Battery tech

GubNi

GubNi

8 lug disc brakes?
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Jonesborough, TN
I have a red top optima in my buggy. It's probably 10 years old and has served me very well, but it's time to replace it. I have heard tons of internet rumors about Optima being crap now. Most of those posts were about two years ago. Have they gotten their problems fixed since then?

Should I go with an Odessy? I saw that Sears platinum is cheaper and supposed to be the same thing. Is that true? (link -->click

Also What's up with battery sizes? I know some cars take special size batteries. What is the standard size?
 
No the battery's at sears are made by Johnson controls, they make optima and the battery's at auto zone and advance.

Also standard size would prob be a 24 series, that's what I see the most of.


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The thing about Optima is the gell around the cells. The constant vibration doesn't kill them. I bought a red top about a year ago and it has been fine.

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Look at the oriellys agms. I have had 3 in different vechiles and love them and the have a better warranty...
 
I'm fairly certain that Sears won't say who makes the Sears Platinum batteries.... but they're sealed AGM-mat batteries (like Odysseys) and if you pick any particular Sears Platinum (like the gp 34 marine), you'll notice that it has the same CCA rating, same reserve capacity, same A-H ratings at 10h and 20h, etc, as the Odyssey group 34 marine battery. And the case looks exactly like an Odyssey, only in shades of grey instead of black and red. The little webs are all in the same places, the recesses around the terminals are the same. It's almost like they came out of the same mold or something.

The hot ticket for the Sears ones is to wait until they put them on sale. They'll knock off $40-50 every once in a while.

I had an Odyssey and was very happy with it. I've been waiting for a good price on a Sears platinum to replace the wet cell battery in the jeep.
 
shawn said:
I'm fairly certain that Sears won't say who makes the Sears Platinum batteries.... but they're sealed AGM-mat batteries (like Odysseys) and if you pick any particular Sears Platinum (like the gp 34 marine), you'll notice that it has the same CCA rating, same reserve capacity, same A-H ratings at 10h and 20h, etc, as the Odyssey group 34 marine battery. And the case looks exactly like an Odyssey, only in shades of grey instead of black and red. The little webs are all in the same places, the recesses around the terminals are the same. It's almost like they came out of the same mold or something.

The hot ticket for the Sears ones is to wait until they put them on sale. They'll knock off $40-50 every once in a while.

I had an Odyssey and was very happy with it. I've been waiting for a good price on a Sears platinum to replace the wet cell battery in the jeep.
Click to expand...


If you do happen to catch a sale going on sometime post up. I'd like to pick up a couple too, I've had too many gold top autozone batteries suck lately.
 
I've run a red top in my tj and a yellow top in my 40 for the last two years (post johnson controls buyout) and they have served me well. IRC, w/ the advance auto coupon code, you can save around $50 ordering one online and picking up in store. Thats the only way I can afford them...
 
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braxton357 said:
If you do happen to catch a sale going on sometime post up. I'd like to pick up a couple too, I've had too many gold top autozone batteries suck lately.
Click to expand...

The last big sale was the end of September. I missed that one. Maybe they'll do a Black Friday/Thanksgiving thing.... but I'll post up if I see anything.
 
snappy said:
Look at the oriellys agms. I have had 3 in different vechiles and love them and the have a better warranty...
Click to expand...

The O'Reilly's AGMs I've seen look <cough> just like Dekas. Deka makes a pretty good battery, too.
 
Since this is "tech", what is the preferred method to charge an optima? I have a 2yr old blue top that doesn't want to hold a charge. Its in great shape and I wouldn't think its bad.
 
I've had a pair of red tops in my CUCV since 2008. They were probably a year or two old when I got them. They spin my 6BT over pretty damn good. 00 battery and starter cables probably help some too. Never had any problems and I hope I don't because Lord knows I don't want to have to buy TWO of them at the same time...if I went a different route I'd have to get a different battery box and most likely re-make the battery cables. :rolleyes:

I know they were free though! That was the major selling point for me. I wouldn't mind a pair of Odysseys, but probably couldn't afford them.
 
I had always heard Autozone Duralast, were Interstate. Maybe Interstate is made by JC. Don't know. Never had an Autozone or Advance, not go past warranty. I bought a Toyota, that had a 3 year old
Walmart Battery, that was bad. Had it replaced under warranty. Now that battery has died, & was 2 months past the free replacement! The prorate would have cost me $60, as I told them I would NEVER
Pay, for a Walmart Battery. I had a 2 year Duralast I wasn't using, so that's what I'm running now. I mostly buy from Advance now, with their online discount!
DO NOT BUY WALMART BATTERY'S!:poop:
 
I could be wrong but there are only a few battery companies. johnson controls, interstate and cannot remember the other. autozone batteries are not made by interstate
 
snappy said:
Look at the oriellys agms. I have had 3 in different vechiles and love them and the have a better warranty...
Click to expand...

guffey24 said:
This a good gel type battery, with top posts and side posts

3year full warranty, 5 year limited warranty, its the only battery i will buy from here on out, Oreilly auto parts

Super Start AGM Extreme, side and top posts

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/SuperStartAGMBatteries.oap
Click to expand...

^^This^^
After 2 crap Red tops and an Exide spiral... I went this route and have been super happy. The other 4 out of 5 of my vehicles have O'Reilly batteries
 
I run the Sears platinum. Have had it for 3 years and it still pulls great. I have used the winch with the motor off until it killed the battery. I let it sit for about 10 min and the jeep cranked right up. When I bought mine, it was 5 year free replacement and prorated for another 3 years. I think I paid $208 for mine.
 
I will add a 4th endorsement to the AGM. I replaced a yellow top Optima with the AGM after my Optima wouldn't hold a charge anymore. I won't go back.
 
GONOVRIT said:
Since this is "tech", what is the preferred method to charge an optima? I have a 2yr old blue top that doesn't want to hold a charge. Its in great shape and I wouldn't think its bad.
Click to expand...

The slower the better. I wouldn't think that a 2 yr old battery would be bad, but if it won't hold a charge...(I assume you checked for a short already)
 
k5turdwarren said:
I could be wrong but there are only a few battery companies. johnson controls, interstate and cannot remember the other. autozone batteries are not made by interstate
Click to expand...

East Penn/Deka & Enersys/Hawker/Odyssey
 
Yeah, I think Exide still makes their own stuff, although maybe not everything.
 
Found this a minute ago on Ruff Stuff Specialties' Facebook page and thought it was worth a mention:

"BTW, I spoke to Odyssey directly and they admitted that the Sears Diehard was the exact same battery and they made them for Sears under contract but Sears sells them for $100 less than Odyssey because they sell 20 times as many..."

That being said, Dan just released a battery box for them. Pretty snazzy lookin piece too. It'll be nice to have another option for battery boxes if/when my two Optimas crap out. He said they should have a batch of dual boxes out in a couple of weeks. Hopefully this isn't seen as a shameless plug. It pertains to the discussion at hand and just so happens to be the subject of a new product :D


Edit: I just looked up the specs on the Odyssey batteries and they appear to blow the Optima out of the water!

  • Pulse Hot Cranking Amps: 1,500 at 80°F (27°C)
  • Cold Cranking Amps: 880A at 0°F (-18°C)
  • CA/MCA: 1,050 at 32°F (0°C)
  • Hot Cranking Amps: 1,250A at 80°F (27°C)
  • Reserve capacity: 135 minutes

 
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I'm a fan of Autozone Marine Starting/Deep Cycle batteries. I have one in the YJ I've had for 3 years. Have pulled cable 100's of times, a few with no alternator, drove around for 2 days with no alternator has I didn't have time to go to the parts store. Currently it has a hole in the side of it for a wheeling accident that I patched with RTV 10 months ago and still going strong.
 
Thanks for all the info. I ordered a Dihard Platinum 34/78 battery for $219 - $5 off any order $50 or more, plus used ebates for 6% rebate, and shopyourwaypoints thing that sears started recently.
 
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