Auxiliary Battery Issues

**drivesafe** · 3rd January 2020, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by LRD414

Agreed. Going on recent yellowtop history across at least 5 people I know of, getting 2 years is good going. No longer worth the premium price in my view. Also the SSB is 60ah versus 55 for the yellowtop.

Scott

Hi Scott and I am not questioning your statement, but can you or anyone, point me to the full specs for SSB batteries.

I have been trying for a number of years now to get REAL specs for these batteries and there just does not seem to be any available.

One of the primary specs needed for any battery, is their safe depth of cycle rate.

The vast majority of AGMs should not/can not be cycled below 20% SoC but Optimas can be safely cycled to 0% SoC.

If the SSB can only be cycled down to 20% SoC, this would mean the Optima 55Ah actually has more usable capacity.

Again, without legitimate specs, no one knows what is a safe level of discharge for the SSB

**drivesafe** · 3rd January 2020, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by veebs

Another failed yellow top here...

Started draining from the main battery, dropping to ~12.1v overnight (even after long drives, or having been on the charger the night before)

Have you had any joy in your investigations Drivesafe?

Hi veeps and I have thousands of customers all over the world, using Optima Yellowtop Batteries, and while there have been a few problems reported, it is a fraction of the numbers in use.

So not really able to comment much beyond this.

**Tombie** · 3rd January 2020, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi Scott and I am not questioning your statement, but can you or anyone, point me to the full specs for SSB batteries.

I have been trying for a number of years now to get REAL specs for these batteries and there just does not seem to be any available.

One of the primary specs needed for any battery, is their safe depth of cycle rate.

The vast majority of AGMs should not/can not be cycled below 20% SoC but Optimas can be safely cycled to 0% SoC.

If the SSB can only be cycled down to 20% SoC, this would mean the Optima 55Ah actually has more usable capacity.

Again, without legitimate specs, no one knows what is a safe level of discharge for the SSB

Here Tim

HVT50D Spec Sheet.pdf

**drivesafe** · 3rd January 2020, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by Tombie

Here Tim

HVT50D Spec Sheet.pdf

Thanks Tombie, I have looked for those specs and never found them.

Going on the specs, they should be a good battery and for a good price.

**kelvo** · 3rd January 2020, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Thanks Tombie, I have looked for those specs and never found them.

Going on the specs, they should be a good battery and for a good price.

SSB spec sheets are available on their website, select the battery you want the info for and then ‘Download spec sheet’ HVT-50D Ultra High Performance Dual Purpose AGM Battery

**LRD414** · 3rd January 2020, 08:59 PM

No question there’s lots of yellowtops still going after 7-8 years or even more. No doubt that kind of life is far less likely to be achieved now, too many problems from a small subset of users to not be significant. Issues never mentioned when you go back in time, only started coming out last 2 years. And very bad responses re warranty too from Aus distributor. Most of your happy customers would have older, better quality ones Tim.

Cheers,
Scott

**drivesafe** · 3rd January 2020, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by kelvo

SSB spec sheets are available on their website, select the battery you want the info for and then ‘Download spec sheet’ HVT-50D Ultra High Performance Dual Purpose AGM Battery

Thanks, and I must have been googling the wrong questions.

**drivesafe** · 3rd January 2020, 11:08 PM

Originally Posted by LRD414

No question there’s lots of yellowtops still going after 7-8 years or even more. No doubt that kind of life is far less likely to be achieved now, too many problems from a small subset of users to not be significant. Issues never mentioned when you go back in time, only started coming out last 2 years. And very bad responses re warranty too from Aus distributor. Most of your happy customers would have older, better quality ones Tim.

Cheers,
Scott

My last one lasted 10 years. My latest one was only purchased last February so time will tell, especially with the hard time I give batteries.

Someone gave me info on a cranking battery that fits but I can’t find the info to follow up.

**kelvo** · 3rd January 2020, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Someone gave me info on a cranking battery that fits but I can’t find the info to follow up.

The SSB SS88Ti maybe?

SS88Ti High Performance AGM Stop Start Battery

Unfortunately I couldn’t find the full spec sheet on their website.

**Melbourne Park** · 7th January 2020, 03:32 PM

My 2014 had its Yellow Top installed with the Traxide setup in November 2014. The yellow top is still going but the main battery failed 6 months ago. I replaced it with a Delkor unit, which was what was also originally supplied in the Disco. I would have preferred the Varta but they were around $600 6 months ago while the Delkor under $400, I forget how close it was to $300 ... so in balance the Yellow top has been fine.

However a yellow top that I had in my Prado failed this year too and I replaced it with another yellow top. The Prado one was pretty old too - maybe 8 years or so?? (its a 1997 Prado). So it would have been a USA made one I recall. My wife's RX Lexus has one too and that car will run a battery flat in 3 minutes if you turn on the ignition but not start the engine. Hence the yellow top ... but it now cannot hold the charge under accessory mode for a long time ... I need to give it a check I guess and see how long it will last, to evaluate whether the battery is on the way out. It would be 5 years old I reckon.

I like the technology in the yellow top though and its AH are under specified. As far as capacity goes I think weight is a good guide (real weight - not manufacturer specs which are often wrong), also the company, and the components, and the design. The yellow top has a different design which has advantages for dual usage ie 2nd battery in a hot front engine bay, able to run accessories without killing it, fast in vehicle charge. Shame if they have cheapened the manufacture in some way, but so far I've not had that experience, and I think all my yellow tops are made in Mexico. The change of manufacturing plant to Mexico happened many years ago - recall reading about it when I bought my 2nd yellow top. The Prado one which failed would have been a USA built battery.

Doug

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