Battery Recomendations

[auburnfan138]

hey guys

just ordered me a 220 amp alternator and looking to upgrade the battery....

i have an autocraft titanium under the hood...

should i upgrade that battery to an optima or kinetik

or since it still works just add a battery in the trunk...

what are your opinions

thanks guys

 

[auburnfan138]

i found a brand new optima red top on craigslist....what should i do with it?

 

[macknos94]

my red top hasn't let me down yet. even playing my system with the truck off and starting it every once in a while. i'm running a 220 amp alt., optima red top and thats about it

 

[auburnfan138]

what model red top do you have mack?

 

[HCCA 250]

Kinetics are great batteries, but they don't fit in the stock Explorer battery tray. Due to their size. you would have to fabricate a different battery tray to get one large enough for the job, to work.
Or, you could get an Odyysey PC1750. It's a series 65, so it's a direct drop-in replacement. It's an AGM type battery, so you should be able to drain it down, and still recharge it back to capacity, many times. 930 CCA. Same type of battery as a Kinetic.

But, as with ALL AGM type batteries, you will need a "smart charger". A regular charger can easily overcharge an AGM battery.

 

[celly]

Optima are "hit and miss" on the quality front. I had a Red Top die less than a year after I bought it and know of many others that had similar issues. I'm using a replacement Red Top now and have had better luck with it, but I tend to suspect how well it's holding up. My car has been hard to start at times after just having the dome light on for an hour or so while wrenching. I also currently have a Yellow Top. I sort of alternate between the two batteries. I can't say with certainty that one is better than the other. The only reason I've stuck with Optima is that I've removed my stock battery box and have a billet battery holder made for Optima batteries in it's place.

I use a C-Tek charger with both batteries. They're kickass chargers with a setting just for Optimas. I was having issues with the Red Top a while ago and the charger seemed to rejuvenate it.

 

[macknos94]

i can't remember what model it was. these are times i wish i was state side lol.

celly where did you get that battery pan/box for the optima from?

 

[celly]

celly where did you get that battery pan/box for the optima from?

eBay

Use "Optima" and "Billet" as search terms and you should fine them. I think my seller might still be around. I discussed the box Dead Link Removed in a review a few years back. I had the top powdercoated this past summer.

EDIT

Seller is still around. Go here. Still has perfect feedback.

 

[Anime]

I would say just swap in the optima as the stock replacement.

Unless you're doing mobile audio competitions, or have a large system where a really high output alternator isn't cutting it, you don't usually need a second battery dedicated for system use.

However, secondary batteries do have other practical uses, and are also great when you have other high-drain electronics to run, like a winch, off-road lights, etc.


I would say to go with two Optimas, though. While I also experienced a few problems some years ago with the red tops, Optima came through on the warranty every time, and I had a replacement that day from a dealer. I don't use anything else these days, as lead-acid batteries aren't worth the problems with corrosion and damage, and the other AGM types aren't worth the expense and the charging hassles.

 

[corkey]

5 years , same optima battery here,, and i use it hard,, like leaving my stereo on for a few hours,, mine works great,

 

[celly]

5 years , same optima battery here,, and i use it hard,, like leaving my stereo on for a few hours,, mine works great,

That's where my red tops crap out....keeping the stereo on, even at low volume. I have a Pioneer HU, two smallish Fosgate amps and a 10" sub. I scored the yellow top as insurance, but I don't tend to use my stereo when it's not running anyhow that much anymore. If I were to got that route, I'd put in the yellow. It takes me 10 minutes tops to swap batteries from start to finish. The red top tends to stay in more for cosmetic reasons these days.

 

[HCCA 250]

I don't use anything else these days, as lead-acid batteries aren't worth the problems with corrosion and damage, and the AGM types aren't worth the expense and the charging hassles.

Sorry to be a nit-picker, but...Optimas ARE AGM batteries.

 

[corkey]

agm is absorbed glass mat, optimas and the six pack design is the most famous and most widely used,,

 

[Anime]

Sorry to be a nit-picker, but...Optimas ARE AGM batteries.

Fine, I edited my post for the nitpickers.

Thanks for noticing.

 

[Northern]

An XS Power battery will be my next battery purchase.

http://4xspower.com/old/index.html

 

[BigBoom]

^^ good choice. glad someone mentioned them. i have 3 of them and love mine. plan on getting at least 3 more i think at least. mine are swelling out on the sides...but that's due to my stupid ass engine lol. batts still work fine.

http://www.mechman.com will have them cheaper most likely. check them out