Thread: Optima batteries, worth the cost?

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

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

Yes

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.

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

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.

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.

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