Date: Mon, 18 Feb 2002 00:19:33 -0500
Reply-To: pastormark4@JUNO.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Mark Ball <pastormark4@JUNO.COM>
Subject: Optima Yellow vs. Red as Starter Battery
Content-Type: text/plain
I have an Optima Yellow Top that I have used on several occations as my
primary starting battery (long story). I have had it for 8 or 9 months
and used it as the starting battery a little more that half that time.
It worked great. However because of the price $170 (yellow top) vs about
$45
and the cold cranking amps 550(yellow top) vs 775 I would not go buy one
just for a starting batt unless
1. I was really worried about batt fumes (the yellow top excells here).
2. I wanted to use only one batt for both starting and camping. In
which case I'd have a good set of jumper cable around. Or
3. my vehicle sat for more than a week at a time without being started
and driven. Which mine does not.
If any of these exist the Optima yellow top would be great.
SEE THE LONG VERSION BELOW.
My yellow top is now wired via manual switch as my aux batt. Per optima
rep's advice. I bought mine to use as an aux. batt. I kept getting
different views on using a battery isolator and finally after talking to
the Optima rep I decided to use a manual batt switch (like you would use
in a boat). The rep was very firm that an isolator would not be a good
idea because the optima (maybe all deep cycles batteries) charge to a
slightly higher voltage etc. etc. etc. Hey I figured he was the expert.
It has served well as a starting battery and as the aux. Now that i have
a nice type 41 for starting. The main reason i bought the yellow top was
the Optima rep told me that it would take a charge from the alternator
better that any other deep cycle battery on the market( as long as the
voltage was between 13.8 an d 15 volts. Some of the other deep cycle
batteries I looked at
would fit , were cheaper and even had a greater storage capacity but
would not charge well from an alternater. I'm sold on the yellow top as
the aux batt. But again because of the cost and cca I wold not go out
and buy one to use solely as a starting batt.
On a recent trip to Virginia I camped out 9 days in really cold wheather
and used my computer and radio alot to watch DVD's at night along with
the lights and fan to circulate warm air. The battery was always ready
to go. I actually didn't switch to the starting battery except for a
couple of times. I was on the road everyday but one or two and drove
about 970 miles so the system worked great at night and charged back up
during the day. I never had a shore cord the entire 9 days.
