Car Battery Recommendation
09-02-2011, 03:56 PM
#32
OP is looking for a reliable battery for normal/cold starts, from my research you want high cca and the redtop had good cca. I'm not sure if OP will be winching but my car has sat in the garage for periods of more than a month with no issues starting. I think my red top is from 08 or 09.
09-07-2011, 03:58 PM
#33
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Pigeon Forge, Tn.
Posts: 1
Car Info: 2008 corvette
Hi Cameron,
If I may, let me weigh in on a couple idems in this thread.
We recommend a Group 35 battery as a replacement size for your vehicle and you are wise to avoid undersized batteries for daily use, as they have a much harder time coping with extreme temperature ranges (hot or cold).
Queeg9k, if you are having trouble with your battery, it might be worthwhile to fully-charge it (at least 12.6 volts, depending on the battery) and have it load -tested by a battery professional. Most will charge a small fee for this service and some will do it for free. IF someone does charge you, make sure they are using a carbon pile tester, as they will yield the most-accurate results on fully-charged batteries. It may also be a good idea to check the output of your alternator with your multimeter. With the engine running, the voltage at your battery terminals should measure about 13.7-14.7 volts.
Since Overbear mentioned the “g” word, I want to clarify that Optima batteries are not 'gel” batteries and should never be charged on “gel” or even “gel/AGM” charger settings. Even though some chargers lump them together, “gel” and “AGM” batteries are two very different technologies. Our batteries can be maintained just like any other lead-acid battery, but “gel” charger settings typically have very specific charging parameters that may not fully-charge an AGM battery and could damage it over time.
The CEO Idivinag mentioned may be Cam Douglass, our Director of Marketing & Product Development. He has been with Optima for years, through a couple different ownership changes and yes, he still mans the booth at events all over the country- a true gearhead and great car guy.
Johnson Controls does own Optima, however, Optima batteries are a brand to themselves and we build them in our own plant. Optima is the only battery built in that facility and no other AGMs are built or rebranded there.
Our quality has always been excellent and continues to improve under JCI's ownership. Many of the “bad” batteries returned to us now are just deeply-discharged and work fine, when properly recharged.
When any company has millions of products in use, there will be returns, but it is a very small percentage of our total sales. Sadly, most people don't post on the internet about excellent battery service, only problems. Proper charging as explained in this video frequently recovers our batteries when they are deeply-discharged and thought to be dead. This is due to the fact that many battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a specific minimum voltage threshold (usually around 10.5 volts). This is a charger-specific issue and not unique to Optima. In fact, some other manufacturers have dealt with this by voiding the warranty on their batteries, if they are found to be discharged below a specific minimum voltage level.
I should also clarify that only our YellowTops should be used for deep-cycle applications, including winching. RedTops offer plenty of cranking amps for most applications, but they are starting batteries and are not designed for winching or other deep-cycle use such as huge stereo systems, etc.
I hope this helps in your decision on your new battery. If you have any other questions about our products, feel free to ask.
Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www. powerpacknation.com
If I may, let me weigh in on a couple idems in this thread.
We recommend a Group 35 battery as a replacement size for your vehicle and you are wise to avoid undersized batteries for daily use, as they have a much harder time coping with extreme temperature ranges (hot or cold).
Queeg9k, if you are having trouble with your battery, it might be worthwhile to fully-charge it (at least 12.6 volts, depending on the battery) and have it load -tested by a battery professional. Most will charge a small fee for this service and some will do it for free. IF someone does charge you, make sure they are using a carbon pile tester, as they will yield the most-accurate results on fully-charged batteries. It may also be a good idea to check the output of your alternator with your multimeter. With the engine running, the voltage at your battery terminals should measure about 13.7-14.7 volts.
Since Overbear mentioned the “g” word, I want to clarify that Optima batteries are not 'gel” batteries and should never be charged on “gel” or even “gel/AGM” charger settings. Even though some chargers lump them together, “gel” and “AGM” batteries are two very different technologies. Our batteries can be maintained just like any other lead-acid battery, but “gel” charger settings typically have very specific charging parameters that may not fully-charge an AGM battery and could damage it over time.
The CEO Idivinag mentioned may be Cam Douglass, our Director of Marketing & Product Development. He has been with Optima for years, through a couple different ownership changes and yes, he still mans the booth at events all over the country- a true gearhead and great car guy.
Johnson Controls does own Optima, however, Optima batteries are a brand to themselves and we build them in our own plant. Optima is the only battery built in that facility and no other AGMs are built or rebranded there.
Our quality has always been excellent and continues to improve under JCI's ownership. Many of the “bad” batteries returned to us now are just deeply-discharged and work fine, when properly recharged.
When any company has millions of products in use, there will be returns, but it is a very small percentage of our total sales. Sadly, most people don't post on the internet about excellent battery service, only problems. Proper charging as explained in this video frequently recovers our batteries when they are deeply-discharged and thought to be dead. This is due to the fact that many battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a specific minimum voltage threshold (usually around 10.5 volts). This is a charger-specific issue and not unique to Optima. In fact, some other manufacturers have dealt with this by voiding the warranty on their batteries, if they are found to be discharged below a specific minimum voltage level.
I should also clarify that only our YellowTops should be used for deep-cycle applications, including winching. RedTops offer plenty of cranking amps for most applications, but they are starting batteries and are not designed for winching or other deep-cycle use such as huge stereo systems, etc.
I hope this helps in your decision on your new battery. If you have any other questions about our products, feel free to ask.
Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www. powerpacknation.com
09-07-2011, 06:31 PM
#37
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: San Leandro, CA
Posts: 3,856
Car Info: Forester XTi
Hi Cameron,
If I may, let me weigh in on a couple idems in this thread.
We recommend a Group 35 battery as a replacement size for your vehicle and you are wise to avoid undersized batteries for daily use, as they have a much harder time coping with extreme temperature ranges (hot or cold).
Queeg9k, if you are having trouble with your battery, it might be worthwhile to fully-charge it (at least 12.6 volts, depending on the battery) and have it load -tested by a battery professional. Most will charge a small fee for this service and some will do it for free. IF someone does charge you, make sure they are using a carbon pile tester, as they will yield the most-accurate results on fully-charged batteries. It may also be a good idea to check the output of your alternator with your multimeter. With the engine running, the voltage at your battery terminals should measure about 13.7-14.7 volts.
Since Overbear mentioned the “g” word, I want to clarify that Optima batteries are not 'gel” batteries and should never be charged on “gel” or even “gel/AGM” charger settings. Even though some chargers lump them together, “gel” and “AGM” batteries are two very different technologies. Our batteries can be maintained just like any other lead-acid battery, but “gel” charger settings typically have very specific charging parameters that may not fully-charge an AGM battery and could damage it over time.
The CEO Idivinag mentioned may be Cam Douglass, our Director of Marketing & Product Development. He has been with Optima for years, through a couple different ownership changes and yes, he still mans the booth at events all over the country- a true gearhead and great car guy.
Johnson Controls does own Optima, however, Optima batteries are a brand to themselves and we build them in our own plant. Optima is the only battery built in that facility and no other AGMs are built or rebranded there.
Our quality has always been excellent and continues to improve under JCI's ownership. Many of the “bad” batteries returned to us now are just deeply-discharged and work fine, when properly recharged.
When any company has millions of products in use, there will be returns, but it is a very small percentage of our total sales. Sadly, most people don't post on the internet about excellent battery service, only problems. Proper charging as explained in this video frequently recovers our batteries when they are deeply-discharged and thought to be dead. This is due to the fact that many battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a specific minimum voltage threshold (usually around 10.5 volts). This is a charger-specific issue and not unique to Optima. In fact, some other manufacturers have dealt with this by voiding the warranty on their batteries, if they are found to be discharged below a specific minimum voltage level.
I should also clarify that only our YellowTops should be used for deep-cycle applications, including winching. RedTops offer plenty of cranking amps for most applications, but they are starting batteries and are not designed for winching or other deep-cycle use such as huge stereo systems, etc.
I hope this helps in your decision on your new battery. If you have any other questions about our products, feel free to ask.
Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www. powerpacknation.com
If I may, let me weigh in on a couple idems in this thread.
We recommend a Group 35 battery as a replacement size for your vehicle and you are wise to avoid undersized batteries for daily use, as they have a much harder time coping with extreme temperature ranges (hot or cold).
Queeg9k, if you are having trouble with your battery, it might be worthwhile to fully-charge it (at least 12.6 volts, depending on the battery) and have it load -tested by a battery professional. Most will charge a small fee for this service and some will do it for free. IF someone does charge you, make sure they are using a carbon pile tester, as they will yield the most-accurate results on fully-charged batteries. It may also be a good idea to check the output of your alternator with your multimeter. With the engine running, the voltage at your battery terminals should measure about 13.7-14.7 volts.
Since Overbear mentioned the “g” word, I want to clarify that Optima batteries are not 'gel” batteries and should never be charged on “gel” or even “gel/AGM” charger settings. Even though some chargers lump them together, “gel” and “AGM” batteries are two very different technologies. Our batteries can be maintained just like any other lead-acid battery, but “gel” charger settings typically have very specific charging parameters that may not fully-charge an AGM battery and could damage it over time.
The CEO Idivinag mentioned may be Cam Douglass, our Director of Marketing & Product Development. He has been with Optima for years, through a couple different ownership changes and yes, he still mans the booth at events all over the country- a true gearhead and great car guy.
Johnson Controls does own Optima, however, Optima batteries are a brand to themselves and we build them in our own plant. Optima is the only battery built in that facility and no other AGMs are built or rebranded there.
Our quality has always been excellent and continues to improve under JCI's ownership. Many of the “bad” batteries returned to us now are just deeply-discharged and work fine, when properly recharged.
When any company has millions of products in use, there will be returns, but it is a very small percentage of our total sales. Sadly, most people don't post on the internet about excellent battery service, only problems. Proper charging as explained in this video frequently recovers our batteries when they are deeply-discharged and thought to be dead. This is due to the fact that many battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a specific minimum voltage threshold (usually around 10.5 volts). This is a charger-specific issue and not unique to Optima. In fact, some other manufacturers have dealt with this by voiding the warranty on their batteries, if they are found to be discharged below a specific minimum voltage level.
I should also clarify that only our YellowTops should be used for deep-cycle applications, including winching. RedTops offer plenty of cranking amps for most applications, but they are starting batteries and are not designed for winching or other deep-cycle use such as huge stereo systems, etc.
I hope this helps in your decision on your new battery. If you have any other questions about our products, feel free to ask.
Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www. powerpacknation.com
However, go look over at pirate4x4, or the other 4x4 boards and look at the horror stories of yellow top/red top's dieing at the worst moment.
09-30-2011, 08:35 AM
#39
Registered User
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Cheesesteakville
Posts: 6,833
Car Info: 05 wrx wagon, 90 celica alltrac, 66 mustang
Bump- Never took care of my batt. issues and it left me stranded this morning. A nice gentleman gave me a jump. I work next to a car quest and a pep boys, guess what I am doing on my lunch break. I would go to a sears but they don't have one around here.
09-30-2011, 03:51 PM
#41
Registered User
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Cheesesteakville
Posts: 6,833
Car Info: 05 wrx wagon, 90 celica alltrac, 66 mustang
I am gonna do the DieHard platinum (John McClane recommended it) I have a jump pack that I can use (just to get home) until I can get up to san bruno this weekend in my other car.
10-03-2011, 12:42 AM
#42
crap, my red top optima is toasted. It has been causing problem for few last days. Looking for a battery too. Gonna go either with Insterstate or Die Hard. I have buddy working at Firestone, will see if he can hook me up with some nice battery.
P.S. I used to have another red Top Optima back in 2001 in my Eclipse and it was working great after 5 years. I guess it's not the same OPTIMA...
P.S. I used to have another red Top Optima back in 2001 in my Eclipse and it was working great after 5 years. I guess it's not the same OPTIMA...
10-03-2011, 11:43 AM
#43
crap, my red top optima is toasted. It has been causing problem for few last days. Looking for a battery too. Gonna go either with Insterstate or Die Hard. I have buddy working at Firestone, will see if he can hook me up with some nice battery.
P.S. I used to have another red Top Optima back in 2001 in my Eclipse and it was working great after 5 years. I guess it's not the same OPTIMA...
P.S. I used to have another red Top Optima back in 2001 in my Eclipse and it was working great after 5 years. I guess it's not the same OPTIMA...
10-04-2011, 07:55 PM
#44
Registered User
iTrader: (17)
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: vacaville CA
Posts: 2,158
Car Info: 2006 sti
ive been using the same red top for a while. pulled it out of my jeep XJ and ran it in my tacoma HARD for about 5 years. then installed it in the STI for the last 3 years. zero issues. its been ran dry 4 times and has recovered each and every time.
