Batteries - Opinions sought!!!

[LRHybrid100]

G'day Guys,

As its getting colder now the Tdi Rangie is a slow starter, so its about time to upgrade the batteries.

I'm looking for both a starting battery and a deep cycle battery.

I was looking at the Optima Red top for a starter



http://www.optimabatteries.com.au/Images/Products/Redtop_Batt.jpg

and Optima Yellow top for my aux power.

http://www.optimabatteries.com.au/Images/Products/Yellowtop_bat.jpg

Anybody have any experiences? - dont do it Ace, they will eat you alive :p

Cheers

LRH

[amtravic1]

I have used Optima Yellow tops as both starting and deep cycle batteries. I have always been very happy with them although one failed when I was away a couple of years ago. It gave no warning but it was around 5 years old and had been having a hard time running the fridge and twin thermo fans. I replaced it with an Exide spiral cell as they are built in a similar manner and LROCV members get a verrrry good price on them from an advertiser in the mag. It seems to be just as good as the Optima.
At present I have an optima yellow top as a deep cycle and use the exide spiral as a starting battery.

Ian

[Vern]

Have heard real good reports about odyssey batteries, are the optimas gel batteries, have been told there not?

[DEFENDERZOOK]

you could buy ten 900CCA lead acid batteries.......


and have enough change for an inverter.........

[disconut]

you could buy ten 900CCA lead acid batteries.......


and have enough change for an inverter.........

Thats all well and good, if you drive a 130! :D:D

Trev.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

he might have a trailer......

odyssey batteries are good if not great and better.......
but they are a bit pricey......if you can afford them....go for it.....
they are built stronger for the outback corrugations........dont leak or spill.....
are smaller in size compared to similar spec lead acid batteries.......and lighter......
gotta be good......and most go for a minimum of 5 years........


if i could afford them i would have 3 in lurch instead of the two huge things i got......

(but i managed to get my lead acid batteries cheap.....deep cycle 90AH $70.....950CCA lead calcium $150.....times are real tough at the moment for me.....)

[Vern]

I need gel batteries as they are going in the back of my rangie, so are optima's gel?

[one_iota]

I need gel batteries as they are going in the back of my rangie, so are optima's gel?

I don't think so but they are sealed:

http://www.optimabatteries.com.au/

[disconut]

I need gel batteries as they are going in the back of my rangie, so are optima's gel?

See here:
http://www.asta.net.au/products/optima/optima_general.html

Trev.

Google is good.

[matbor]

What does it mean in the specs for the battery :


No current limit as long as temperature remains below 125°F (51°C)


Does that mean the engine bay temperature, or charging temperature ?

[DEFENDERZOOK]

they are an AGM (absorbed glass mat) spiral cell.....they are lead acid....
but cant spill as the acid isnt sloshing around....it is absorbed in a glass mat which can be easier described as a sponge.....
with the sponge between the plates it stops them from vibrating themselves to bits........
as can happen in normal batteries....and if a plate breaks loose it will touch the next plate and short out....
you have a dead cell...and hence a dead battery......

[peanut84]

i just brought a supercharge MF95D31R maintance free for $100 brand new, it has 760 CCA. works a treat for starting and for wat i need at the moment, but might have to get a second once i start getting into the camping 4x4ing scene. eg fridge,n freezer, spot light for shooting, so on.

my 2 cents
dan

[DEFENDERZOOK]

someone say shooting.....?

[peanut84]

ha ha
yeah that was me!

i love shooting.

[DEFENDERZOOK]

have a chat to drivesafe if you are fitting a second battery.....he has what you need to keep it charged......
and to isolate it when camping.......(or shooting :D )

[peanut84]

i was looking at a second battery, but i just cant find a suitable place for it?
and i dont just want to put it in the back cause that takes up valuable space. Only think i can think of is to put it under the fwd some where, but then i have to make up a box or frame for it then bolt it to something!

i will cross that bridge when i come to it.

i will keep drive safe in mind, thanks

dan

ps. so u are a shooting fan aswell hey?

[drivesafe]

OK folks, this is meant as a legitimate question ( not a smartass remark ).

How main of you have heard of a standard shaking itself to bits.

I am not saying it hasn’t happened, just that I have never personally seen or heard of such an event and when you consider that most cranking batteries are located in front of the front wheels ( fenders exempt ) so they are well and truly taking the worst of the ride at anytime and still keep on keeping on.

Now this is my opinion, NOT a professional recommendation.

With only a few exceptions, wet cell and maintenance free sealed batteries will do as much as an AGM for much cheaper price.

The main differences between the AGM type and conventional batteries doesn’t always add up to an advantage when cost is taken into account.

AGMs can be charged quicker but is a person’s use one that requires a quick recharge and unless this is a specific requirement, I think you will find that a conventional battery can store more capacity per cubic size of the battery as compered to an AGM so if size is a restriction and speedy charging is not, then using an AGM is not advantageous.

Again, if quick charging is not required and you have lots of space, for a lot less cost you can install either a larger conventional battery or two smaller conventional batteries and end up with a lot more stored capacity, so that after a long drive you will be able to operate off your conventional battery(s) for a longer time before you have to charge the battery up again.

Just my opinions, cheers.

[camel_landy]

Optima are not gel filled but are sealed. Oddessey are gel filled.

I (and others I know) have had problems with Optima batteries... If you want to read about my experiences, have a look at this thread: http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread.php't=27696
I was not a happy bunny!!!

HTH

M

[amtravic1]

Further my first reply. I bought a yellow top optima battery from ebay a while back that was supposed to be in very good condition. It looked good but, It was dead flat. It did not read anything at all on my multimeter, nothing. I put it on trickle charge for a week and it was almost as good as new. I used it to start the car for 12 months however it does not seem to have quite to reserve of a new one so I use it as a spare.

Ian

[QSDT]

Odyssey batteries are good use to sell them here, but there reserve capacity isn't that high not good for running accessories. Delkor make a good starting battery and fullriver make a good deep cycle.

[CraigE]

Generally I have found the AC Delco maint free batteries to be great for cranking and a t a reasonable price and Yuasa or Century deep cycle batteries for accessories. No more than $300 to replace both if needed and fenerally last 4-5 years.

[PhilipA]

I was a bit disappointed with my Optima Yellow Top seeing it was almost $500. After 5 years It was still sound and would run the fridge 20 hours , originally 28, but it started leaking out of the neg terminal and made a mess of the cradle.
I now have an absorbed Power gel, which cost $259 for 90AH, and juuust fits in the LH area after the rad mount modified. So far so good after 6 months. it runs the fridge for over 40 hours. never had it under 12volts yet.
regards Philip A

[dullbird]

As its getting colder now the Tdi Rangie is a slow starter, so its about time to upgrade the batteries.


:D :D :D :D :D

as it's getting cold now...........land rovers were built for the british cold not the australia cold;)

[Vern]

Was looking at Exide Orbital starting/deep cycle battery today (as they are on special) and was thinkng of getting a couple, would these be any good for winching if running in parallel. They say 750 cca, but when the guy at the battery place put his tester on it it read 1211 cca, they are also 50 ah.
(soory for stealing thread)

[DEFENDERZOOK]

i was looking at a second battery, but i just cant find a suitable place for it?
and i dont just want to put it in the back cause that takes up valuable space. Only think i can think of is to put it under the fwd some where, but then i have to make up a box or frame for it then bolt it to something!

i will cross that bridge when i come to it.

i will keep drive safe in mind, thanks

dan

ps. so u are a shooting fan aswell hey?


what are you driving....disco rangie or fender.....?
they will all take a second battery somewhere.......


and.as for shooting.....half the people on here (if not more) are keen on shooting given half an opportunity......
infact...im off for a quick shoot after work tomorrow if all goes well.....
and will be back in time for a nap and then work in the morning........

[PhilipA]

Exide Orbitals are made under licence to Optima, so are basically a cost down version of an Optima.
Whether they are as good I do not know, but I wonder why they are so much cheaper.
The only other comment I would make is that Optima and I presume Orbital are not very space efficient. The normal one is only 55AH. this fits in a Rangie,/Disco LH battery cradle. The next size up does not fit.
You can get a 90AH gel battery to fit (just as it is N70ZZ size). I know which I would rather have.
regards Philip A

[PhilipA]

Previous post should say AGM battery eg Absorbed Power, Full River etc, where a 90 AH fits in LH cradle.
Regards Philip A

[cols110]

Was looking at Exide Orbital starting/deep cycle battery today (as they are on special) and was thinkng of getting a couple, would these be any good for winching if running in parallel. They say 750 cca, but when the guy at the battery place put his tester on it it read 1211 cca, they are also 50 ah.
(soory for stealing thread)

I had one of these for 5 years with no problems at all, the first one I got was a 900 the second one a 900DC, the DC is deep cycle, my deep cycle one was in there for about 2 year, ran my engle fridge for a couple of days, and worked perfectly with my other one for winching, I certainly would`nt hesitate in getting em again.

Next time around I would just go for two DCs as they are a cranking and deep cycle battery.