its about time to replace my battery (oem) 5-29-02 and i know everybody says to get a optima BUT i wont one that wont or cant leak .i could care less what brand ,as long as its a good one and doesnt leak ...i think u all get the picture ...thanks alot for your replies ....

 

Optima uses a gel if I'm not mistaken and that is why it doesn't leak, I don't know of any other choices

 

Optima red top.

 

Look for an Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) battery. Optima is one but there are others out there.

 

Have an Optima Yellow Top in my Z. Optima has a great name, so that is what I went with. Had a GM AGM battery in there that the Optima replaced.

 

optima red top is the only battery to use in a C-5. They should put them in at the factory. . you can get them at sams club or costco for about 100. Worth every penny.

 

According to the Optima web site, the Red Top and Yellow Top are Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries, not gel cell. There is a difference:

"All you ever wanted to know about AGM and Gel Cell batteries"

Also, the Exide Select Orbital® and Exide Select Orbital® XCD are AGM batteries and have been getting some very good reviews. My understanding is that Exide Technologies originally developed the AGM technology.

 

Optima Red top is what's in my car, but there are other AGM batteries that are going to do well also. It is a mis-nomer that these batteries use Gel, they don't. They have a spiral cell technology and an absorbant glass mat to minimize leaks.

 

Red-top for me. Too.

 

Optima Red Top.

 

 

Jim has provided some excellent information and advice. Here's a post that might be of some interest on the same topic....

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...s&forum_id=103

None of the AGM batteries are "leak-proof". Just like they don't call wristwatches "waterproof" anymore. AGM batteries are inherently "leak resistant". However Optima states that their battery can be mounted on it's side or even upside down, so they must be pretty confident that it won't spill. A leak is different than a spill, too - a leak implies that the case has been compromised and acid came out, whereas a spill implies that it came out through an existing opening. Since the AGM batteries are sealed - they are extremely spill resistant. But if the case get punctured or otherwise compromised, it will allow acid to leak out.

Here is some additional information on AGM batteries that everyone might benefit from reading.....

"AGM (Absorption Glass Mat) sealed battery technology was originally developed in 1985 for military aircraft where power, weight, safety, and reliability were paramount considerations.

AGM battery technology has continued to develop and offer improvements over other sealed battery technologies. AGM technology has become the next step in the evolution of both starting and deep cycle sealed batteries for marine, RV, and aviation applications. This "next generation" technology delivers increased safety, performance, and service life over all other existing sealed battery types, including gel technology.

In AGM sealed batteries, the acid is absorbed between the plates and immobilized by a very fine fiberglass mat. No silica gel is necessary. This glass mat absorbs and immobilizes the acid while still keeping the acid available to the plates. This allows a fast reaction between acid and plate material.

The AGM battery has an extremely low internal electrical resistance. This, combined with faster acid migration, allows the AGM batteries to deliver and absorb higher rates of amperage than other sealed batteries during discharging and charging. In addition, AGM technology batteries can be charged at normal lead-acid regulated charging voltages, therefore, it is not necessary to recalibrate charging systems or purchase special chargers."

Copied from http://www.dcbattery.com/agmtech.html


I've read good reports on the Exide too. Personally I have an Optima, that I've had over two years now and it has been totally trouble free and operated perfectly. I don't think you can make a bad choice with either the Optima or the Excide.

 

Costco and Autozones prices appear about the same on the Optima. ( around $110)
Sam's Club sells the Orbital at $130

 

Many members have had issues with Optimas so I am leaning toward an Exide Orbital battery when my battery finally dies (It's still going strong at 4.6 years old.). It is also a glass mat battery and is available at my local auto parts store.