Brett
Meat-Hippy
- Location
- Salt Lake City Utah
Add another to the "dead Orbital" pack....mine lasted about 2 years and then lost a cell...or something
Springin' for a Battery
- Thread starter jdub
- Start date
In defense of Orbital
I have had my orbital for 3 years, now. Some times it gets a lot of use, other times it sits for months on end. Every time it seems to be out of power, the CCA kick in and it starts up the old XJ. It appears to re-charge with out problems. I have abused it with winching, aux lights, and daily driving. I wouldn't hesitate to replace it with the same model.
I have had my orbital for 3 years, now. Some times it gets a lot of use, other times it sits for months on end. Every time it seems to be out of power, the CCA kick in and it starts up the old XJ. It appears to re-charge with out problems. I have abused it with winching, aux lights, and daily driving. I wouldn't hesitate to replace it with the same model.
waynehartwig
www.jeeperman.com
- Location
- Mead, WA
I do!! $170 to your door for a 34/78 Yellow top or $150 for the Red top.
PREMIER.MOTORS
Member
Go Optima. yellow top will run winch better because of deep cycle. red top will run winch but it will take more juice out of it.
The reds are "start" batteries and are for dd's that don't run any accessories
The Yellows are "start/deepcycle" and are just as good for starting as the red, with more reserve and are not damaged by a complete drain (as the reds can be)
The Blues are basically Yellows with stainless steel marine terminals.
I have two reds in my Cummins 34s IIRC, they are about 3 years old and start it like they did when they were new, even after it sits for 2 or 3 weeks in sub freezing weather.
I have a Yellow 31 with marine terminals in my Blazer....
The reds are a tad cheaper, but the yellows are worth the extra money.
The Yellows are "start/deepcycle" and are just as good for starting as the red, with more reserve and are not damaged by a complete drain (as the reds can be)
The Blues are basically Yellows with stainless steel marine terminals.
I have two reds in my Cummins 34s IIRC, they are about 3 years old and start it like they did when they were new, even after it sits for 2 or 3 weeks in sub freezing weather.
I have a Yellow 31 with marine terminals in my Blazer....
The reds are a tad cheaper, but the yellows are worth the extra money.
waynehartwig
www.jeeperman.com
- Location
- Mead, WA
The blues are better for loads stretched over a longer period, between chargings - and can handle going dead, and then being recharged. I think they call them intrinsic<sp?> loads. One that is less than an amp, like a light bulb, running continously and draining the battery. This type of thing will kill batteries (shorten the life) fast!! Red tops can't handle them at all, and yellows a little better, but still not very good.
Optima's work better the colder it gets. If they are stored in a cold environment fully charged, they will last a lifetime (maybe a bit exagerated, but not much) and still be fully charged.
Optima's work better the colder it gets. If they are stored in a cold environment fully charged, they will last a lifetime (maybe a bit exagerated, but not much) and still be fully charged.
Rocktickler
Rocktickler
- Location
- Kaysville,Utah
I have had a lot of problems w/optimas and the last battery I bought was a Deka Intimadator its a gel cell just like the optimas and the cost is better also. I paid $105.00 for one last month. I think the place that sales them is called Hensley Battery in S.L.C.
timpanogos
Push to the Peak
- Location
- Heber
seems several of the pirate boys also were liking the Deka, and were also expressing some disapointment with the optimas
I would like more info on the Deka. Is it a deep cycle? My buddy that has the 4 runner bought a yellow top last spring and it is dead. He sent it back a couple weeks after he got it and they said it was fine but it has never held a charge over 24 hours. my neighbor works for a rice burner race car shop and says he has had lots of problems with them. But I also have friends that have had the yellow top for years in drag cars and have discharged and charged the crap out of them and the still work like brand new. I bought a deep cycle marine batteryu from autozone 6 years ago and it works still but leaks acid in my eyes when I rolled so I am shopping for a new one as well.
waynehartwig
www.jeeperman.com
- Location
- Mead, WA
The Optimas can't be over charged or ran in a hot environment - either will kill them quickly. Also, if they are charged to fast - too hot of an alternator when they are dead. If you follow their spec sheet, and design limitations, they will last a long time.
If you want a bullet proof (literally
) battery, check out Odyssey Factory. Military grade batteries, that have a design life of 8-12 years. Chances are very good that it will be the last battery you buy. While other batteries go down in amperage as they discharge, these give full current until they are dead. They don't have the problems other batteries do with cycling it from dead to full charge, etc. either....
http://www.alljeep.com/oscommerce/index.php?manufacturers_id=33
If you want a bullet proof (literally
) battery, check out Odyssey Factory. Military grade batteries, that have a design life of 8-12 years. Chances are very good that it will be the last battery you buy. While other batteries go down in amperage as they discharge, these give full current until they are dead. They don't have the problems other batteries do with cycling it from dead to full charge, etc. either....http://www.alljeep.com/oscommerce/index.php?manufacturers_id=33
jdub
Scrambler
- Location
- Provo, Utah.
Yeah, which one. If you say they are bombproof then I'll take one. I'll take one that fits an older(late 70's) Chev 350 small block. If it will do everything a yellow optima would then you've sold me on the Odessy. Not to mention those who claim to have had problems(with optimas), makes me a bit weary. You and your web site seems to favor the Odessy. I was also interested in the kilby terminals. Will those be compatible? Worth tossing in?
Let me know your recomendations; which one, how to buy, and so on.
thanx
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- Location
- Sandy, Ut
Better than what? Better than a lead-acid battery? Or better than when they are warm? If the latter I would love to know your source
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
I wouldn't discount the 15% additional cranking amps as "just as good", and while the yellowtop has a far greater reserve capacity, that simply isn't needed in many applications, such as using accessories you primarily use when the vehicle is running. Small drain items like a stereo (not amp), cb, cell phone charger, etc will be just fine with a redtop (or reg. lead-acid battery of course)... Its when you have high-drain accessories that get used frequently without the motor running (such as a boat at dock, campers, etc) that the deep cycle really shines. However, I can have the fridge running in my Cruiser (~ 2 amp/hr) for 24+ hours and never have a problem with my redtop starting the rig (has a 50 ah @ C/20). However, anything more than that and I put them on the yellow top (where my 120V inverter & winch are wired to)
Different strokes for different folks... no one battery is the solution for everyone.
:-\ I'll have to look at the specs again. I should mention that in the reading I did I was comparing group 31's. When I bought my red's it was an "I need it now what can you get me" situation so I didn't read up on the smaller batteries.
- Location
- Sandy, Ut
The number I used for comparison are for the 34/78 series, but I would honestly expect similar results with all of them... I think for many a single yellow top would probably be just fine, but in cold weather applications every little amp counts. A regular lead-acid battery has 1/2 its nominal power @ 0 deg. F. and at the same time, a cold motor can take twice as much battery power to turn over a cold starter and cold oil.
Rot Box
Diesel and Dust
- Location
- Smithfield Utah
One of my Optima's (red top) is going on 7 years, and still performing well. It's been in temeratures anywhere from -28 to 100+ and never given me any doubt. I don't know about the Odyssey's performance, but that's hard to beat with any wet cell battery. For that reason alone I put one in the new Tacoma a week after I bought it.
The number I used for comparison are for the 34/78 series, but I would honestly expect similar results with all of them... I think for many a single yellow top would probably be just fine, but in cold weather applications every little amp counts. A regular lead-acid battery has 1/2 its nominal power @ 0 deg. F. and at the same time, a cold motor can take twice as much battery power to turn over a cold starter and cold oil.
They don't even have a 31 red. The 31 yellow and 31M blue spank all of the reds, and the 34M (marine) has the same specs as the 34 red but it has marine terminals.
Some specs might be different in thier "product spec sheet" pdf's but they are broken.
waynehartwig
www.jeeperman.com
- Location
- Mead, WA
Which ever fits... They aren't BCI graded, you simply need to find the one closest to your size. Here is their website...http://www.odysseyfactory.com/
I've been a dealer for about 2 years, but never purchased anything, so I'm not sure if I can get them anymore and if I can, at what cost.
EDIT: I was just on their website, and they have BCI converters now...
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waynehartwig
www.jeeperman.com
- Location
- Mead, WA
Better than what? Better than a lead-acid battery? Or better than when they are warm? If the latter I would love to know your source
All batteries do better in colder conditions. However, lead acid batteries will freeze, where this type won't. The hotter it is also plays a part in their shelf life and how often it needs to be recharged while sitting. This goes the same for charging. If it's being overcharged, it's going to get hot and vaporize - ie kill itself. Optima's will also vaporize, but they aren't near as susceptable <sp?> and usually will only do so when being overcharged.