Battery opinions

[JL Rockies]

I run tested used Yellow tops in both of my Jeeps and they will sit for a month at a time or longer and have started without a hiccup every time I turn the key even in the winter. Some folks "kill" their Optima prematurely due to having a weak alternator that can't keep up with recharging them, then they bring the battery in thinking it's dead when it just needs to be PROPERLY charged, and the same people will slowly kill(discharge) a new battery and start the cycle over again. These Optimas end up getting a proper charge and load tested before they are sold again at great savings, these are what I am running and love them.

This makes zero sense. Yellow Tops as with any deep cycle batt have a high internal resistance which makes them harder to charge and therefore not the best choice as a starter battery. To say that these batteries get damaged due to low charge rate would be counter to what a deep cycle is supposed to withstand and therefore makes the batteries as asstastic as I've stated for years.
Since vehicle charging systems have been controlled by ECMs in vehicles since the 90s and they gain little benefit from a larger alternator, it would seem that Optima batteries are simply not compatible with newer vehicles.

 

[1993yj]

It is a shame to hear that the quality of Optima has gone down. I am on the 10th year of mine. I have let it sit too long twice where it was dead, but brought it back with a trickle charger. Now I just make sure the charger is hooked up during the months when my jeep sits. Never any problems on the trails.

 

[Rock Taco]

I ran these a few years ago. http://www.exide.com/us/en/product-.../exide-orbital-agm-automotive-deep-cycle.aspx

I only changed to the Optima because I thought it would be an upgrade.

 

[Herzog]

Shane, you welded off my optima's years ago and I am still running them in the xj, the label says "made in USA, Colorado"

I know I got those before I moved to SL and I moved to SL in 2005, so they are at least 8 years old.

Sucks because I can't fit two anything eleses under the hood of the xj, guess I will have to go back to one battery.

Nathan

Yes I remember that! Thank you, by the way. I'll have to check where mine was "made" says next time I pull it out.

 

[gijohn40]

the article was in JP march '13 issue.. they did all kinds of tests and from the results the sears platinum was right there at the top... in all tested areas.

 

[Rock Taco]

the article was in JP march '13 issue.. they did all kinds of tests and from the results the sears platinum was right there at the top... in all tested areas.

http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/154_1303_battery_bashing/viewall.html

 

[mesha]

I just bought a sears diehard platinum in place of an optima I was told was going bad(still not sure on that).
I asked the guy at sears if the platinum was a rebadged odyssey. He said nope people keep saying that, but they are not the same.
That doesn't mean it isn't true. He could have been mistaken given the amount of people on the Internet that say it is so.
That being said I have always had good luck with optimas, diehards, golds, Walmart batteries, interstate, and every other new battery I have bought. So I am not much help there

 

[Kevin B.]

I just bought a sears diehard platinum in place of an optima I was told was going bad(still not sure on that).
I asked the guy at sears if the platinum was a rebadged odyssey. He said nope people keep saying that, but they are not the same.

Looking at them, the Odyssey, Northstar, and Die Hard all have the same manufacturer stats and look like the same case, just different colors: http://www.jpmagazine.com/techarticles/154_1303_battery_bashing/photo_06.html

Not that that proves anything, but it certainly doesn't disprove it.

 

[JL Rockies]

It is true but only the DieHard has the Sears warranty which out-performs what the OEM offers.

 

[jackjoh]

Optima batts will explode into a cloud of asstasm without notice

Sears Platinum is the best battery investment at this time.

I agree, the Sears Platinum battery has the highest rating in Consumer Reports.

 

[Bart]

Here's a new option. I've run Optimas, both yellow and red and had good luck. I have run a couple of Odysseys and there's a new one in the buggy now. Less than a year ago I put a Batteries Plus sealed in my lat TJ and really liked it, especially the price.

 

[jeep-N-montero]

I just went out to start both Jeeps up, one has been sitting since the first week of January and the other at least 5 weeks and both started right up, not bad for Optimas that were once returned because the "user" thought they were dead.

 

[Dominic]

I have been running the die hard platinum. I won't go back to an optima ever. This battery has been worth every penny. My father in law put 4 deep cycles in his boat and his also having an excellent run with them.

 

[mesha]

I am glad I saw this thread. I was digging around in my shop and came across 2 optimas. A yellow and a blue. Sweet! I forgot I had them.

 

[camcruiser13]

Never had any luck with Optimas not worth the money IMHO

 

[Rock Taco]

Here's a new option. I've run Optimas, both yellow and red and had good luck. I have run a couple of Odysseys and there's a new one in the buggy now. Less than a year ago I put a Batteries Plus sealed in my lat TJ and really liked it, especially the price.

Which battery? This one? http://www.batteriesplus.com/product_search/44097-X2Power-Group-65-AGM-Battery-SLI65AGMDP.aspx

What did it cost compared to the others we have been discussing?