Red, Yellow or Blue

[WhiteSheep]

We all know Optima is the only battery to have in our trucks. The quesiton is, which color top belongs in a Cummins engine bay?

 

[Donn]

Like it matters

 

[Punkineater]

Like it matters

Uh yeah it does..... all three serve just a little different purpose. The red is for normal everyday use. The blue is a deep cycle marine battery and the yellow is a deep cycle battery developed for automotive use. Deep cycle meaning that the battery can withstand heavy discharges and then recharges without losing significant capacity. Deep cycles also tend to be able to retain charges over long periods of unuse.

 

[DJennings]

Like cousin Eddie said in Vegas Vacation "I'll take some of the yella. . "



Yellow top is the way to go, especially with the electrical power requirements of a cummins diesel at startup or added accessories like winches or serious sound equipment. JMO

 

[Kry226]

Like it matters

Very helpful...



I'll probably go reds or yellows when the OEs go out.

 

[KCJackson]

Ironically, if you go to Optima's website - http://www.optimabatteries.com - and enter a Cummins Ram into their "Battery Search", you get:



"There are no matches available for this vehicle.



DODGE Pickup Trucks, Vans, Minivans or Sport Utilities

Ram Pickup (1500-3500)

2004-2002 L6 5. 9L; Diesel"

 

[Tim]

An Optima doesn't have sufficient cranking amps for a Diesel engine in my opinion. I'm not a fan of Optima batteries at all, anyway. When I used to sell auto parts, a LOT of them came back. don't ever discharge one and leave it discharged or expect it to never take a charge.

 

[DHayden]

An Optima doesn't have sufficient cranking amps for a Diesel engine in my opinion.

Alot of guys are running ONE optima, even in the cold NE. I just bought 2 yellow tops because my oem's dumped. I am not pitching optima's as my experience with them has just begun, but the searches and comments I have done on this board over the years is what led me to buy the optima's this time. To each their own and hopefully they are a great battery for me.

 

[4xquadrod]

Optima Yellow

I was told by the local battery shop to run the Yellows.

I installed a red top in a dune buggy in 1998 and moved it to my moterhome in 2000 and it is leaving for the Desert in the morning still fully charged and functioning. I was told they are good for 4 years but I am on 7. This battery I'm sure is where the energizer bunny hangs out for Margis!

 

[jdooner]

Optima

What do you guys think of, or know about the Oddesey battery?

 

[DPKetchum]

I was told that unless OFF ROAD racing that Optima's were a waste of DOLLARS. Two LOCAL battery shops that carried them said unless going to the BAJA 1000 buy others. I bought slighly higher cranking amps then factory with same warranty and 1/2 the price of Optima's

 

[DocDetonancour]

I have Optima in my Mazda and put them in my 96. Would go for them again. Doc

 

[Tony T.]

I may go with the Optimas when my oem battery's bite the dust I can get them for half the price they usually sell for in most automotive places.



Tony

 

[flattracker]

I have 6 red tops ,2 in each of my trucks, 1 in the wifes tahoe, 1 in my dads buick all between 4 and 7 years old.

Zero no starts in 4 years, zero mess, 100% happy.

The wife did run the tahoe flat by leaving the door open when we were gone for a week, it has like six dome lights, took a charge no problem has been 2 years showed no ill effects.

 

[JHardwick]

We all know Optima is the only battery to have in our trucks.

We do?

 

[JBonpua]

I have twin D31T Optima Yellows (the largest they make) on my Toyota Land Cruiser with a 4. 2 Hino tubodiesel. I acedentaly left the headlights on for 4 hours. When I finally discovered my goof, the lights were still on and it started right up:-laf. After my OEM dies on my CTD, it will be replaced by either a D31A or D31T Optima Yellows.

 

[RRees]

I still have some 7 year old Optimas that I'm using. The one's in my Jeep are 5 years old now. The 7 year old Optimas I use on my trailer for "camping electricity" via an invertor. I use the Red Tops like they are a Yellow Top. I figure if they are 7 years old, I've gotten my money's worth out of them.



This is my first year as a CTD owner, but I wouldn't hesitate to go with Optimas.



Just make sure you get the correct CCA.





Good luck on your battery quest.

 

[KEpperly]

All 3 of them are over priced junk. I do not know a person that has a good optima. All 4 that i have owened have gone bad within 12 month. where if the car wasn't started in a week it couldn't crank over. And I know the car wasn't draining the batt's cause I started unhooking the batterys after the 2nd replacement did it. my friends mustang and other friends grandnational both have bad optimas also. Buy a diehard or inerstate

 

[CRuth]

Well you put em in a car, no wonder. Optima's only like to be in trucks and jeeps :-laf

 

[Nate]

I have done that with the 4 or 5 year old Interstate batteries in my truck, only it was a whole day, from 7AM to 4PM. I turned over a bit slow, but it did fire up. I was really impressed.

I have twin D31T Optima Yellows (the largest they make) on my Toyota Land Cruiser with a 4. 2 Hino tubodiesel. I acedentaly left the headlights on for 4 hours. When I finally discovered my goof, the lights were still on and it started right up:-laf. After my OEM dies on my CTD, it will be replaced by either a D31A or D31T Optima Yellows.

I like the sealed batteries because the terminals don't get all nasty like on a normal battery.