Optima battery help?

[HomesickAlien]

So I'm looking to get an Optima battery, because mine sucks -- it seems everyone has the yellow top; why?

Supposedly the Red Top is better -- so why does everyone have Yellow?

And what specific battery/size do we (GS) need? The guy at Autozone said the Optima doesn't show up for the Eclipse, but I know they obviously are compatible -- so any help there would be great too.

Thanks guys!

[Daxenth]

all i know is yellow tops are Gel based batteries, and have reserve cells for high end electronic use (people like me... lol subs, LEDs, lights, stupid shit) red tops.. no idea about those

[HomesickAlien]

Originally Posted by Daxenth

all i know is yellow tops are Gel based batteries, and have reserve cells for high end electronic use (people like me... lol subs, LEDs, lights, stupid shit) red tops.. no idea about those

After doing a little reading on their site, I FIGURED that's why they were the preferred battery -- just wanted some input. Thanks douche ; )

[deprydation]

Yellow tops are for electrical longevity. They'll hold an amazing charge for a long period of time without any charging source. They tend to have medium amounts of cranking amps and will start just about any new car on the market without any trouble.

Now, the Red tops are preferred sometimes after major engine rebuilds (boring/stroking) etc because they have HUGE amounts of cranking power. Also used for HIGH compression engines. They do hold a charge for a long period like the yellow top, but not as long.

Blue tops are marine quality and meant for long periods of time of sitting and still starting. If you don't drive your car much and want a good mix between the red and yellow top a blue top is your best bet.

Do your research big homie...pick the battery that best suits you.

[HomesickAlien]

That's the problem, I HAVE done my research -- too much of it and im confusing myself.

The red top seems like the better battery for performance, but everyone here seems to prefer yellow -- which confuses me.

The main thing I want is to be able to run my AC full blast and have my system thumping without my engine being sluggish as Hell. It's mainly the AC, as soon as I crank it, my performance goes out the window. The audio doesn't have much, if any, effect. When I turn on my AC, my battery drops a whole volt. That's huge.

Which battery do you think would better fix that problem, or at least help it?

[HomesickAlien]

Alright, I think I'm going with the Yellow-Top.

On Optima's website, every time I use the 'What Battery Do I need" search function I end up with a Red-Top. So I'm having trouble figuring out which Yellow-Top I need.

I know a ton of you guys have them, what size/part number Yellow-Top battery do I need? Is there a specific one, or just go with one that fits in my battery bay and is about the same size?

Basically, you guys that have the Yellow-Top, which one did you go with? (Size or part-number or whatever)

Thanks!

[HomesickAlien]

I THINK I need the D34/78 or the D34 -- just not positive....

[TemplarRadix08GT]

Yellatop have higher amount of discharge recharges too. If u have a cap either will work. I got a Red. Last real long. 5 years on my first one.

[dejectedangle]

Blue top FTW over 1000 cca that's win...


No matter what battery you buy bro if your ac is = loss of power...

[dejectedangle]

Just buy a dam yellowtop if you still lose power buy a HO alternator with a external regulator But that's 400 bucks and you can stick with a cheap battery that's how I'd do it.. A alternator lasts 100k miles a battery 50k if your lucky...


Becareful with optoma batteries don't let them fully drain like leaving your key on or it fuckes them up bad good luck

[TemplarRadix08GT]

Yellowtops are good I've gotten over 30 full recharges on one and ran that battery solely in a gc8 swap for like 3 weeks np.. Solid battery. If I got less than 50k on a battery I'd b Fu king pissed big time. I got over 150 on my first and I was running 5kwatts solid. They're good and I've witnessed it. A normal battery tho. Heh. My oem lasted 30k before it cracked from heat, no system at the time.

I got a decent quote for a HO alt; 225 to get an extra 45amps. Rebuilt of course. Didn't get the price on a regulator tho. Best to do big3 after that too. But then ur set. For like ever man.

[TemplarRadix08GT]

Ac is a huge loss of power and not only because it's electrical but also bc it's belt driven. Everything needs to work harder, even a supercharger does same thing but that also takes the power but regains it so you wouldn't really know. Turbos recyle the power from exhaust gases.. Supachargah is belt ac is belt; but ac don't give u powa

[HomesickAlien]

Originally Posted by TemplarRadix08GT

Yellowtops are good I've gotten over 30 full recharges on one and ran that battery solely in a gc8 swap for like 3 weeks np.. Solid battery. If I got less than 50k on a battery I'd b Fu king pissed big time. I got over 150 on my first and I was running 5kwatts solid. They're good and I've witnessed it. A normal battery tho. Heh. My oem lasted 30k before it cracked from heat, no system at the time.

I got a decent quote for a HO alt; 225 to get an extra 45amps. Rebuilt of course. Didn't get the price on a regulator tho. Best to do big3 after that too. But then ur set. For like ever man.

Where would you get a HO alternator? I searched eBay. And do you have to get a regulator? Whats that for?

Thanks for the help bro....

[dejectedangle]

External reg means you control what voltage the alternator putts out from a knob inside the car it's made for soundsystems so you can bump the voltage to 15 if you wanted.. Internal Is a automatic regulator that will charge when needed... You won't find one on eBay. Search high output alternator 250-300 amps at idol

[HomesickAlien]

I mean, would I HAVE to get a regulator with HO Alternator

[TemplarRadix08GT]

You can get an alternator shop to build it from oem.

[360jeepboy]

Originally Posted by dejectedangle

Becareful with optoma batteries don't let them fully drain like leaving your key on or it fuckes them up bad good luck

How and why does it fuck them up bad? If you look at the yellow top it will say deep cycle. That means that it can be very drained yet charge up and work like new again. I've had my yellow top in my vette go down to 5volts... twice, which would be gone if it was just another lead acid battery, but I charged it with my tender and it works like a charm.

[trevroar]

didn't read through the entire thread, but I've done my research before buying my yellow top. Red top is a starting battery, all it is intended in doing is starting your motor. Yellow top, accessory battery, intended for high draw accessories. Blue top, marine battery, this is the battery that is intended to be drained completely over and over again, it is designed not to be used with an alternator. However, there are two different blue top batteries, one with a light grey bottom and one with a dark grey bottom. I believe the light grey bottom can be ran with an alternator.

[HomesickAlien]

Originally Posted by trevroar

didn't read through the entire thread, but I've done my research before buying my yellow top. Red top is a starting battery, all it is intended in doing is starting your motor. Yellow top, accessory battery, intended for high draw accessories. Blue top, marine battery, this is the battery that is intended to be drained completely over and over again, it is designed not to be used with an alternator. However, there are two different blue top batteries, one with a light grey bottom and one with a dark grey bottom. I believe the light grey bottom can be ran with an alternator.

Yeah, I've done a LOT of research over the last couple of days, and the yellow-top is definitely what I'm looking for. Should help a lot with the sound system, LED's, AC and whatnot being run constantly....

[HomesickAlien]

And I actually thought briefly about the blue-top that you're talking about but I think it may be a tad bit overkill for a car.

I don't see myself needing those 1000 cranking amps anytime soon haha....

[jarhead0321usmc]

So is it the d34 that will fit our cars?

[HomesickAlien]

Originally Posted by jarhead0321usmc

So is it the d34 that will fit our cars?

Yes, but I'm going to get the D34/78 because it's the exact same battery it just has top AND side posts....and for some reason it's cheaper? WTF? Same battery but with an extra feature, and it's cheaper? Sign me up!

[Optima Bill]

Hi,
Let me see if I can help out here. Our YellowTop batteries are designed as dual purpose batteries and will not only start your car, but will power large stereo systems or other electronics you may have as aftermarket add ons to your electric system. They are deep-cycle units and are the prefered battery in those applications. If you need a battery just for normal application and factory systems, then the RedTop battery will probably serve your needs and they are the less expensive choice.
HomesickAlien, we list a group 25 RedTop as a “direct-fit” replacement for the 2008 Eclipse. That doesn't mean you can't use a different-sized battery, we just may not be able to recommend it as a direct-fit replacement.
There is a size/group chart for both on our Optimabatteries website to help you determine which battery suits your fitment need. If you are planning to relocate your battery, we offer the following advise.

Hood Clearance- There should be at least 3/4” clearance between the top of the battery terminals and the underside of the hood. When we do our fitment studies, we put a ball of clay on top of the post, and VERY carefully close the hood to make sure that nothing makes contact. By measuring how much the clay is squeezed down when the hood is closed, we can know how much hood clearance we have.
Trunk/Interior Mounting- If your battery is mounted inside the passenger compartment or trunk, the battery must be vented to the outside of the vehicle. Optima group 27, 51, 78, 34C, and 31 batteries all have ports for connecting a vent hose.

Side Terminals- Optima 34/78, 75/25 and D75/25 batteries have both top and side terminals. If you are using one of these batteries in a vehicle that uses the top terminals, it is important to ensure that the side terminals can not come into contact with anything metallic (for example, the firewall or fender well), thereby causing a short. We suggest keeping the post protectors on the terminals you are not using.
Battery Modifications- Cutting, drilling, trimming or otherwise modifying your Optima battery may persent a safety hazard and will void the warranty.

Mounting- Your Optima battery must be securely mounted. The terminals are not intended to be used to secure the battery. Using the terminals in this way will damage the battery and void your warranty.

Heat- Protect your battery from high heat, such as turbochargers or exhaust manifolds.

On a side note, I noticed in your signature that you run a underdrive pulley. Be sure you monitor your battery voltage closely as sometimes underdrive systems will not maintain a proper charge on your battery. Fully-charged, our RedTops will measure about 12.6-12.8 volts and our YellowTops will measure about 13.0-13.2 volts. The voltage of your battery at idle is the output of your charging system and we generally recommend a range of about 13.7-.14.7 volts.

Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.

[HomesickAlien]

Thanks a lot for the info Bill!

[Bergilicious]

love my red top, no water level to maintain & it starts strong everytime