Anyone in the Bay Area have the skinny on the best deals on Optima Red tops these days? Old tractor battery gave up after only 6 1/2 years...

screw the optima, get a Excide Orbital, they are $100-120 depending on the version, I use the Extremes.

if you have to have an Optima, Costco has the red tops for $99.

LP,

Who carries the Orbital and what do you see as the advantages? I have had great luck with the red top I have in my 40 but always eager to learn something new.

I'd skip the red top and get a yellow top.... They're like 139.00 at sams.

I'd skip the red top and get a yellow top.... They're like 139.00 at sams.

Why yellow over red?

Kent

actaully I have had good luck with red tops, just not the yellow tops.

I like the Orbital for a few reasons, same tech as the Optima, cheaper, case seems better built, the side post can be used to run a winch off of(but I still don't)

where to get em....almost every parts store had em up here, Baxters is where I have been picking them up, we(OK Connie does) have a dealer discount and no tax :)

AFAIK I will never buy another Optima

I was in my local pep boys the other day (in san diego) and saw the reds for $89 and the yellows for $119

Why yellow over red?

Kent

Red top will be dead if you end up discharging your battery around 5 times.. It is not made for off-roading or any duties that my drain the battery... A yellow top can be discharged many more times before they die... There is no problem running a yellow top in a daily driver. Optimas batteries are okay at best. There are much better batteries out there.

Yesterday I had to take my Yellow Top back to the Zone, because it had a shorted cell.

I just bought it in December of last year and fortunately it was still under warranty.

I replaced it with the Blue Top, since it has deep cycling and starting in one package. It was $149.99 at AutoZone $10.00 dollars cheaper than I paid for the Yellow Top. We'll see how this Blue Top holds up.


My wife's suburban has an Exide Orbital it came with the truck and I had to replace it once after it was in service for almost 3 years. This battery was $170.00 about two years ago at Kragen.

It's amazing to see how much prices have dropped on the gel cell batteries in recent months.

Some things you need to know about Optima warranty...
Red top = 36 month full replacement
Yellow = 18 month full replacement
blue = 12 month full replacement

My next battery will be an Odyssey battery. I think they are the best.. The only reason I have a yellow top is because my red top crapped out under warranty and I paid the difference to get a yellow top.

http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?c=odyssey

Here is the one I would get... Not a bad price for $145.00.. Shipping of $20.00 to Texas.. For reference... Summit sells this same battery for $187.00
without shipping.

http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?p=ODY-PC1200MJT

Some things you need to know about Optima warranty...
Red top = 36 month full replacement
Yellow = 18 month full replacement
blue = 12 month full replacement

My next battery will be an Odyssey battery. I think they are the best.. The only reason I have a yellow top is because my red top crapped out under warranty and I paid the difference to get a yellow top.

http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?c=odyssey

Here is the one I would get... Not a bad price for $145.00.. Shipping of $20.00 to Texas.. For reference... Summit sells this same battery for $187.00
without shipping.

http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?p=ODY-PC1200MJT

My Blue top has 18 mo free replacement the Yellow had 12 mo free replacement.

I find it funny that Optima's web page says to contact the dealer about the warranty information when it is printed on their labels?

I think I saw the orbitals at my local NAPA today. Call them to verify.

I am on the Excide Orbital bandwagon too. They are super beefy... I have also gone through my fair share of Optimas too... I also paid about $95 for the 770 CCA models (with duals that is 1400CCAs!) :)

The Orbital is what I am running and have been very satisfied. Havent had it for too long but IMO it is better than an Optima. I got mine from NAPA and got the hook up for like $100. I admit it doesnt look as cool as the optima but sometimes i take function over looks. :D

I like the Odyssey as well I run a pair of 1200's in my 40.
http://pic10.picturetrail.com/VOL326/691553/1566988/35435852.jpg

but if it wernt for me wanting 2 batteries in the stock tray I would have gone with an Orbital. I am going to prolly use a 1700 Odyssey in my 100 as it fits in the stock tray and offers lots of bang and bling bling ;)

Some things you need to know about Optima warranty...
Red top = 36 month full replacement
Yellow = 18 month full replacement
blue = 12 month full replacement

My next battery will be an Odyssey battery. I think they are the best.. The only reason I have a yellow top is because my red top crapped out under warranty and I paid the difference to get a yellow top.

http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?c=odyssey

Here is the one I would get... Not a bad price for $145.00.. Shipping of $20.00 to Texas.. For reference... Summit sells this same battery for $187.00
without shipping.

http://www.batterymart.com/battery.mv?p=ODY-PC1200MJT

Hmm, I must just be one of the lucky ones. I've had my Optima Red top for 6 years, discharged the heck out of it many times, and it is still alive and kicking....Did they change their manufacturing standards since I bought mine?? It is in my 40 that I drive daily....

My theory is they are like Craftsman tools, manufactured and owned by several companies over the years all under the same name. Who knows with quality control etc. IMO

My next battery will be an Odyssey battery. I think they are the best.. The only reason I have a yellow top is because my red top crapped out under warranty and I paid the difference to get a yellow top.

Hawker's are good batteries. They take a fuckin BEATING in our aircraft. Funny, cause a few days ago I was making comments to the guys I work with about wanting to swipe one and put it in my rig (needless to say, that wouldn't go over too well with the brass) :D

Never heard of a Hawker. are they available commercially? Bet the Air force pays a pretty penny for Mil Spec aircraft batteries!

Hawker makes the Odyssey, they were disigned for the military.

Never heard of a Hawker. are they available commercially? Bet the Air force pays a pretty penny for Mil Spec aircraft batteries!

I see Hawker batteries in the UPS in high dollar computer cabinets.. We're talking 2 million dollars for a 4 node cabinet.... I figure if was good enough for high dollar computer sh!t, then it should work well for my junk...

Bet the Air force pays a pretty penny for Mil Spec aircraft batteries!


We don't, the taxpayers do! :D

*ducks*

Some things you need to know about Optima warranty...
Red top = 36 month full replacement
Yellow = 18 month full replacement
blue = 12 month full replacement



:shaking:

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=123353



Specifically,
4WheelParts' documentation says Optima comes with a 72 month warranty, free replacement in first 2 years then prorated replacement after that. Well, the free replacement warranty has been extended to 3 years. If you have any issues with your local 4WP, have them call the Santa Clara (CA) store at 408-496-6711; these guys have the update notice for the warranty change.

I dug out my receipt, and had 3 days left before the 3 year warranty. Drove to the store with my battery still in the rig (it's sounding like it's probably got another 10 or so starts b4 it's toast). They asked if I'd tried to charge it, I said yep trickle and rapid, but the battery won't hold a charge. With that they gave me my new battery and a receipt showing date of swap: I'm good to go for another 3 years!


Regarding charging the Optimas, here's a site with charging instructions: http://jtoutfitters.com/parts/acces...ctrical/optima/

Here's a site with an online FAQ about Optimas:
http://www.optimabatteries.com/faq.asp

Hope this info is of use to someone else.

If you buy an Interstate Optima, it has a 3 year free replacement warranty. If you bought a Optima, then it comes with 2 year free replacement.
Interstate battery owns Optima battery.

All this talk about red top, yellow top, blue top, etc...

Blue tops are not recommended for what we do... it's meant for the fisherman running a 20 amp trolling motor on a boat. light load, long duration.

a STARTING battery (red/yellow) is meant for high amperage discharging and charging like a vehicle with a winch. (winching, high discharge, and then the alternator charging it, high rate of charge)

I've talked to 2 different folks from the Optima phone tech support, and have been recommended to go red top both times.

YMMV, but my red top is working great, even after leaving the key on for a week straight (twice) and then slowly re-charging the battery.

Optima rep at SEMA told me the blues and yellows are same formula just different packaging/terminals.

Jay