo equipment later, a larger gauge cable might be ideal now while you are doing it so you don't have to do it twice.

calrockx

this is not my day for batteries.
i just attached a terminal to the positive post, and the wrench accidently hit the negative one and sparks flew. i hope it's still okay.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Did you piss your pants?

calrockx

haha, nah not that bad but i sure jumped back.

well i knew wha had to be done, but i guess i was feeling lazy and well, unknowledgeable, so i had the pros do it. i went to a car audio place and let them have at it. i hate paying someone else to do something i potentially can do, but i realized they can do it much faster than me and i've got things to do tonight. on the bright side, now i've got some bling battery terminals.

calrockx

Oh and in case anyone is wondering or comes across this thread, the Optima BlueTop model I used is the D34M, picked it up at Sears.

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

Looks good!

:chicken:

RTdawgs

Have to use a spacer or any other special instructions?

calrockx

i do have a block of wood under there now. it's tight and secure in place, but i'd rather have the real spacer. i tried to get it from sears, autozone, kragen, and pep boys - no one has it. so i'm just gonna call up optima on monday.
other than that, it's all about extending the wires.

it starts up all nice and fast now, giddyup.