Batteries - Optimas, Odyssey, or Regular Battery

[Cooker]

I know this has been hashed a hundred times and I have read many of these post. I am just looking for additional info before I potentially drop a few hundered bucks.



I know several guys have been running Optimas. I am curious as to how long a useful life you are getting out of them. Are they lasting longer than a regular flooded lead-acid battery?



I'm looking at the Odyssey because I have head great things about them but I am concerned about the price tag. A single 1700 is more than the price of a pair of smaller Optimas. Again, what kind of useful life are you getting out of these. Odyssey says a 8-12 life. If it is truely a battery that will last 8 years I wouldn't have a problem with the price.



Now I an buy two regular batteries at Walmart for a little more than the price of one Optima and $100 less than a single 1700. The Wally World batteries have a 3 year free replacement warranty and a 6 year pro-rated warranty.



I would really like a clean, non acid spilling, battery so that is why I am leaning away from a standard battery. I also like the idea of a single battery so that is why the Odyssey 1700 and 2150 are appealing but I'm not convinced that I want to spend $240 + on a battery that might make it 8 years. I am also tempted to try a single Optima but I cannot find a larger one locally.



Your comments are much appreciated.

 

[EricBu12]

I have 2 of the 1700 odesseys. .



I used to only have one and I used it even in winter..... It was barely adequate... On the coldest days, it almost didn't turn over so I bought another... .



They charge good, long power life, ... the older one is only 2 yrs old so time will tell but so far so good.



The hold-downs are from Bob Wagner



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[Grizzly]

Best batteries for the money and the longest warranty is Costco.

 

[BigEasy]

I've had nothing but good luck from my DuraLast Golds from AutoZone

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

I went with a gel battery (Optima) as I allready lost two passenger side batteries and one drivers side. The passenger battery when it went on the truck when it was new ate the paint off the inner fender and made a mess. With gel batteries there is now worry of a nice accidic meltdown. I mean yeah there is but not to the point of slobbering battery acid everywhere from the vent caps.

 

[BRobertson]

When I sold my 98. 5 I transfered the 2 Opt Redtops to my 01.

I moved my batteries to the rear, under the pass side of the UTE bed. I installed 3 Opt bluetops.

One of the redtops(6 years old at this point) went into a friends 454 GMC. It is still doing well in Alaska winters. The other redtop is under my reloading bench and is used to test headlight modules before I send them out.

Bob

 

[Thomas]

I went with a gel battery (Optima) ...

Actually the Optima is an AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) battery and not a Gel battery: http://www.dcbattery.com/optima2.html

I too chose the Optima battery and appreciate the zero corrosion factor.

 

[radar doctor]

One thing about it, if you use optima you can use them in the Boat while the truck is parked at the BOAT RAMP LOT... . . haha DOC

 

[ToolManTimTaylor]

Glass mat ... jel batt.



Dang I guess I am not Jellin' Man what a fellon

 

[WDixon27]

i just had to get batterys this weekend, i thought about optimas but didn't want to spend $125-150 each, after searching the local available parts stores on the web it came down to sams wholesale club at $46 each for group 27's $101. 45 out the door, i figured at that price if they crap in 3-4 years and the next set craps at the same interval ill be close to 8 years (in the warm south i usually get 5+ years outta a battery) and still under the price of a set of optimas, acid don't scare me, as long as you keep ontop of it so it doesn't get the chance to eat the cables

 

[DBrickel]

I have had my optimas (red top) in for a couple of years now and they are still going strong. I bought them for the anti corrosion factor. No sign of any yet.

 

[RDelissen]

Redtops in mine ... going strong

All my rigs have Optimas and I haven't had any go bad on me ... yet :-laf

 

[DSpencer]

My factory batteries lasted 4 years then changed to walmart batteries. I figure they will last to..... whenever. One thing about it, here in Texas they do not sell the largest batteries that are in their catalog, was told they do not sell many here.

I have not had one hint of a problem from acid. I wonder what has to happen before acid starts becoming a problem.

 

[frankram]

I just replaced my factory batteries in my 2000 5 days ago with 2 yellow top

Optima's. So far so good. :-laf

 

[DHayden]

I have 2 Yellow Tops, no worries

 

[kkmckinney]

I have a 2001 Dodge diesel. No problem with the OEM batteries that have the green eye indicator. In 1 or 2 years I will need new batteries. Most of your car batteries are made by Johnson Controls including the Optima. After going to Wal-Mart, Costco, and many other stores I've decided to replace my battteries when the time comes with Interstate batteries from K-Mart ($80 each). They are the exact size and rating as the OEM.

KEN

 

[JRihani]

2 D31A yellow-top Optimas in my 2002... no problems yet. Anyone with Optimas (red or yellow) have slight distortion on the cover after hooking them up? Mine went from pretty much flast on the top to having just a little bulging (less that 1/4") after they had their first charge from the truck.

 

[JasonBrown]

I have used DEKA batteries for years. They are a little pricey but worth it. They will last twice as long as anything else I have ever used.

 

[rbattelle]

I've done my share of research into this, and when it comes time for me to change batteries I think I'm going with a single Odyssey PC2150. I will change out all the stock battery cable with 3/0 (or maybe 4/0) welding cable at the same time, so the change in battery connections won't be a problem.



-Ryan

 

[dsherman]

Odyssey PC 2150 drycell batterys.

Thumbs up Odyssey PC 2150 drycell batterys.

Just ordered two Odyssey PC2150 drycell batterys

This is a new battery and has 2150 amps at start up

The design service life is 12 years

The reserve capacity is 200 minutes

Rugged military construction, For us 4X4s guys

and much more!!!



There web site is www.odysseybatteries.com



For the CA guys! there in Corona CA.

West Coast BatterysFound out today that we can have a group

1560 commerce Unit C

Corona, CA 92880

Phone # 1-888-379-2555

Talk to Tony, tell him David Sherman sent you This will work



Will post when install is complete

David





Thanks

David





ps this is an old post :-laf



Do a forum search on Odyssey PC 2150 drycell batterys.



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