Optima Red Top -- No Good?
Thread Starter
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,486
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From: http://www.mphparts.com 800-364-1975
Optima Red Top -- No Good?
I think I got my signals crossed today and bought a Red Top -- is the Yellow Top the one to get? I am not running a whole lot of wattage (about 800) and I'm doing my big 3 upgrade soon (thanks EatRice). There's nothing wrong with my current non-Optima battery but I wanted the side and top posts so I could get everything connected the way I want it.
So is the new Red Top useless? I still have the receipt and can take it back. $99 at Costco...
[Modified by diynoob, 3:14 PM 12/31/2003]
So is the new Red Top useless? I still have the receipt and can take it back. $99 at Costco...
[Modified by diynoob, 3:14 PM 12/31/2003]
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,306
Likes: 2
From: Wesley Chapel Fl
Re: Optima Red Top -- No Good? (Kale)
Kale has it right except that the yellow top can work in a car and the red in a boat. The difference is the yellow top is made to be completley discharged and then recharged over and over. This is called deep cycling a battery. All batteries can be deep cycled but only ones that are certain batteries made to do it. If you deep cycle a regular battery it will never hold the same charge it did before. When choosing a battery for your system you want to consider if you are going to run the system when the car is not running. If you plan to do this often then you should purchase a deep cycle battery if not you do not need one.
DIY.....your car was the red vert I saw drive by? Very nice....did you get your SC problem worked out yet? I am hoping to hear from Andy about my new one any day now. Car goes in the shop tomorrow.
DIY.....your car was the red vert I saw drive by? Very nice....did you get your SC problem worked out yet? I am hoping to hear from Andy about my new one any day now. Car goes in the shop tomorrow.
Thread Starter
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 6,486
Likes: 2
From: http://www.mphparts.com 800-364-1975
Re: Optima Red Top -- No Good? (EatRice)
Kale has it right except that the yellow top can work in a car and the red in a boat. The difference is the yellow top is made to be completley discharged and then recharged over and over. This is called deep cycling a battery. All batteries can be deep cycled but only ones that are certain batteries made to do it. If you deep cycle a regular battery it will never hold the same charge it did before. When choosing a battery for your system you want to consider if you are going to run the system when the car is not running. If you plan to do this often then you should purchase a deep cycle battery if not you do not need one.
DIY.....your car was the red vert I saw drive by? Very nice....did you get your SC problem worked out yet? I am hoping to hear from Andy about my new one any day now. Car goes in the shop tomorrow.
DIY.....your car was the red vert I saw drive by? Very nice....did you get your SC problem worked out yet? I am hoping to hear from Andy about my new one any day now. Car goes in the shop tomorrow.
I'm planning on doing my big 3 soon, so I need to hook up with you to get the remaining ring terminals necessary to do the job.
The red vert was mine, thanks :) I just installed the Vortech Race relief valve which sounds much better to me than the stock ATI valve. I even pointed it outward so that it's a little louder... and of course the car is riding on Z06 Motorsport 19's and 20's... not great for traction but I like the way they look ;-) Still haven't solved the boost situation but I'm hoping to real soon. Gonna get on the dyno this Friday if time permits.
Thanks again, and let me know about the ring terminals....
[Modified by diynoob, 7:26 PM 12/31/2003]
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Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Charlotte NC
St. Jude Donor '05
CI VI Veteran
Re: Optima Red Top -- No Good? (diynoob)
I recently purchased 2 redtops for my Yukon. So far, they seem great... a whole lot better than those piece of junk Delco's that I paid over 125 each for and they didn't last a year...
DELCO=Deficient ELectrical Crap Offered.
Mark
DELCO=Deficient ELectrical Crap Offered.
Mark
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,407
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From: HONOLULU HAWAII
Re: Optima Red Top -- No Good? (Kale)
red top is a car battery, yellow top is a boat battery (deep cycle)
I'd stick with the red top.
I'd stick with the red top.
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Defending the US Constitution in Northern CA
Re: Optima Red Top -- No Good? (WWK888)
Here is the deal...
Red top is a "Starting Battery" great for general use and especially for Starting duty. Note - Optima makes several Red Tops, the one that Costco sells has less Cold Cranking Amps than the stock battery. We sell the Red Top that has 900 CCA.
The Yellow top is a "Deep Cycle" battery - it is really make for Accessory service like in Campers, motorhomes and trailers as it is intended to be used until drained and be recharged without fear of damage (Starting batteries don't like to be fully discarged). The Yellow top is awesome for stereo use, but not the best for starting use. I mean most of our Corvettes will start okay with it, but a high compression big block needs more CCA.
The Optima Blue Top is the Marine Battery, most of them are similar to the yellow tops and have more CCA for starting duty as well. The Blue tops are the most expensive.
DIY - The Red Top will probably work fine for you, but I recommend the red top with higher CCA than the one that you got. They are about $45 more.
[Modified by C5stein, 10:27 PM 1/4/2004]
Red top is a "Starting Battery" great for general use and especially for Starting duty. Note - Optima makes several Red Tops, the one that Costco sells has less Cold Cranking Amps than the stock battery. We sell the Red Top that has 900 CCA.
The Yellow top is a "Deep Cycle" battery - it is really make for Accessory service like in Campers, motorhomes and trailers as it is intended to be used until drained and be recharged without fear of damage (Starting batteries don't like to be fully discarged). The Yellow top is awesome for stereo use, but not the best for starting use. I mean most of our Corvettes will start okay with it, but a high compression big block needs more CCA.
The Optima Blue Top is the Marine Battery, most of them are similar to the yellow tops and have more CCA for starting duty as well. The Blue tops are the most expensive.
DIY - The Red Top will probably work fine for you, but I recommend the red top with higher CCA than the one that you got. They are about $45 more.
[Modified by C5stein, 10:27 PM 1/4/2004]
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St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Re: Optima Red Top -- No Good? (C5stein)
Here is the deal...
Red top is a "Starting Battery" great for general use and especially for Starting duty. Note - Optima makes several Red Tops, the one that Costco sells has less Cold Cranking Amps than the stock battery. We sell the Red Top that has 900 CCA.
The Yellow top is a "Deep Cycle" battery - it is really make for Accessory service like in Campers, motorhomes and trailers as it is intended to be used until drained and be recharged without fear of damage (Starting batteries don't like to be fully discarged). The Yellow top is awesome for stereo use, but not the best for starting use. I mean most of our Corvettes will start okay with it, but a high compression big block needs more CCA.
The Optima Blue Top is the Marine Battery, most of them are similar to the yellow tops and have more CCA for starting duty as well. The Blue tops are the most expensive.
DIY - The Red Top will probably work fine for you, but I recommend the red top with higher CCA than the one that you got. They are about $45 more.
[Modified by C5stein, 10:27 PM 1/4/2004]
Red top is a "Starting Battery" great for general use and especially for Starting duty. Note - Optima makes several Red Tops, the one that Costco sells has less Cold Cranking Amps than the stock battery. We sell the Red Top that has 900 CCA.
The Yellow top is a "Deep Cycle" battery - it is really make for Accessory service like in Campers, motorhomes and trailers as it is intended to be used until drained and be recharged without fear of damage (Starting batteries don't like to be fully discarged). The Yellow top is awesome for stereo use, but not the best for starting use. I mean most of our Corvettes will start okay with it, but a high compression big block needs more CCA.
The Optima Blue Top is the Marine Battery, most of them are similar to the yellow tops and have more CCA for starting duty as well. The Blue tops are the most expensive.
DIY - The Red Top will probably work fine for you, but I recommend the red top with higher CCA than the one that you got. They are about $45 more.
[Modified by C5stein, 10:27 PM 1/4/2004]
