Once you choose the best color, you need to pick a post layout. For large electrical loads like a winch, you always want to be pulling power through the large top terminals. For small accessory loads, side terminals are fine for running things like rock lights, GPSes, or other low draw accessories.
If Optima doesn't actually recommend a specific battery for you, here's what you need to know about terminal layouts:. The battery terminals are offset to one side. If you're looking at the terminal side of the battery, the positive post can be on either the left or the right. You'll want to match this terminal orientation to whatever you have in your rig. If you don't, your battery cables will likely be too short. As we said above, aftermarket battery trays from performance companies tend to produce battery trays that'll fit these batteries.
If you go with a different Optima model and want to use it with an aftermarket battery tray, be careful:. Some Optimas, like the 34R have feet that will prevent you from using some trays. The tricky part is that the outer case is the same size as a normal 34 - it's just the feet that stick out! We've heard of some people carefully cutting off the feet to get the battery to fit a particular tray.
Unless you have a particular reason not to, we suggest you stick with one of the "standard" Optimas:. Many aftermarket batteries trays are specifically made to fit Optima batteries.
It clamps to the "foot" of the Optima, so it doesn't stick up. Of course, once you have this tray, you're committed to Optimas until you swap the tray out. For dual battery setups, we recommend either a side-by-side or inline mount from a company like RuffStuff Specialties or Trail Gear.
Battery trays like the RuffStuff have battery clamp "wings" that make them impossible to flush mount. If you need that capability, look at the Trail-Gear battery trays:. Tyler came out of the womb with a Birfield in one hand and a stick of in the other, ready to weld any piece of trail-busted steel back together. He has wheeled, broken, and modified a variety of rigs, from Toyotas to Jeeps to Fords to Chevies.
He likes doing long distance overland travel and would happily spend every night in the bed of a pickup under the stars. Toggle navigation. Home Winch Database Articles Contact. Table of Contents. Starting Battery Use this for a vibration resistant, bulletproof, non-leaky starting-only battery. Deep Cycle Battery Use this for starting and deep discharging - like winching, huge stereos, and 12V fridges. This is the number one question people have. The short version is this: RedTop Optimas: Starting battery - Your electrical system has a working alternator, a normal radio, no winch, no enormous lights, no big electrical loads.
Keep reading, because Optimas have more differences than just the colors of their tops! A Full Battery Most batteries like to live in this state for longevity. But we need them to do things that take them out of this state. That's it. If you can understand that, you can easily pick the right Optima. So let's get into that a little further and look at two battery types: Starting Deep Cycle. Slight Discharge After Starting After a short, quick burst of electricity, your battery gets charged up.
During starting, the amount of electricity in the battery doesn't drop very much. Here's what the starting battery is best at: A commute to work. Here's what happens: You start your car: Your starter motor draws a rapid burst of electricity from your battery for a few seconds while your engine turns over.
You drive to work: Your alternator quickly tops off your battery as you drive. You turn off your car: You arrive at work and your battery is in the same state as when you left your house in the morning.
Your battery is a starting battery. Starting batteries are: Used for starting a vehicle only Are almost always fully charged, except when drawn down slightly for starting. Deep Discharge After Winching After a sustained winch pull or some other long-term, high draw electrical load, an enormous amount of electricity is taken out of the battery. Let's take look at another scenario: Winching. So here's the deal: The difference between this and the commuter situation is that a winch pull can be long and intense!
This results in a slightly wider width and the upraised terminal ridges on the top. RedTops batteries are simple: It's your normal car starting battery on steroids. But remember! So when do you use a RedTop Optima?
It's a deep cycle plus cranking battery. A good rule of thumb for YellowTop Optimas is this: If you've added something to your electrical system that can rapidly use electricity without immediately replenishing it, you need an Optima.
Here's why: YellowTops are deep cycle batteries. How full do you think your battery will be? Not very. But that's what a YellowTop is built for. This is another prime example. Again, this is not a job for a RedTop. This includes things like: Vehicles that don't even have a charging system: This is common for drag racers and others that don't want or need the complexity and weight of a charging system.
Electric vehicles: It probably goes without saying that something that runs on electricity will deeply drain batteries. Equipment that uses a lot of electricity to run pumps, actuators, hydraulics, lights, etc. Trolling motors: You go out all day and recharge your YellowTop at night. Portable welding setups: If you use a Ready Welder or you ever weld with batteries, YellowTops are the way to go.
BlueTop Optimas are for marine use where you need a starting battery OR a deep cycle. It is functionally equivalent to a RedTop Optima. Light Gray: This is the "deep cycle" BlueTop. It is functionally equivalent to a YellowTop Optima. If you need to choose between a dark case and a light case BlueTop Optima, it's just like choosing between a Red or YellowTop: Dark case BlueTops are for use as a dedicated started battery that isn't drained on a regular basis.
Light case BlueTops are for RVs, trolling motors, and boats that have a lot of electrical accessories. Dark Gray Case Vs.
ALL light gray case Optimas are for deep cycling and starting. There are two case colors: Dark gray case colors are starting batteries. Light gray case colors are deep cycle batteries. All RedTops have dark gray cases. They are starting batteries.
All YellowTops have light gray cases. They are deep cycle batteries. First, there are top, side, and dual terminal layouts. See some common battery post layouts here:. If Optima doesn't actually recommend a specific battery for you, here's what you need to know about terminal layouts: 12 volt auto batteries have standard terminal layouts. If you think you need stainless steel terminals, look at the BlueTops. Of course, for custom setups you can stick the terminals where ever you want.
If you go with a different Optima model and want to use it with an aftermarket battery tray, be careful: Some Optimas, like the 34R have feet that will prevent you from using some trays. It's: Low profile Lightweight As close to invisible as you can get. REDTOP Starting Battery: Use this for normal engine starting where an alternator immediately monitors the state of charge and provides energy to the battery whenever it is needed.
This would describe most stock vehicles. This also includes vehicles with significant electrical loads that may exceed the average alternator output for example, aftermarket audio systems, GPS, chargers, winches, snowplows, inverters, drag cars. If your battery did not come with this set of adapters, please contact our customer service team at info optimabatteries. The dual-purpose BLUETOP light gray case can be used for both starting and deep cycling; it is a true deep-cycle battery with extremely high cranking power.
When selecting a battery, engine starting performance or cold-cranking amps CCA , and size obviously matter, but there are other considerations. Where and how you use your vehicle and the electronic load that your battery supports should be considered. Energy recovery and cycling performance are also quickly becoming important considerations.
In some applications, they are even more important than CCA. It helps meet those high electrical demands until you're able to recharge. This allows you to enjoy all of your electronic accessories while your vehicle is off, such as audio systems, DVD players or underbody lights. For off-roaders, your battery will allow you to winch your way out of precarious situations. There are also a number of key-off draws that pull energy from your battery, including clocks, alarm systems, digital radios station settings and onboard computer systems.
OPTIMA batteries have increased ability to withstand the high demands being placed on batteries today, including high-heat situations, heavy electronic loads and increased vibration. Some of the alloys in conventional batteries are more prone to electron transfer, resulting in higher self-discharge than is found in an OPTIMA battery.
A standard automotive battery is an SLI starting, lighting and ignition battery. Its plates are designed to deliver maximum power for a short duration. Starting a car typically discharges an SLI battery less than 5 percent. When an SLI battery is used in a deep-cycle application, or in a vehicle with heavy accessory loads, the battery life will be shortened proportionally to how deeply it is cycled on a regular basis.
Anytime you need the battery to supply all the operating power for a vehicle or other device. Additionally, deep-cycle batteries should be used in vehicles that have heavy accessory loads where the alternator cannot maintain the battery in a fully charged condition.
Some examples include vehicles with powerful stereo systems, vehicles with increased electronics like GPS, game systems, DVD players and LCD screens or boats with onboard chargers, trolling motors, fish-finders, stereos, lights, etc. Lead-acid batteries do not suffer from memory effect.
Many people think they have a memory because they experience a reduction in capacity or runtime as the battery ages. The active paste material in a lead-acid battery is a consumable item, similar to tread on a tire.
Every time you cycle the battery, some of the paste is used up. As the battery ages, less of the active paste is available to charge and discharge, resulting in a reduced operating time. This situation can be more apparent in the case where a high-power or starting, lighting and ignition SLI battery is used in a deep-cycle application.
The plates of an SLI battery are designed for high-current, short-duration discharges. Plates in deep-cycle batteries are better suited to repetitive deep-discharge applications.
Most gel batteries have much higher internal resistance, meaning they will not be able to deliver and receive current as efficiently. This is especially apparent at higher amperage levels. For example, most gel batteries will not work successfully in engine-starting applications. This chemistry change allows for a much longer life in cycling applications, with only a slight reduction in starting power.
Deep-cycle batteries are designed for applications that require deep, repetitive amperage drain like trolling motors, golf carts and electric wheelchairs or RV house power sources. However, there are other applications called heavy-cycling or high-cycling, when a deep-cycle OPTIMA battery can successfully replace a starting battery to provide longer life and better performance. In heavy-cycling or high-cycling applications, a vehicle will pull unusually high amperage levels from the starting battery due to extra accessories or limited alternator capacity.
Public safety professionals such as police, fire and ambulance fleet managers often find that traditional starting batteries cannot provide adequate life and performance due to heavy cycling. It is necessary to consider both the application and the charging system before deciding which OPTIMA battery is correct for you. Download the Materials Safety Data Sheet to get information on battery content, safety and handling, and emergency measures. Both of these are top-post-only batteries.
This battery has both top and side posts and probably will not work in your vehicle. The positive and negative posts are on the wrong side for your vehicle and your cables may not reach.
Home Support. Battery Basics. A battery is just a battery. Also use for: Automotive and RV under-hood starting Heavy equipment where starting is the primary function Diesel-powered vehicles with no aftermarket electronics YELLOWTOP Deep-Cycle Battery: Use this when electrical loads are higher than average, or when the discharge cycle is more than typical engine starting, such as vehicles without alternators.
The discharge cycle is shallow and the alternator takes over after the battery starts your car. This low resistance gives you more power in a smaller box, the ability to recharge much faster, and higher and cleaner voltage characteristics during discharge. Immobilized plates under compression locked in place. This gives you a battery that lasts longer and performs better throughout its life. What is a Gel Battery?
A gel battery design is typically a modification of the standard lead-acid automotive or marine battery. A gelling agent is added to the electrolyte to reduce movement inside the battery case. Many gel batteries also use one-way valves in place of open vents, which help the normal internal gasses to recombine back into water in the battery, reducing gassing. Generally, gel batteries are less tolerant of high heat and are charged at lower power than traditional or AGM batteries. When used with a properly regulated constant voltage charging system such as an alternator , the OPTIMA will not emit hydrogen gas.
However, gassing can occur when charging at excessive voltage levels or in extreme high-temperature conditions.
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