Optima batteries, worth the cost?

[Sprint]

been having a look at a few optimas recently, and I'm more than a lil suprised at the cost

apart from a HIGH CCA rating, and being spill-proof, they dont seem to have much more going for them.....

are there any other benefits to justify the cost?

[Reads90]

Well I have had the yellow top in my 90 for the last 8 years and before that it was in my winch challenge 90 as the winch battery ( red top was the car battery)
When I got here ARB put a second battery in the 90 about 6 years ago . A deep cycle expensive battery ( but not optima) . That was the second battery and winch battery. Although I have only used the winch twice on the 90. But the battery has died and now needs replacing. I am going to replace it with a optima.

Ali

[rrturboD]

Have a look at the Australian distributors site for the techo stuff etc.
I am biased as I have had only good experiences with them, and I sell them!

basically:
Red Top
Start Batteries

12 - 18 month shelf life
Superior Cranking at 800cca
Drycell - non spillable
Can be mounted on side
15 times more resilient to vibration

Yellow Top
Dual Purpose
Deep cycle - High cranking

12 - 18 month shelf life
True Deep cycle that charges in one hour from alternator
Superior Cranking at 750cca(55 amphour) and 900cca(75 amphour)
Drycell - non spillable
Can be mounted on side
15 times more resilient to vibration

[rovercare]

Yes

[Xtreme]

Not sure how they compare price wise but probably the next best alternative to the Optima would be a marine battery. They are built better than your standard truck battery as they are subjected to extreme vidration and pounding in rough seas.

[PhilipA]

I must be in the minority in that I was disappointed when my (then) $500 Yellow Top started to leak from teh - post after 3 years and had lost an estimated 20% of its low capacity.

I replaced it with a then cheap Absorbed Power Chinese AGM and it lasted twice as long at 6 years and was only replaced with another Chinese AGM ( at $220) because I wanted maximum fridge running time which is still going strong after 2years.

At 55AH, the capacity of the biggest Optima that will fit in the LH battery cradle of a RRC /Disco1 etc is just over half of the 90-95AH from an N70 AGM, and twice the price.
A no brainer for me.
Regards Philip A

[Slunnie]

I like the Optimas because they just last and last and last. A premium quality battery.

Their disadvantage... apart from price is that they don't hold as much charge as a flat plated battery. So I use an Optima for a starter and use a Lifeline with the same technology as Optima except with flat plates instead of spirals for the 2nd battery.

[slug_burner]

I have had a good experience with a yellow top.

Purchased 2005 for a 6 week trip, held fridge up when car was not running.
Used as half an arc welding power supply for some impromptu welding in the bush.
Untouched for over 12 months following the trip still had charge to start vehicles as a jump start battery.
Used on and off for a couple of years.
Then recruited into cranking battery for the D2a which has managed to flatten it a couple of times due to long period of standing an high vehicle draw (ABS brakes mainly).
Now D2a is daily driver yellow top is still going.

It is the big fella with the offset cells, it will not fit into a defender under the seat as a second battery.

[Bushie]

I had two optimas in the defender that lasted 8 and 9 years (actually the 9 year is still going) so the ones that were around 8-9 years ago were good. I unfortunately will have to reserve judgement on the 2 new ones, as the oldest is only 2 years. My recollection is that they are cheaper now than they were years ago.


Martyn

[oldsalt]

I bought mine from rrtourboD and it's been great so far - good price too :D
cheers

[Leroy_Riding]

Ive had a Yellow top D34 for comming up 2 years now, sits under the seat in my old suzuki, runs the fridge and power inverter thats all, gets charged buy a super cheap auto dual batery kit, and the car only gets used once a month, but the battery is always in tip top shape, and ive forgotted to turn the fridge off before and left it in the car running for 2 weeks, jumped in the car and checked the battery, seemed a lil flat, but started the car charged for half hour and the thing shows no signs of deteriaration, the thing is great for a second battery, It may not have a high discharge rate, but unlike the cheaper AGM deep cycles it will handle the abuse and beeing draided to an inch of its life and then charged back up weeks later and still keep powering away,

As far as a start battery goes, I run the big arse Amaron AGM battery, which also runs my 12000lb winch without a care in the world, so depends what your using the battery for, if i was running it for a second battery only id go the optima, as a primary battery you cant look past Amaraon!

best of both worlds, get one of each ;)

[Sprint]

well i ended up dropping a red top in, had to massage the battery lead ends a lil to get them to fit, but it fits.....

[Fluids]

... Also .... the yellow/blue tops can be recharged WAY faster than a traditional wet or calcium style battery .... so the yellow D31 (900cca) might only be 75A/Hr, but it recharges way faster than an equivalent calcium battery that the D2 runs.

[rogan]

I've had one and wouldn't buy one again. I used to run mutliple amplifier car stereo and they just don't cut the mustard. I use an endurant marine battery MMF27-780 worth about au$150(nz$200) and they work very well.

Common opinion from most car audio forums i'm on is that the optimas are lucky to last a couple of years and are overpriced.