optima batteries red top

[dodge cummins]

i have to replace my batteries on my 96. i was looking at some optima red tops today 800cca. are these really good batteries in cold weather?

 

[dodge cummins]

are they maintence free batteries?

 

[0013]

optima makes a good battery imho. they are gell batts and you can mount them in any postion (upside down, on its side, etc). we use them alot in the USAF--especially in our vehicles and ground support equipment. hope this helps...

 

[Forrest]

i have to replace my batteries on my 96. i was looking at some optima red tops today 800cca. are these really good batteries in cold weather?

they work well in temps in the single digits. be careful to shorten the loooong bolts that hold down the batteries. the optimas are shorter. if you don't shorten them, they can drive into the wiring loom ... under the battery holder.

 

[WBusa]

I've been very pleased w/ my Optima red tops... they start my '95 right up even in single digits. They seem to have several different catalog numbers for the same batteries, depending on where you buy them from, and 'red tops' come with a variety of different CA and CCA values (again, depending on who you buy them from?). The number in my sig file is what Sears knows 'em as. They have a nice long warranty, so I bought them from Sears... which might not have the very best price, but I figure you're hardly ever more than 20 miles from a Sears, so if they ever crap out on you warranty service should be easy.



They are pricey, but a good investment if you like being confident of what will happen when you turn the key. As already stated, you'll need to shorten your battery hold-down bolts... or else just throw your stock bolts away, and buy a pair of 8" J-bolts from Advance Auto, which is what I did... they fit just right.

 

[Headlight]

I just purchased two red tops. they came with a plastic spacer. No need to shorten the mounting bolts. The spacers look like a giant "Lego" piece.

 

[Thomas]

... they are gell batts...

I think you'll find that the Optima's are AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) vs. gel cell batteies. The FAQ section of the Optima site spells out the advantages of the Optima technology over the gel cell technology.

 

[Cummins Pilot]

Here where I live we see -40f each winter, Optimas are all that I run. No problems.

 

[JLEONARD]

I have a single red top ... it's going into it's 3rd Ct winter and has been fine.

Jay

 

[KYLE4]

I have the optima yellow tops

 

[sfritts]

This is the second winter on my red tops in upstate New York on mine and still very happy, Got mine at Auto Zone they were the cheapest that day, but they all seem to run pretty close on price around here.

 

[Cooker]

I think you'll find that the Optima's are AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) vs. gel cell batteies. The FAQ section of the Optima site spells out the advantages of the Optima technology over the gel cell technology.

Correct Optimas are not Gel batteries but I'm not about the AGM??? They are lead acid batteries (like a standard battery) but put together with different engineering and better quality.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

I had always believed that it was the volume of acid the lead plates were immersed in that determined (to a large degree) the "Reserve Capacity" amp rating of lead-acid batteries - and the larger the volume of electrolyte, the higher the reserve capacity... Of course, the number and surface area of plates in the cells figures in there as well...



With that in mind, my biggest concern with Optima-type batteries has related to the seemingly SMALLER available volume of electrolyte per cell - which would lead me to believe that size-for-size, the Optima-type batteries would have less reserve amp available than a "standard" lead acid battery?



CCA is great for starting power, especially in cold climates - but the RESERVE capacity - how LONG a given amount of amps will be delivered when the engine is shut down, CAN be important to some as well.



My truck has about 3 years on it's OEM batteries - so it's about time I start looking closer at the Optimas - the totally sealed, non-leak part REALLY interests me!

 

[thekidfan]

I just purchased two red tops. they came with a plastic spacer. No need to shorten the mounting bolts. The spacers look like a giant "Lego" piece.

Bill, Happy New Year bud. And it's also great to see you on here. take care bud. Jeff

 

[DieselDoghouse]

i have to replace my batteries on my 96. i was looking at some optima red tops today 800cca. are these really good batteries in cold weather?

IMHO you will not be disappointed. I installed mine 9/11/2001 (yep) and have had no problems. Since they are a spiral-cell design I don't think they HAVE to be as big as standard btty's to do the job!

 

[Oliver88]

Red tops vs. yellow tops. What is the main difference? My truck had the yellow tops in it when I bought it. They have performed fine so far.

 

[Thomas]

There's a lot to read at the Optima site.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

HMMMmm - when I went to the Optima site, and plugged in my truck info to see what battery they offered, THIS is what I got:



======



"Please enter the following information about your car,

and find which OPTIMA is right for you.



DODGE Pickup Trucks, Vans, Minivans or Sport Utilities

Ram Pickup (1500-3500)

2004-2002 L6 5. 9L; Diesel

There are no matches available for this vehicle. "

======



Not real encouraging...

 

[WBusa]

Yellow tops are "deep cycle"... supposedly they can be more-or-less completely discharged a large number of times (I seem to recall the number is something like 100 times) and still recharge OK. Red tops are not deep cycle... like most lead/acid batteries, a few deep discharges (I think Optima says something like 7 to 10) will kill them. For a strictly starter battery, you really don't need deep cycle, unless you frequently forget to turn your headlights off when you park.



And yes, Optima's search engine doesn't know its batteries are good for Dodge Rams. But believe the many of us here who are telling you from first-hand experience, the red tops are just fine and will work flawlessly for a long time.

 

[JHerrlich]

If you can afford it, go with the group 31 optimas. They're a lot bigger capacity than the smaller ones and they fit without much modification (bend the battery brackets a little and take a nut off the radiator that holds the battery cable down). This is where I bought mine from: http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/