Optima Batteries

[Quality Time]

Was reading a thread on another board about them and it seems as if they are not all that in some peoples opinion. Anyone have any issues with the blue tops and what are the alternatives for a smaller/lighter battery for the boat.

[OKIE-JET]

I use red-tops, they crank it hard enough. They have also seemed to overlook weak or compromised elec systems better than most, for me anyway.

[DAVEO]

Blue tops have been great for me..

[Havasu Hangin']

Optimas cannot get hot, or they vent, and are useless after that. Most people kill them by using a car charger on a high setting, they boil...then they are done, since you can't get the water back in.

[wsuwrhr]

I use red yellow and blue. Great batteries.
One thing I hate about optimas, is if you short them out, even for a second, just go buy another, because if it didn't fail right then, it will later on.
Don't ask me how I know.
Brian

[sleekcrafter]

Yep they suck:D I have not bought a battery in ten years:jawdrop: my optima is still kicking:)

[Quality Time]

Thanks for the replys. I've checked and my on-board charger will support the Optimas.

[Beer-30]

I just snagged two red-tops. One for my '56 Chev and one for my '60 Impala. I have one in the dually, one in my wifes '04 Yukon, and two blue-tops in the boat. The dually just got it's second one. First one went 6 years. Try that with a standard Delco.
Just don't hit them with anything hotter than the alternator would give them. Other than the few jump-starts, which doesn't seem to hurt them. I have a friend that kept cooking them with a 40 amp shop-type rolling charger. If I have one that is low, I use a small 10-amp charger for 6-8 hours.
The one in my '57 Chevy is marked MAR 2000! Going on it's 7th year! That thing sits for 3 months at a time between starts. I just don't see how you can beat them. One would buy 3-4 normal batteries to one Optima. I don't know that you actually save money, but it sure is nice to only change one battery in 5-7 years as opposed to three or four.

[460 jus getn it]

Red top in the truck, yellow in the boat. Never had one problem.

[rivercrazy]

I'm on my 6th season with 2 blue tops powering a 2K+ stereo. They are still chuging along as if they were brand new.
The key with Optimas, as stated by others here, is charging. They don't mind being discharged. But charging with the right amount of amps by a good quality automatic charger is the key.

[OKIE-JET]

For you guys with blues, my understanding was they as well as all "marine" type batts were designed to be completely discharged (or very close to it) and then recharged to full...is this correct?:idea:

[rivercrazy]

The yellows and blues are the same except for the marine wing connections.
There are two types - light grey case is deep cycle with the dark grey case being starting.
While the light grey case is deep cycle, fully discharging any marine battery, including Optimas, will reduce their life cycle. I try not to discharge mine by more than 75%. This has proven very effective.

[OKIE-JET]

cool.

[Beer-30]

The OPTIMA deep cycle battery's superior structure and components provide dramatically lower internal resistance and far greater plate surface area, and support a thicker layer of active paste material. This means that OPTIMA deep cycle batteries can be fully recharged in about an hour, twice as fast as conventional batteries. They can sit unused four times longer than other batteries, losing less than half a volt in over 6 months of nonuse. The OPTIMA deep cycle battery also has a much higher peak discharge rate — when your application calls for a lot of current instantly, OPTIMA gives it to you right now, to a degree no other battery can match.
From OPTIMA FAQs:
13. Can a deep cycle battery be used for engine starting?
Yes. If the cranking amps rating is sufficient for your vehicle, there is no reason not to use a deep-cycle battery for starting.

[RitcheyRch]

Have Optima's in all my vehicles and my boat.

[Nord]

I got a pair last year. I'll form my opinion this year ;)

[707dog]

using them for almost 8yrs in everything they never let me down i can blast the system most of the day and it always has fired right up!!. the only problem that i had with one i caused it! when its upgrade time for the boat it will 2 blue for please!!

[Racey]

EFX dry-cells are much smaller and lighter than optimas, plus they have a 2 year shelf life, and seem to hold up pretty well. especially if size and weight are an issue.

[SOCALDETAIL1]

I have a red top in the truck, 3 years later no problums, I just got a Kinetik battery (for the 68 mustang) they are the strongest battery I have seen out there.

[One Particular Harbor]

They have been in the boat for three full seasons (stored in a locker at Havasu). They always maintain their charge between outings, sometimes as long as three months in the winter. Pull the boat out of storage, gas it up, drop it in the water...it starts every time. We don't trickle charge and we don't charge them when we pull the boat out of the locker (as we have had to do with other batteries). Also, I can push the stereo on a single battery, swap the perko switch over at the end of the day, and start the boat...never an issue.
All this, and they're essentially zero-maintenance batteries. Planning to replace them this season just to be prudent, but I am almost curious to see how they will go like this. In almost thirty years of maintaining boats and batteries, by far the best batteries I have had. Most other batteries are lucky to make it two seasons in the heat. Can't recommend the Optimas enough (based on my experience with these).

[Huckleberry]

Although I've never personally used them, I've always heard good things about Oddessy batteries. Samll, very powerful, & can be mounted in any position(I once knew a girl like that).