Battery time- give me some input please!!
 

Well, winter is here and I have a weak battery. I was thinking about trying some Optim. red tops and wondered if you winch smokin' people had good or bad luck with them. I figure if they hold up to you guys, they should outlast ME[laugh]

there was a thread on pirate a while back (i'll look for it tomorrow) but some of those guys were saying that walmart batteries are some of the best. BUT that may have been for jeeps and smaller vehicles, not sure about a diesel

I run Dual Red tops with a custom splitter system allowing self jump start no issues here.

I just replaced them in both of our trucks. I got the OEM ones again because for 50$ each and they lasted 10 years and still were going strong. The only reason I replaced them was they started to leak a little out of the posts and were crudding up the terminals regularly. The optimums I dont like because the reserve power isnt to high. just my opinion though.

Put optimas in both my dodge and the duramax. No problems yet. Smoked the factorys with the factory radio on acc for a few hours at a job.

I liked gell batteries for applications where a roll over might occur (as in my jeep).

I use the napa versions in my truck. I've liked them except for the fact that they can seem to drain fast (interior lights on for a night means unlikely start in the morning). Seems to me that I should have a little more energy in a battery than these do, but hey, after 3 years they're still cranking like they are new and I've got no new acid under my hood.

Get something like napa's batteries, don't pay the price for a name when you can find a similar battery for a lower price.

Oh, ditch the electric and go for hydraulic. My milemarker 10k winch can uproot trees and I don't have to worry about burning it up as much (I've fried a warn winch before)

Anyone running the Yellow Top Optimas?

Yellow top Optimas are a deep cycle battery. They're not recommended for starting. I'd stick to the red tops or check out Odyssey. www.odysseyfactory.com I put a set in my truck last Fall and this Summer, on a night shift job, I got back to the hotel and went to bed without noticing that I'd left the lights on. Nine hours later after I showered,slept and had breakfast, someone noticed and called me. I gave them a few minutes rest and tried starting the truck: it flashed up no problem. They impressed the hell out of me.

Walmart Group size 65 for me. The largest of all available that would fit with a minimal effort in the stock location. They crank like crazy.
But, I would not even consider an electric winch for my truck, sorry, unless I bought 10 more Size 65s and put them in the bed of the truck.

stay away from optimas

I just bought Die Hard Platnum batteries from Sears. Size 65 (factory) and 930CCA. They are supposidly better than Odessy and only cost $189 per battery.

8 year warranty and 4 year free replacement. With 1860CCA it spins over fast! [laugh]



If what the guy said above is true about the mopar battery being only $50 then I'd look at them... Didn't know that. Mine were 750cca and 150minutes reserve which is more reserve than my die hards.

dstad, why stay away from optimas?

I'm running dual yellow tops because I have a solar panel on the hood that keeps the batteries up to run my cooler and lights etc when out camping. The yellow tops are dual purpose (start and deep cycle) the blue tops are the true deep cycles from optima that are used in Marine applications. My truck starts strong even in the low temps of AK and CO (down to 30 below when plugged in). So far so good, I'm not sure how they would do with a winch though.

dual yellow tops here, all teh power of a red top, jsut with added deep cycle properties.......theres a reason ballistic fabrication only makes battery trays for optimas

I may be able to answer that. Optima batteries were some of the best, but now that manufacturing has moved to Mexico, the quality is not nearly as good as it used to be! Out here in the Arizona Desert I've burned up Optima batteries from Mexico in 3 years!!!!

My Choice now: Deka AGM batteries From East Penn Manufacturing! Can be mounted in any position and made in the USA! The only others I might consider in this category would be Lifeline.

Lifeline Batteries are also made in the USA, but they will cost you more.

http://www.dekabatteries.com/

You can easily find a Deka Battery Dealer in your are from here, but Napa seems to be able to get them shipped in easily IMO.