Optima Red Top Alternatives

[dgoodhue]

I am getting tired of replacing these batteries, they don't recover once they go dead. I am on my 5th battery. The first couple may have been my fault (long term storage) The one I bought last year worked fine until the fall and then it went dead after not using my Syclone for 3 weeks. I had it replaced under warranty, I made sure the new one was fully charged, installed it and then turned off my battery cutoff switch. I verified I have no current draw. 2 months later its 100% dead, it won't start the truck at all with out a battery charger (its the worst one by far) Unfortunately I am now out of warranty. This is rediculous, my boat sits for 2-3 weeks at a time during the summer, it sits for 6+ month in the winter and I never have any problems with that battery.

Unfortunately, I built battery tray for under my bed that mounts the battery upside down, so I need a similar sized gel battery. Do I try a yellow top or deep cycle battery? Is sitting doing my battery in, so that regular gel batteries just don't work? At times I use my battery cutoff switch when I know I won't be using my truck, but sometime I think I will be using it shortly and the weather sucks and I forget to run it off. I probably could get a little discount on yellow top battery from Optima, if I complain about my last 2 red tops. I am getting tired of buying and installing batteries.

 

[MRKING]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I stopped having battery issues when i stopped buying optima batteries .

 

[SY-1193]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

Dave,
I would hook up a maintenance charger (one that charges and trickles the battery as needed) to whatever new battery you select. I use Deltran Battery Tenders, but any that goes into a maintenance charge would be better than replacing them constantly.

Big Mike had a red top on charge with a maintenance charger for 11 years. We checked the date and couldn't beleive it. He took it out of his Chevelle and now has had it in his Syclone for a while.

I think the older Optimas were built different or something because I hear lots of bad thing in the last few years.

 

[JSM]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

Optima has gone to shit in the last few years. First one I bought lasted 7 years, the new ones are more like 7 months.

I would like to see what else is out there also. I have 2 left, 1 in each typhoon but I know the day will come when 1 or both will turn to shit. I've replaced both of them under warranty atleast once also.

 

[13.robb]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I have a yellow top optima that i bought new 9 years ago, its been thru 5 different vehicles. Its never had a day off still works as good as it did when new. But i have had similar experiences with the red top optimas.

 

[V6UnderPressure]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I purchased a red top no longer than 1.5 years ago and it crapped out as well. I tried to get it warrantied or pro rated and they said since I cannot find my receipt they will not do anything. Their customer service sucks. From now on I will stick with Diehard for half the price.

 

[Nicks93]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I also had a problem with the Optima red top battery, went thru three of them in my S-10 Blazer with a smallblock. The kicker is when I sold the truck it only had 50 miles on the build. If 50 miles equals 3 batteries something is wrong, and it was always garage kept. The battery was bought at Pep Boys and the last time they told me that that was it they were not going to replace it again, I argued with them asking, how can you do that if the battery still has a warranty, and for the price compared to say a Delco battery it should be replaced as many times as needed. I mean I have other things to do other than take batteries out and return them. I also explained that the vehicle wqas a show truck that had very few miles on it, they responded by saying maybe that was the problem, but when stored it was disconnected. Also each time it was a different issue, the first one was leaking, the second one died and I could not get it to charge up. So bottom line no more Optima batteries, give me a nice AC Delco battery.

 

[hatrik8]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I went through a couple red tops. They would die after sitting for only a couple weeks. They suck! I now just have a decent parts store battery on a maintenance charger and haven't had an issue in years.

 

[T-Bone]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

Guess I am the odd man out....I have had NO problems with Optima Red Tops. Two of my vehicles they are in have battery cut-off switches that are used regularly so that may be a deterrent to deadness :dunno:

 

[93typhoon2]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I have no problems with my red top. Some times my syclone sits for weeks even months, and it starts like if drove it the day before....

 

[gstacky]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I went through 2 or 3 red tops within a few years, will never buy another again. Just use any regular battery now, from interstate to delco, and they last much longer. My red tops would go dead after just over a week of not driving the truck. I thought it was a draw in the truck, but ended up just being the red tops, ditched them and no more problems.

 

[Injected1]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

Redtop/Optimas suck unless you keep them charged on a trickle charger. If you want a battery that holds a charge forever and always starts even if you leave the radio on all night then buy an INTERSTATE

 

[aasltmike]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I have no problems with my red top. Some times my syclone sits for weeks even months, and it starts like if drove it the day before....

x2...I've had a red top in mine since I bought it and have had no issues, even after sitting for 4 months last summer.

 

[BoostedSUV]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

Optimas are junk... Sitting kills them. I've been through at least five with my El Camino that sits more than it's driven. They're great when they're charged but once they go dead all they're good for is a paper weight. I too disconnect my battery and it will still go dead somehow someway. I had a trickle charger hooked it and that kept killing it too because I didn't know I needed one specifically for a gel battery.

 

[blazinmt]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

Old Optimas are beast, new ones are crap beyond crap. I have a yellow top from seven years ago that has been through 3 vehicles, has sat through harsh Montana winters until dead and brought back to life every spring.

There are only a few battery manufacturers now. Pretty much every brand of battery is identical and made by the same company with a different "brand" sticker on it. Your best bet is to get a tender.

 

[SY-1193]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

Did a little research.
Johnson Controlls took ownership of the Optima brand.
Seems since then production was moved to Mexico and I went on a couple links that said they were made in China now?
That could account for the change in quality maybe?

So I did some more research and found Deka makes an AGM battery that is made in USA and can be inverted for your application. They are not Spiral Cell AGM but are AGM and spillproof. Also there are a bunch of AGM available from a search on SummitRacing.com and some that have 16v output and none of them are Spiral Cell but are AGM (note the 16v versions need a special charger of course that is $$$).
I would stay away from Gel Cells unless it is a pure race/ weight issue for you. Gel Batteries can get voids in the Gel from quick charges and degrade from this and need to be slowly recharged. AGM batteries do not have this problem.

 

[88GTZ]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I'm on my 3rd red top, first one used it in my derby car went dead and never came back even with a slow charge, second one started leaking, third goes dead if I don't disconnect it after 1 week. I don't think I'll be buying another one EVER!!!!

 

[Blazin_Jason]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

I've switched to Deka Intimidators. I also had issues with the red tops. One vented in my truck (scary), and one dead from sitting for a few months.

 

[sycam_steve]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

AGM batteries need a special maintenance charger. I have used CTEK charger on two different red tops and they both have lasted five years.

 

[Ty 1662]

Re: Optima Red Top Alternatives

+1 for problem w/ Optima Red Top. Had it ~6 yrs ago, thought it was the last battery i would need for the typhoon but was wrong. got it pro-rated and bought a battery from Advance Auto. it has gone dead several times but comes back to life w/ a charge and has lasted a lot longer and a lot cheaper.
bret