optima batteries

[Miles]

i'm sure there's a post about this in here already, but i figured ahq could use the extra traffic/bandwidth.

so is there any place locally that stocks (not just a dealer, but has several in stock, preferably one that will fit a 95 ford contour) optima batteries? also what in the holy fuck is the difference between the red, yellow, and blue tops?

[Bumpin Expo]

i'm sure there's a post about this in here already, but i figured ahq could use the extra traffic/bandwidth.

so is there any place locally that stocks (not just a dealer, but has several in stock, preferably one that will fit a 95 ford contour) optima batteries? also what in the holy fuck is the difference between the red, yellow, and blue tops?

Adavance Auto Parts stocks optima batteries all day

Yellow is made to store power. You can drain and a yellow and charge it back up again really quick and it wont hurt the battery. Mainly used as a secondary battery/battery to use when the car is off. its stores large amounts of power for long periods of time

Red is a starter/cranking battery. It discharges power really quick but does not store a lot like a yellow top can. Used as a primary battery and applications where large amounts of power needs to be given off rapidly.

Blue is the marine battery. Not too sure exactly what it is specialized in like storage or what but its for marine applications

I would reccomend the red top for primary. In the past I had the yellow as primary...Being able to play the system with the truck off for long amounts of time was nice....But I wish I had the red top because it would have fed my system a lot better while driving and such. I hardly ever played the system with the truck off

[Notladstyle]

I thought I would chime in and refine bumpin's definitions as they are a bit off.

Redtop is called OptimaStarter it's designed to allow a car to sit for several months or more without being started and still crank without trouble. Redtop batteries are best for garaged cars, extreme cold weather, and cars that will be left on a charger often.

Yelowtop is called Optima Deep Cycle. It's designed to allow a SHALLOW cycle without a major loss in capacity. Don't mistake this for no harm. Cycling any battery will cause it damage, but the yellow top will not lose as much capacity. It also has a larger reserve capacity(about 120min) which allows you to run electrical equipment longer without the car running.

Bluetop Marine Cell batteries are a good blend of both worlds, they offer a very long storage time with a very low cycle capacity. They are designed to start boat engines and to run boat equipment when the motor isnt running. Generally you find marine batteries in groups to offer a very long operating time. larger work vehicles sometimes use marine cells to drive the wenches for towing.

All optima batteries are gel cell and charge faster and more efficiently than lead acid cells. In audio HQ, your best bet will be yellow top. I have a 78y Redtop because I dont drive when im at college and I have a conventional lead acid battery isolated for backup.

[Miles]

i don't really care about running the system with the car off, since i do that... um... never. i just want the best battery for tooling around town whilst quadding out.

[Notladstyle]

i don't really care about running the system with the car off, since i do that... um... never. i just want the best battery for tooling around town whilst quadding out.

I think red is best if you dont cycle it. All optimas charge super fast and crank at a higher power than conventional batteries(also extends the life of the starter). You will defnitely see the difference in your start when you install it. Red runs 99$ at cosco i think its 129 at DAP

[Bumpin Expo]

I think red is best if you dont cycle it. All optimas charge super fast and crank at a higher power than conventional batteries(also extends the life of the starter). You will defnitely see the difference in your start when you install it. Red runs 99$ at cosco i think its 129 at DAP

$99???

where in the world is a Cosco at

[Miles]

$99???

where in the world is a Cosco at
costco?

does costco sell optima batteries? cause if so, imma raid that shit.

[Jordan Y.]

costco?

does costco sell optima batteries? cause if so, imma raid that shit.

Do you have a membership card? If you don't I could get you in as my guest.

[Miles]

Do you have a membership card? If you don't I could get you in as my guest.
i've got a card, i'm piggy backed on my mom's business account.

do they stock optima shyte though? it's a long drive from my house and i'd like to avoid going all the way out there for nothing.

[93ex]

I run yellow... I have never had an issue.

[adero]

i've got a card, i'm piggy backed on my mom's business account.

do they stock optima shyte though? it's a long drive from my house and i'd like to avoid going all the way out there for nothing.

I think they have phones at costco now, so it might be worth calling them and asking if they have them. lol.

I've been thinking about relocating my battery to the trunk as well as adding in another one. Is it a bad idea to get batteries that are different? like run my car off a yellow top, and my system off the red top that would be piggy backed to the yellow top. I got a stock alt though, so i'm not sure if I can do this.

[Notladstyle]

Cosco only has redtops, I go to the one on highway 19.

Relocating battery is sweet for makin room under the hood, and also helps stereo performance a bit. but your cranking will be weaker.

[Miles]

ok well for some reason the optima apparently won't fit in my car. so fuck it.

[Notladstyle]

why wont it fit? what model car you got? theres an optimate for every size im sure...

[Miles]

why wont it fit? what model car you got? theres an optimate for every size im sure...
it's a ford contour, that uses some weird battery that only fits the contour and some random hyundai.

[93ex]

ok well for some reason the optima apparently won't fit in my car.

Not with that gloomy gus attitude...

[Jordan Y.]

it's a ford contour, that uses some weird battery that only fits the contour and some random hyundai.
Some small battery that's narrower than usual?

Just do a battery relocation to the trunk. I think I have a battery relocation cable you could have, even, I didn't like it with my cheap autozone battery and my crappy DSM wiring draining it constantly, but with an Optima I'm sure you'd be fine. If you're interested I'll go see if I have it sitting out in the garage still.

[93ex]

Some small battery that's narrower than usual?

Just do a battery relocation to the trunk. I think I have a battery relocation cable you could have, even, I didn't like it with my cheap autozone battery and my crappy DSM wiring draining it constantly, but with an Optima I'm sure you'd be fine. If you're interested I'll go see if I have it sitting out in the garage still.

It's just shitty 2 guage normally?

[Miles]

i ended up springing for the 45 dollar costco generic battery.

[Notladstyle]

Dude for any decent system those half size batteries will NOT do. you will either have a hard time starting or constant draining. You really should relocate it or spend the 150 at advance and get the half size optima

[Miles]

Dude for any decent system those half size batteries will NOT do. you will either have a hard time starting or constant draining. You really should relocate it or spend the 150 at advance and get the half size optima
it's a regular size battery, actually it's bigger than the optima. the optima would have been sliding around in the battery tray. a friend of mine had a similar sized battery in his contour and it slid around and would randomly disconnect from the cables. so no dice on a non-oem sized battery. i'm not going to go to all the trouble of relocating the battery because i just plain don't care that much. a 2000 dollar system in a 500 dollar car is ridiculous enough, i don't need to go rewiring the whole damn electrical system around it.

[Jordan Y.]

It's just shitty 2 guage normally?
Yeah, it was some shitty 2 gauge in a kit that summit sells.

[Jordan Y.]

a 2000 dollar system in a 500 dollar car is ridiculous enough, i don't need to go rewiring the whole damn electrical system around it.
Now all you need is a set of ugly 3000 dollar rims, about 4 inches too big for the car so that you run 35 series tires and still rub. Let's say 19" rims. Bonus points if they're ugly knockoff spinnaz.

:p JFWY

[Notladstyle]

it's a regular size battery, actually it's bigger than the optima. the optima would have been sliding around in the battery tray. a friend of mine had a similar sized battery in his contour and it slid around and would randomly disconnect from the cables. so no dice on a non-oem sized battery. i'm not going to go to all the trouble of relocating the battery because i just plain don't care that much. a 2000 dollar system in a 500 dollar car is ridiculous enough, i don't need to go rewiring the whole damn electrical system around it.

I understand what your saying about the cost issue, but its not size that matters. Gell cell batteries are just better all around =) but if your happy thats all that matters cuz its your system.

As for the sliding around, there should be an OEM bracket that holds the battery, if the car didnt have it, the battery wasnt oem size anyways. people commonly upgrade civic batteries to 78y when they need 75 and throw out the bracket that clips to the battery, then you cant go back to 75 without it sliding...

[93ex]

if its too small than it fits... you just need some fab work.