As a Optima owner I can say since the sale of the company quality has gone to ****, get a Sears Diehard Platinum (there built buy Odyssey battery)

 

I get a new one every 7 yrs or so whether I need it or not. United battery last one was $76 1150 cranking amps. Hunting season down sometime 20-30 below starts right up.

 

I run two red tops. I don't have any problems starting but I don't have the cold thing here. I've been north hunting, truck sat for 2 days and started with no problems in the 20's with no heater grid or fuel heater. But that was a one time thing don't know about every day? The biggest thing about optimas is keeping them charged. I've had them go down to nothing leaving lights on but charged them up with a charger and they were good.
The ones in my single cab are well over 3 years old and the ones in my crew cab are well over 6 years old all of them have been abused by leaving lights on but always came back to life. But as others have mentioned the company has sold out so I don't know what the new builds are like???

 

hey-Hey!!!,
I have an Optima Blue, 31-size. I have no issues starting at -7 F without waiting for the grid heaters or plugging it in. The Blue top also has 5/16" aux screw terminals that made wiring an electric fuel pump very easy. It will also make doing the headlight relay improvement easy.

The regulator in my 1990 runs at 14.8V and I wish it were about a half a volt lower. With the circuit in hand I think I'll make a custom replacement that I can adjust.
cheers,
Douglas

 

im not sure what battery is the best but i know the best i have evr had in my truck is the one i took out of a kenworth truck they canged the batteries before winter and i took the old ones,,,it has the bolt on terminals thats the part i liked ,,no more getting out twisting and cleaning lead terminals,,,i would never put another battery in my truck,,,ive left it sitting for 3 days with the brake lights on and it cranked right up,,,leave the headlights on for hours no problem,,,one is a deka,,,the other is a powervolt ,,,,im not sure but the power volt looks like a reman,,,i have had these batteries in probably 20 ndifferent vehicles and used them in dozers and backhoes and they never fail they just crank and crank.....

 

I'm bumping this back up, my battery decided to take a dirt nap on me last night. It was a exide battery and was a good battery. I tried to charge it last night and I went to crank the truck, it turned it two times and not enough juice. I'm looking at this napa battery and it's pushing 1,260 cranking amps with 1100+ CCA. I'm not sure of the brand though.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...(P_RecType%3aA)

I assume it's just a regular napa commercial battery? I'll wait for some reply before I buy.

Thanks

 

The company I worked for a few years ago moved some manufacturing equipment for optima down to mexico.

I have a group 31 interstate right now, but I'm going to put two group 24 batteries in for extra CCA to spin it faster when cold.

 

[QUOTE=bannerd;3028340]I'm bumping this back up, my battery decided to take a dirt nap on me last night. It was a exide battery and was a good battery. I tried to charge it last night and I went to crank the truck, it turned it two times and not enough juice. I'm looking at this napa battery and it's pushing 1,260 cranking amps with 1100+ CCA. I'm not sure of the brand though.

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/Ca...(P_RecType%3aA)

I assume it's just a regular napa commercial battery? I'll wait for some reply before I buy.


I don't throw out any lead acid battery. including Optimas, until I do this to it. It can be done with 3 batteries (36 volts) or a variable DC power supply. It works about half the time. It also works for NiCad tool batteries, but NOT on lithium ion batteries. Do this at your own risk and be aware of explosion possibility, but I have done it 3 or 4 times, saving 2 batteries...Mark Here is another...

 

Napa Commercial Group 31

Something like 1275 ca- huge

 

I like Interstate.

 

Generally speaking, if a person puts a little effort into getting a good battery vs. buying whatever they want to sell you... then you'll do alright. Get a decent warrantee.

 

Not sure if you have the Kirkland brand at Costco in the USA or not? But up here in Canada I have been using the Kirkland brand batteries in all my vehicles for years...never had a problem. 3 year total replacement guarantee, then graduated refund for the next 4 year....so 7 year warranty.

I bought the biggest one they had...1100CA /900CCA...seems to work fine on the crewcab. But in winter I too sun a solar powered battery minder.

 

we run the napa commercials in everything around here, except my truck has a group 31 in it made by "The Best Battery" Co. out of baltimore, md....i think it has a date on it of 2007 and still kickin'

 

We used to run Advance and Carquest batteries in the police cars (Crown Vics) at work and they would chew them up and spit them out in less than a year. We switched to Optima red tops and haven't had a problem with batteries since. That being said, I run a Napa commercial in my truck and the last one I replaced had been in there for six years.

 

I got my truck in 2005. The PO replaced the battery in 2004 with a Bulldozer series, group 31, 1250 CCA from the Battery Barn. I have accidentally run the battery down to less than 10 volts about four or more times and once stone cold dead. It still works and isn't showing any signs of age. It may croak tomorrow. If it does I will get another like it only with screw posts instead of clamps.