I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to replace my stock battery. When I do hook up my system, I'll be pushing around 800 to 900 watts. I'm just wondering if I will need to replace my alt. AND my battery, or can I just replace my battery?
If I can just replace my battery, I don't know which to get, the Red Top or the Yellow Top. I know the Yellow Top is made for cars with audio systems, but I remember somebody on another fourm saying that he had the Red Top and his car and system are running fine. What is the difference between the two?
Replies (8)
uochronos on 10/16/2004 22:06:53
first off i love optima i run them in all my vehicles... but there are other brands and generics that work fine for less price.
now for the differnce a yellow top is a deep cycle battery meaning it is built to go almost dead and get charged back up without going bad. now a red top is a normal everyday battery too many times going almost dead and coming back and it may crap out. i currently have a red top but i dont run it hard enough to drain it. if your going to be playing it loud alot then i would suggest the yellow top. if not then the red well work fine.
also upgrade battery first if light dimming acures then you can upgrade alt but dont have too; if severe dimming acures then definatly upgrade alt right away.
Chronos
SHILL86 on 10/17/2004 01:29:04
What are other brands that are good and cost a little less?
Relax_The_Mind on 10/17/2004 12:49:10
Optima was actually first used in military applications. If you look under the hood of...say a military hummer they have two optima batteries.
Now. Upgrading a battery to compensate for the extra power usage is always temporary. The electrical system in most every car is not designed for more than ~75w accesories. Alternators arent designed to "charge" the battery but to keep it up.
That being said, getting a higher CCA rated battery can eventually crap out. when? it depends on your electrical system. It may last a year or maybe even 3 years.
Any brand name battery at your local auto store is good. In most cases you get a good warranty to go with it. Your probably looking at a battery around ~800 CCA.
Along with the 3 wire upgrades that go along with that. These wires should be upgraded to at least a 4 awg power wire. (preferably with a high heat sleeve)
Negative to chassis
Negative to engine
Positive to alternator
PS Sorry guys havent been on here in months. My record label has been keeping me on my toes. Im back though. ;-)
vicflo
uochronos on 10/17/2004 16:55:26
hey RTM good to see you around
as for the other brands Napa, autozone, etc all have there own generic version of the optimas... usualy quite a bit cheaper/
as for battery fixing it RTM if its slight dimming only on bass spikes a larger battery can fix it long term. in my truck the lights only dimmed when the bass hit hard and did not dim alot. when i put in my optima battery it had a larger reserve to cover the bass spike and gave the alt the ability to keep it up on the not so bass heavy part and have enough reserve to handle the power spikes. but if anything above mild dimming acurs then its time to upgrade alt.
Chronos
Relax_The_Mind on 10/18/2004 05:15:24
true.
after my first alternator burnt out in my camaro my new one was only 5 amps more (100-105 same price).
I upgraded my battery to an 800CCA and its been 3 years and never had any more electrical problems. (oops also upgraded the wires too)
I also didnt want to fork out $300+ on a new alt.
swez on 10/18/2004 07:52:40
Welcome Back there RTM... good to see you came back to the roost for a time.
Swez
bairsjw on 10/20/2004 09:08:36
actually i think the military tried the optimas but then shyed away from them coz they are gell type... if they get shot or blown up little blobs of acidic gell fly and stick to everything, like people... much harder to wash off than a little acidic water, just thought i'd throw that in! oh yeah i use a red top running a 1500w peak system with a standard alt in a landcruiser, and its been going fine for 3 years, but my dad has about 20 optimas and probably 6 or 7 are stuffed, but might be coz they get completely discharged occasionaly (happens on farms!)
uochronos on 10/20/2004 15:56:41
actualy not sure if they still do but they did use multi chamber gel cel batteries in military vehicles. shoot a hole in an optima battery it well still work all the liquid doesnt just drain out of the whole thing meaning your vehicle doesnt die... i had heard they had begun using an even harder battery to kill but not sure...
i actualy was introduced to optima batteries by a X-marine who after seeing what they could do fell in love with them..
Chronos
If I can just replace my battery, I don't know which to get, the Red Top or the Yellow Top. I know the Yellow Top is made for cars with audio systems, but I remember somebody on another fourm saying that he had the Red Top and his car and system are running fine. What is the difference between the two?
Replies (8)
uochronos on 10/16/2004 22:06:53
first off i love optima i run them in all my vehicles... but there are other brands and generics that work fine for less price.
now for the differnce a yellow top is a deep cycle battery meaning it is built to go almost dead and get charged back up without going bad. now a red top is a normal everyday battery too many times going almost dead and coming back and it may crap out. i currently have a red top but i dont run it hard enough to drain it. if your going to be playing it loud alot then i would suggest the yellow top. if not then the red well work fine.
also upgrade battery first if light dimming acures then you can upgrade alt but dont have too; if severe dimming acures then definatly upgrade alt right away.
Chronos
SHILL86 on 10/17/2004 01:29:04
What are other brands that are good and cost a little less?
Relax_The_Mind on 10/17/2004 12:49:10
Optima was actually first used in military applications. If you look under the hood of...say a military hummer they have two optima batteries.
Now. Upgrading a battery to compensate for the extra power usage is always temporary. The electrical system in most every car is not designed for more than ~75w accesories. Alternators arent designed to "charge" the battery but to keep it up.
That being said, getting a higher CCA rated battery can eventually crap out. when? it depends on your electrical system. It may last a year or maybe even 3 years.
Any brand name battery at your local auto store is good. In most cases you get a good warranty to go with it. Your probably looking at a battery around ~800 CCA.
Along with the 3 wire upgrades that go along with that. These wires should be upgraded to at least a 4 awg power wire. (preferably with a high heat sleeve)
Negative to chassis
Negative to engine
Positive to alternator
PS Sorry guys havent been on here in months. My record label has been keeping me on my toes. Im back though. ;-)
vicflo
uochronos on 10/17/2004 16:55:26
hey RTM good to see you around
as for the other brands Napa, autozone, etc all have there own generic version of the optimas... usualy quite a bit cheaper/
as for battery fixing it RTM if its slight dimming only on bass spikes a larger battery can fix it long term. in my truck the lights only dimmed when the bass hit hard and did not dim alot. when i put in my optima battery it had a larger reserve to cover the bass spike and gave the alt the ability to keep it up on the not so bass heavy part and have enough reserve to handle the power spikes. but if anything above mild dimming acurs then its time to upgrade alt.
Chronos
Relax_The_Mind on 10/18/2004 05:15:24
true.
after my first alternator burnt out in my camaro my new one was only 5 amps more (100-105 same price).
I upgraded my battery to an 800CCA and its been 3 years and never had any more electrical problems. (oops also upgraded the wires too)
I also didnt want to fork out $300+ on a new alt.
swez on 10/18/2004 07:52:40
Welcome Back there RTM... good to see you came back to the roost for a time.
Swez
bairsjw on 10/20/2004 09:08:36
actually i think the military tried the optimas but then shyed away from them coz they are gell type... if they get shot or blown up little blobs of acidic gell fly and stick to everything, like people... much harder to wash off than a little acidic water, just thought i'd throw that in! oh yeah i use a red top running a 1500w peak system with a standard alt in a landcruiser, and its been going fine for 3 years, but my dad has about 20 optimas and probably 6 or 7 are stuffed, but might be coz they get completely discharged occasionaly (happens on farms!)
uochronos on 10/20/2004 15:56:41
actualy not sure if they still do but they did use multi chamber gel cel batteries in military vehicles. shoot a hole in an optima battery it well still work all the liquid doesnt just drain out of the whole thing meaning your vehicle doesnt die... i had heard they had begun using an even harder battery to kill but not sure...
i actualy was introduced to optima batteries by a X-marine who after seeing what they could do fell in love with them..
Chronos
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