optima battery's usefull to us with systems??

[ShoGuy93]

Ok i have been looking into maybe getting a optima battery for my sho since i have a big system in it. But i really don't want the red or yellow top. I was wanting the blue top. I know that is for boats.. But would that work for the sho. I Have been looking at ones. I think model # d34M... It looks right. Or is getting a optima battery a waste of time and money???

Thanks

 

[halfasspunk]

I have an optima red top, its a lot like a K&N, no real proveable improvment on anything but doesnt hurt to have it becuase it has more cold cranking amps. But what i've heard about the yellow top is that its not a battery meant for engine compartments, as it doesnt do well with temperature, but it is a deep cycle batter, which is good if you play your system with the car off.

 

[SHOZ123]

Get an Odyssey battery and you will see an improvement.

Odyssey specs

Where to buy them

 

[K-Dawg]

Forget Optima, they're mostly hype. Go with Odyssey.

 

[fred79]

fgorm my understanding they are both basiscally the same they are swpirally wrapped gel based batteries.
i would say that If you run a remote battery for just your system a yellow or blue cell would be fine, but for a starting battery you probably would want the red top since it is designed to burts power for starters excetera and cycle small power on a constant basis. the yellow top is a deap cycle auto motive battery it may handle constant charging better than the blue top which is meant for running electrical boat motors which drain that battery with no recharge untill the battery is empty. now either battery will start your car its just which will do what you want it to do teh best. your best bet would be a red top or other auto battery in your engine compartment and a remote yellow top in the trunk to run your audio hardware.

 

[SHOZ123]

Neither are gel cells and the Odyssey is not a spiral design. They both are a sealed recombinant pressurized design cell with a fiberglass micro-tubular mat that holds the electrolyte in suspension next to the plates.

The Optimas have two plates per cell while the Odyssey is built like a conventional battery with multiple plate cells. The higher the amp hour rating the more plates.

 

[Dave Ladely]

Save money, get a conventional high quality battery like Interstate for your engine start, then get a high quality deep cycle battery for your accessories/stereo. Since the deep cycle battery will likely be in the trunk best to get a gel type battery.
Yes, Optimas, etc. are hyped and most customers do not know how to differentiate between a hyped battery that then becomes a me-too product and a non-hyped, non-advertized battery designed to really perform for deep cycle use.
Marine outlets have better deep cycle batteries than Optima; they have genuine gel batteries and other alternatives that are all higher quality than auto type batteries and are great for use with powerful stereos. Also, you can fit a larger battery in the trunk as you are not limited much in space. I use a good marine battery box too, much more solid and better designed than the auto boxes, cost only slightly more. I also use a voltmeter/ammeter designed marine/aircraft use, made by Heart Interface. Digital in hundreths, so I can really keep tabs on my batter voltage. Even stores amount of amps used!

 

[SHOZ123]

....they have genuine gel batteries....

Gel cells are really old technology dating back to WWII. Real gel cells are a bit hard to find now-a-days.

 

[Mr. Chad A.Meirose]

I just bought a Exide orbital nice battery
along the same lines
got mine for 100 bucks

 

[Dave Ladely]

Yes true gel batteries are not very common, pretty radical when introduced, recent ones are very good quality. I've seen some in marine stores, brands are not well known as their customers don't need ads as they already know the quality, kinda expensive, have a serious industrial appearance rather than glitsy, but real honest quality and great for use in the trunk.

 

[shojuan]

I have a pair of Interstate group 29 sealed gel cell Marine/RV batteries that I bought for indoor UPS use. Why buy the expensive and relatively wimpy batteries from the UPS manufacturers when you can go down to the Interstate battery store and buy the ******** shit? laughing

I'm not into the car stereo scene but I bet one of those batteries would make a brutal trunk mounted car stereo battery. Damn, one of those batteries weighs almost as much as my dog!! eek!

 

[Dave Ladely]

Yes, since the trunk will allow a larger battery, seems to me that would be the best. I used an 8HD size marine type in my van, put it in a stainless steel box toward the back of the van, under the floor. Worked great! Ran my huge stereo and a small refridgerator with no problems and was still going strong when I sold my van 9 years later!