what battery to choose

Uhh. *Yawn*

Ocuriel wrote: Sure a yellow top will crank over an engine, but was it designed for cranking a engine? no.

I'm sorry, what is it you are talking about? Cranking an engine? Are you talking about CCA's? Cold Cranking Amps? The Yellows' 750 to the Red Tops' 800? It takes all of 50 amps to start an engine I think both batteries have it covered. Our handy dandy graphic here tells us that both batteries will supply something on the order of 15-times the power required to start your engine right after it is tapped for juice. Again, I'm not sure the reason for the confusion. The Red Top, if tapped for instant voltage, will produce a bit more in a surge than the Yellow, but again, the Yellow can actually be dischared and recharged again and again far below the point a Red can and still function. THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT FOR CAR AUDIO, PERIOD. The Red Top, a standard SLI battery, will die if you drop it much below a 10.5v charge or so. It'll never again be able to hold a load at a steady 12 volts. The Yellow on the other hand can take the *constant* pull and still be recharged, again and again. Buy the Red, you'll probably be perfectly fine. Again, you only have a single amp. If you want a battery designed for car audio use, buy the Yellow. Again, the Deep Cycle charging ability is *certainly* worth the extra $40..."I'm finished!" - Daniel Plainview

That's funny, that does contradict what i'm trying to say. I'm studying to become rv (recreational vehicle) tech certified for my job (claim adjuster). the instructor mentioned that a deep cycle (yellow top) is meant for constant amp draw for interior use such as tv's, fridge, sound system & so on, but not good as good as a regulator battery for cranking/starting purposes as the cranking battery will provide a bigger burst of cranking power (assuming both batteries are the same rating. But his teachings does contradict the above posted data.

It is funny how simple question turned out to be so controversial. I really do not what to do now. I think I am just staying with my stock battery, hahahaha. I live in az so I really do not need that many cca's. Maybe when I add an extra am I will re-think getting a battery, red on the front, yellow in the back. And maybe by then I will be able to get an HO alt. By the way, any ideas on what Alt to get? Thank you guys.

Ocuriel wrote: as the cranking battery will provide a bigger burst of cranking power

Oh man! AHAHA someone gets PAID to tell ya that?! Jeeze you believe I wait tables? Anyone wanna get me installing? Come on someone reading this has to own a shop! Look at the nuggets I'm parting with for free! <sigh> Anyone attempting to authoritativly define power as "cranking" should be smacked. Watts, joules, kinetic, electrical... ANYTHING other than 'cranking' sheesh.... Ocuriel, in one sentence, if I really had to tell you the difference between a Yellow and a Red: The Yellow can dip below 10v and be recharged, the Red cannot. "I'm finished!" - Daniel Plainview

the lowest volts I got from my battery while my cap was draining it was 13.06V in my multimeter. I do not know if that helps you guys to gide me. 

jonchos: hehe sorry for the thread-jack... Okay look here's the scoop: Your lights dim NOT b/c you don't have enough power, but b/c the power you do have is being consumed in random, big gulps instead of a steady drain. As such, even though there is MORE than enough power in your car, the lights dim with the bass b/c there simply isn't a way to electrically isolate the big gulps from your sub amp from the steady stream going to your lights. Big alternators, huge caps, blah blah blah... this is one of those problems that is seriously HARD to get rid of. Even with an HO alt, you still have to deal with nasty spool issues (they never make proper voltage or amperage at freakin idle) which frequently make the light dimming far worse... even tho the alt might make 300 amps at 2000rpms... ...anywho... If you wanna spend money somewhere jonchos, a Deep Cycle *is* your best place to start. "I'm finished!" - Daniel Plainview

James, James, James... You are a smart guy, and your input is sound... for CONVENTIONAL BATTERY WISDOM. The Optima is deep cycle capable, simply due to it's contruction. jonchos, here is your answer... Buy the red top, and save the extra 40 to 60 dollars for connectors and terminal blocks... While this post is answering the question of installing multiple batteries, the answer describing the Optima battery is what I am specifically referring you to.It all reminds me of something that Molière once said to Guy de Maupassant at a café in Vienna: "That's nice. You should write it down."