Optima Yellow Top OK?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
From: Ft Walton Beach FL
Optima Yellow Top OK?
I've been having CRAZY electrical gremlins for the past couple months. Reduced engine power for no apparent reason which goes away after turning car off then right back on, remote entry fobs work when they want and other random acts of the computer losing it's mind. I have a red top in it now and it's only a year old. It did get drained a few months back and needed to be jumped to start the car and that's when it seems that my elec. gremlins showed up. I'm awaiting parts to add a sub and amp to the Bose and figured it would be a good time to do the Big 3 and change the battery. I've heard conflicting advice on wether to use the deep cycle yellow top or not. Also, can any kind of wire be used for the Big 3 upgrade? If not, got any suggested sources or ideas? Thanks, Rain
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 30,045
Likes: 4
From: Danville Virginia
Rain, I experienced some minor electrical issues when my original battery started to go. After replacing it, I put a battery tender on the new one and have had no issues with battery power. 
Chuck
Chuck
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
From: Ft Walton Beach FL
Thanks Chuck, the funny thing is it is my daily driver and the red top in it now only got low once when I left the visor mirror lights on in the car over night...anybody else heard about the Optima Yellow Tops not being good to put in a C5? Thanks, Rain
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I've been using a Yellow Top since I got back to England in Nov 06. It works well although it sits on a tender in winter. I tend to put it back on the tender if it's going to sit for more than a week.
Starts like a champ first time, every time and thats on a weekend car.
Have you checked your grounds recently?
Starts like a champ first time, every time and thats on a weekend car.
Have you checked your grounds recently?
Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 735
Likes: 7
From: Bucks County Pa
Yellow Top
Hi, the main disadvantage of a Deep Cycle battery, such as a Yellow Top or any other DEEP CYCLE Battery is that they are engineered for heavy drain downs at the expense of starting cycles. In simple terms they can withstand being drawn down repeatedly and recharged better than a non deep cycle battery, BUT for a daily driver the feature of having more start cycles built into the battery is more important. The Deep Cycle battery won't last as long in a DD as a normal starting battery. Also Deep Cycle batterys need different maintaining equipment than Starting Batterys, to get their full lifespan out of them. FWIW for those non DD's that need to use them.
A lot of guys that put heavy amps in their cars use a dual battery system, Starting Battery for the car, and Deep Cycle for the entertainment system.
Good Luck
EDIT, check for codes, and the voltage of the battery, and the alt output. Also make very sure that the cables are clean and tight, at both ends on the battery, starter, and fuse block. Your problem may be in one of those areas.
A lot of guys that put heavy amps in their cars use a dual battery system, Starting Battery for the car, and Deep Cycle for the entertainment system.
Good Luck
EDIT, check for codes, and the voltage of the battery, and the alt output. Also make very sure that the cables are clean and tight, at both ends on the battery, starter, and fuse block. Your problem may be in one of those areas.
Last edited by bestvettever; Jun 9, 2008 at 10:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 209
Likes: 1
From: Ft Walton Beach FL
Yellow Top Installed
Well, I went ahead and put in the yellow top, Thanks Dee Gee for your post, it made my mind up for me. Now I read bestvettever's post after the install so I will keep an eye on it. The yellow top has been in storage for over a year and the car cranked right up and is putting out more voltage than the apparantly dying red top did. I am in the middle of adding an amp and sub to the ride so it was a perfect time to do it. As an added bonus, the service column lock message is history now.
That started the same time the other problems did right after draining the old battery. I got the yellow top for free and can get either a red or yellow top for free if needed, it pays to know the right people some times
so we'll see what happens. Thanks for the help guys, Rain
That started the same time the other problems did right after draining the old battery. I got the yellow top for free and can get either a red or yellow top for free if needed, it pays to know the right people some times
so we'll see what happens. Thanks for the help guys, Rain
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Verdad Gallardo
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Well, I went ahead and put in the yellow top, Thanks Dee Gee for your post, it made my mind up for me. Now I read bestvettever's post after the install so I will keep an eye on it. The yellow top has been in storage for over a year and the car cranked right up and is putting out more voltage than the apparantly dying red top did. I am in the middle of adding an amp and sub to the ride so it was a perfect time to do it. As an added bonus, the service column lock message is history now.
That started the same time the other problems did right after draining the old battery. I got the yellow top for free and can get either a red or yellow top for free if needed, it pays to know the right people some times so we'll see what happens. Thanks for the help guys, Rain
That started the same time the other problems did right after draining the old battery. I got the yellow top for free and can get either a red or yellow top for free if needed, it pays to know the right people some times
so we'll see what happens. Thanks for the help guys, RainI take a fair bit of interest in batteries on here. I guess I would having had bad results from the stock batteries and experienced a "leaker". I'm convinced that the type of use the car gets is the key thing in deciding which to go for. If you are fitting some heavy duty audio I'd say the Yellow Top will do well.
It may be worth dropping the extra $$ for a Battery Tender. I use an Accumate but of course I need a tender designed for 240V. If you decide to get one make sure it's designed for AGM batteries as bestvettever suggests.
Last edited by DeeGee; Jun 10, 2008 at 02:27 AM.
Uber Waxer
Joined: May 2004
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From: Hanover MD
Cruise-In 8-9-10-11 Veteran
CI 9, 10 & 11 Car Show Winner
St. Jude Donor '08-'10
I have had mine for 3 years now and have had no problems whatsoever. I keep it on a tender when not being started for extended periods.
