Yellow or Red?

[PolarBear]

I need a new battery for the 91 it looks like. I have an old Optima in there, and I want to stay with that since it faired so well for almost 10 years. I killed that Red top so many times and I could not believe it held a charge once I got the charger on it again. Sadly it looks like it is low voltage now and may be the source of some of my warm cranking problems.
So is it worth getting the yellow top over the red? Red top says it has a higher CCA rating, I would think that would be better but I am not positive.

[NastyEllEssWon]

neither. gel cells fry themselves if you do a fast charge on them...they need a slow trickle down charge or else theyre going to keep dying on you.


go diehard and forget about it

[PolarBear]

go diehard and forget about it

That isnt what I wanted to hear. First off I dont fast charge a battery, and second this battery has served me WELL. I have KILLED it several times, to the point where it had the computer drain on it for months on end and in cold weather. I had another Optima and it was just as awesome as the other, only problem is that my friend is an idiot and left it in the car we were trying to sell. So Rich189 has a great battery in his car.
I also like the Optima because it is in the rear compartment of the car. Eventually I will get a box or build something myself.
So again back to my original question. Is the yellow worth the price over the red?

[Mike]

i have a red top in my bird

[GP99GT]

neither. gel cells fry themselves if you do a fast charge on them...they need a slow trickle down charge or else theyre going to keep dying on you.


go diehard and forget about it

wow that really answered his question

i'd go with a redtop, IIRC the yellowtops are for cars with big stereos and whatnot....and blue is deep cycle i believe. i had a redtop in my 87 mustang and it never showed any signs of quitting even after i killed it on accident a couple times

[Mike]

matts right

yellow is for cars with huge drains on the electrical system
blue is for deep cycle and boats and crap

red ftw

[PolarBear]

Blue are marine batteries as they have the top and side post plus a lug for a wingnut. Yellow is deepcycle, but I was not sure what that means exactly. Ill just go for the red then since this battery will be unhooked each time I park for long periods.

[GP99GT]

Red top:
Beef-up your starting power.

The first 5-10 seconds during the starting process is the most critical and that’s when the RedTop really kicks in the power. It also comes in a leakproof design that you can mount anywhere. Even horizontally. And it has up to 2X the life of traditional batteries.


Yellow Top:

Hopelessly addicted to having more electronics than a space shuttle? Here’s your battery.

Make sure you’re getting every ounce of performance out of your electronics by giving them enough power to annoy everyone around you. The YellowTop deep cycle capabilities allow you to amp it up longer and drain your battery deeper than traditional batteries. That comes in handy at DB drag competitions. It also provides cleaner power with higher voltage output and 16X more vibration resistance than traditional batteries so your battery can bounce to the beat and not lose power over time. Its leakproof design allows you to mount it anywhere, in any position.

[PolarBear]

Where di you get all that? From the Optima site?

[WildBillyT]

Blue are marine batteries as they have the top and side post plus a lug for a wingnut. Yellow is deepcycle, but I was not sure what that means exactly. Ill just go for the red then since this battery will be unhooked each time I park for long periods.

You want a red top in my opinion. A deep cycle lead acid battery means it's more tolerant of being completely drained and then re-charged- something you never want your car battery to do. A car battery should be able to handle the starting of a car and really shouldn't be deep cycled if it can be avoided.

[LTb1ow]

So would the yellow top be better for a higher than stock ignition system and EWP?

Sorry to hijack, but it is relevant.

[WildBillyT]

So would the yellow top be better for a higher than stock ignition system and EWP?

Sorry to hijack, but it is relevant.

Some may disagree, but I wouldn't run a deep cycle battery in a car at all. Let me put it this way- I put a 1000CCA Duralast battery in a Chevelle with a full MSD ignition system, Moroso electric WP, and a 12.5:1 compression 427 and it fires up right away with no electrical issues. And that was/is a cheap battery.

[PolarBear]

So would the yellow top be better for a higher than stock ignition system and EWP?

Sorry to hijack, but it is relevant.

These are questions I was looking to get answered. I plan on running stereo eventually but nothing major. I have a 200 watt amp and maybe put a computer screen in or something eventually. I hadnt even considered a EWP, but I would think you would need to make sure your alt would be able to handle the current needed for something like that, or if you run it with the engine off I could see using a yellow?

[Mike]

So would the yellow top be better for a higher than stock ignition system and EWP?

Sorry to hijack, but it is relevant.


if you dont have dimming headlights and other noticable problems then you should be fine with a red top

(i have a ewp and manual fans)

[1QWIKBIRD]

I'd go red top. I have dual reds in my CTD and they are great even in the dead of winter when I forget to plug in. A red top is in my Firechicken, and that car sits for extended periods, but always starts no problem. I have a yellow top in my Nova, but that hasn't seen the road yet so it sorta doesn't count. I put a yellow top in the Nova because of electric fans/water pumps for cooling between rounds and extra reserve just in case I needed it.

Chris

[PolarBear]

Some may disagree, but I wouldn't run a deep cycle battery in a car at all.
Where would it be used?

Ill stick with the red then. Thanks for the input

[LTb1ow]

My headlights dim when at idle. So I am curious, I also would like to put the battery in the trunk so I am not sure whether that changes anything.

[WildBillyT]

Where would it be used?

Ill stick with the red then. Thanks for the input

In a situation like QWIKBIRD described- one where you forsee running off straight battery for a little while, like in a drag car between rounds, or on a boat, in an RV, places like that.

Edit:

Guys, take a look at this:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question219.htm

Pretty straightforward stuff.

[PolarBear]

In a situation like QWIKBIRD described- one where you forsee running off straight battery for a little while, like in a drag car between rounds, or on a boat, in an RV, places like that.

So what you are trying to say is it isnt worth the extra money for a car :rofl:

**EDIT**

Guys, take a look at this:

http://www.howstuffworks.com/question219.htm

Thanks

[LTb1ow]

So redtop was the winner?

[sweetbmxrider]

i would think for you, yes.

yellow top is for like off road trucks with 6 billion watt lights and a winch and all that good stuff. or any car on pimp my ride. tv's demand POWA!

[BigAls87Z28]

Ugh..

Yellow top and Blue top are deep cycle batteries.

Red top is a starting battery.

Deep cycle batteries have the ability to take more abuse, be able to run down longer and have the ability to be recharged. That goes for ALL deep cycle batteries.

Optima's set up has its strengths and weaknesses. Problem with cylindrical cells like that the inner core of the battery heats up faster then the exterior causing premature failure.
Die Hard did go to another battery supplier for thier Platnium battery, which is a gel cell battery but in a more conventional plate formation so that the heat can disapate over the face of the battery instead of heating the core.

GM noticed the same thing with the new Lith Ion batteries for the Volt. An initial idea was to have the cells put together in cells in cylinders like the Optima, but they had heating problems and failures after heavy use.

[LTb1ow]

Ahh fook it then, group 31 in the trunk.

[PolarBear]

i would think for you, yes.

yellow top is for like off road trucks with 6 billion watt lights and a winch and all that good stuff. or any car on pimp my ride. tv's demand POWA!

Now I understand where you guys get your reputations.


Again for stuff that is running I would think you really need an alternator to handle the load, so the battery just works for peaking?
But now I get the whole RC too, I didnt realize the deep cycles had a higher value than a regular

[LTb1ow]

We are still on topic, thats a plus.
And this battery thing has me confused too. :(

[sweetbmxrider]

haha and this is only my 2nd post! yes the alternator is necessary with the motor running, but if you are winching out of a 4 ft puddle with your lights on, the deep cycle helps.

matt, you sure you have good connections everywhere? grounds and such?

[LTb1ow]

Yea its more of me not driving the car and when I do the EWP draws more than the alt can put back( its a lot of idling etc).

[sweetbmxrider]

what do you idle at? you don't have a "power" pulley on the alt right? i would check the voltage its putting out first before chucking a battery at it

[LTb1ow]

Maybe 600. And no, stock pulleys. It puts out like 13.4 and w/o it on the batter is like 12.

Back on topic, what is good for a car that doesn't run that often but has a pretty heavy load on it?

[BigAls87Z28]

Gel cell batteries have a long shelf life, and have a the ability to go longer without a charge then conventional batteries.

[ChevyHank]

So what did you go with red or yellow. I use red in both my f bodies They come with a 3year free replacement and seven year warranty.

[KirkEvil]

Red Top. The only noticeable difference I saw was an easy start up in cold weather

[PolarBear]

So what did you go with red or yellow. I use red in both my f bodies They come with a 3year free replacement and seven year warranty.

I havent gotten anything, yet. I have been busy/lazy and the car needs a tire solution and it is cold and dirty and I am lazy.
Ill go with another Redtop once I am ready.