optima battery, red or yellow?

I am purchasing and installing an optima battery tommorow, plus redoing the big 3 (actually for me big 5 because I own a sebring) and I am wondering the difference between red and yellow top. This will be my cars main battery. I am am planning on getting a yellow top unless you suggest different- Thanks

I would use a red top under the hood. If you're doing an additional battery in the trunk I would use a yellow top.

Here is a good read on the difference between these batteries. Thanks to Bob (GrizZz) on CCA.

Yellow tops generally will take more abuse. They're designed for some cyclic use, not true DEEP discharges. But they can handle a bit of it.

You're sticking with just one battery you say. Costwise, red tops are the way to go. Don't let Cosco and Wal-Mart fool you by looking cheaper, they sell the smaller red tops, make sure you're getting a 34/78DT not a 35/75DT (the 35/75 is physically smaller, and not as much oomph of course). Of course, depending on your vehicle, you may have to go with the smaller one.

So, say you're in the habit of parking with the tunes on... Not for long, just for 10 minutes. But you do it once every day or two, say 15 to 20 times a month. That's habitual cycling. No, you're not discharging it deeply, but 10 minutes on a system of 1Kw or greater at say 60 to 70% output... That's significant. Your red top will not like you for this. Two or three years, four if you're lucky, and you'll be looking for a new one.

A yellow top will handle this abuse better. They are designed for much more severe abuse, and regular cycling. It might stand up to it for 5 or 6 years, more if you're lucky.

A red top that is not abused will last for years and years. My brother has one in his truck that will be ten years old this August (yes, we date our batteries). He does not have a stereo system. He's accidently drained it by leaving his dome lights on 3 or 4 times over the years. It's still going strong.

If you're using it for SPL competition purposes, a yellow top is the way to go. During competition, you abuse the heck out of it, so to get any more than one or two seasons out of them, go yellow. There is a group 31 Optima yellowtop (they don't make a red) that is very popular among the DbDrag crowd. It squeeks in under the 800cc rule, and is one powerful mofo...

Basically, you weigh the odds. Reds cost much less & have a better warranty. But they won't handle severe abuse, and most severe abusers get a halved warranty, just like diesels and courier vehicles. Yellows cost much more, have less warranty (that has no diesel/courier/abuse clause), but handle abuse like nothing else.

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Top Secret, I can tell you but then my wife will kill me.

bcordell wrote:

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I would use a red top under the hood. If you're doing an additional battery in the trunk I would use a yellow top.

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red top is just a heavy duty battery, the yellow top is deep cycle, so if you run your battery flat a few times it wnt be damaged. for any big amp system if you are not running a seconfd battery use a yellow top.

cheers scott

Thanks for the info, very interesting. I am looking for the best performance. If i have to replace it in a year or two isnt a big deal to me. Plus eventually I will be putting multiple batteries. Can you mix red & yellow top?

mech3] wrote:

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I am am planning on getting a yellow top unless you suggest different- Thanks

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Go with the Yellow Top there chief.

I killed a RedTop in a *WEEKEND* with a JL500/1 and an Eazy-E CD. The exact same charging system with a Yellow and two MORE amps produces exactly ZERO light dimming and 2+ years of a completely rock-solid 12v charge/dis-charge, no matter what.

Having burned out two different RedTops I've NEVER found the bottom of a Yellow.

Like forbidden say.. *all kinds of abuse*


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"I'm finished!" - Daniel Plainview

mech3] wrote:

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an you mix red & yellow top?

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Well. Sort of.

Technically speaking, it would be fine to do a direct parallel connection between the batteries .. but you run into some bugaboos like one battery pulling off the other, and killing it, that sort of thing.

Your best bet for a high system voltage AND a DEEP, DEEP tank for ur system and gizmos, parallel the batteries together, but run a 200-amp relay between them and ur ignition, so if ur charging system is *not* operating, the batteries disconnect.... but when you turn the car on, the batteries connect and now u can run an electric chair if you want.

If you really want to use a pair of batteries in this manner, it would be very important to buy and install the batteries at the same time.

You'd lose a volt or two, but you can also isolate the trunk battery from the rest of the car.. and in this way mixing battery types/ages is far less critical.

Either way, a single Yellow and upgraded wiring all around is, alone, a massive improvement in electrical capability.. what kinda equipment you planning on running?

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"I'm finished!" - Daniel Plainview

I am running a mtx thunder ta7602 amp, and a single kicker solo-baric L7 12" sub right now, but I am ready to step up soon.

forbidden wrote:

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If you're using it for SPL competition purposes, a yellow top is the way to go. During competition, you abuse the heck out of it, so to get any more than one or two seasons out of them, go yellow. There is a group 31 Optima yellowtop (they don't make a red) that is very popular among the DbDrag crowd. It squeeks in under the 800cc rule, and is one powerful mofo...

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I beg to differ rob, in the comp world most of the people I know use the blue tops.   they actually take the deep discharrge better then the yellow, that are meant for marine use I.E no Alt    and they are a little cheaper......just givin ya poop!     haha

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2009 0-1000 Trunk WR 154.0DB 2009 1001+ Trunk WR
2007 USACI World Champion
2007 World Record
2006 USACI Finals 2nd Place