Need new batteries

[rmrc]

Just went outside to start the truck after it sitting for the past 6 weeks..... Quess what????



She'll barely turn over. I have a charger on her now. I have the Optima Red tops. Even if they accept a charge I'd feel better in replacing them. They're only 4 years old.



Any opinions if I should get the same Red Tops or get the yellow deep cycle,,, or any other brand fro that matter.



Thanks.

 

[Luciano]

Yellow Tops all the way.

I replaced my stock batteries with Optima Yellow Tops. I'm very happy. Go for the Yellow Tops. Oo.

 

[JFinke]

Charge the 4 year olds and use them for another four. I have a couple red tops that I use around the shop when a customers rig won't start that are 10 years old. I took them out of my boat when they were 6 because it made me nervous having that old a battery out on the ocean. Jake

 

[bgilbert]

Imagine that, an Optima- Interstate battery going dead. www.dekabatteries.com. Find a distributor near you. Best the 'money' can buy, JMO though.

 

[mwilson]

I'm with bgilbert on that one. We sold Interstates for years and had a high warranty claim volume. Freightliner switched from Delco to Alliance brand which is a private label Deka battery about two years ago and my warranty claims on batterys are almost non existant. Cat OEM batteries are Deka also. They make an excellent battery. If you want more proof, consider this. The batteries in commercial trucks are under far more stress now due to the engine electronics, refridgerators, inverters, coffee makers, and whatever else the drivers can wire in there. If the batteries are not the best, it shows right up!! AC/Delco and Leece-Neville have learned that lesson the hard way with the alternators as they are far more stressed than they used to be. I look at it this way *If it will stand a commercial truck, then it's tough enough for my pick-ups!*

 

[EricBu12]

Bought 2 of the Odessy 1700 amp batteries. they are spillproof, no maintenance needed, work like a hybrid of a reg and deep cycle. Have 950 CCA. Fit the stock tray... .



Got it at Mr. Bobs Dist. for $215 + shipping. http://www.mrbobsdistributing.com/ODYSSEY .htm



#ad

 

[Blue Ox1]

On the odyssey you just have to watch out for the battery post pulling out. I think from the plowing I do it made the post pullout from the internal connection plus they cost a bunch mine lasted a liitle over a year.

Joe

 

[rmrc]

Thanks for all of the replies. I charged them and they seem to be holding a full load at present. We'll see if they continue to hold the charge.



Thanks again!!!

 

[CStewart]

Dead batteries

Had the same thing happen to mine a while back, put two new optimas in it and they went dead when it sat for a while. I did an IOD test on it and found out I had a bad seat belt retractor timer module that was draing the batteries.

 

[DManey]

What about mopar batteries?? Mine are the orignals and need to be replaced... But for $75 each can't be to bad compared to well over $100 for most of the other brands. Just wonderin.

 

[Loren]

rmrc,



CStewart makes a very good point. Optima batteries don't self-discharge very fast. They should hold a charge for a l-o-o-o-o-ng time unless there is a drain on them. I would suspect that something is drawing a very small current when the truck is sitting.



My experience is with the yellow-tops and blue-tops, so this may not apply to the red-tops, but I have had a couple of occasions when I have drained the batteries until they were dead. They have continued to work fine after a good charge.



The yellow and blue-tops are both deep-cycle batteries. In fact they are the same battery except for the terminal configuration. The blue-tops have posts plus studs (for RV use).



So far (knock on wood), I have not had any of my eight Optima batteries fail. The oldest ones I own were new in 1997, and they are currently installed in my 1995 pickup. Our climate in southeastern Indiana is pretty much the same as Kentucky's, fairly mild winters (highs are almost always above freezing) with hot, humid summers.



Sooner or later these batteries will start to die off, but not yet. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.



Loren