Dead battery

[Lurch]

I think my yellow top has finally died. I've been nursing it along for the last year or two.
What have you guys been running? I've heard the sears diehard platinum is pretty good. Also considering the Deka from Costco.

[iaccocca]

How much did you get out of your Yellow Top? I have one in and one waiting in the wings and I have really been impressed with mine; really recovers quick from winching. I've heard good things with the Sears option, but I would probably go Yellow Top again.

[mattawajeep]

I've got one of the sears diehard platinums. Never given me any problems in the last two years, doesn't even seem to notice my winch, even with extra lights on and my double amp stereo system. Just pulled a 10000lb forklift sidways out of the mud a couple weeks ago.

General consensus on the internet at the time was that the optimas were trouble and the platinum was the way to go. Sounds like you're probably fine with either though.

How much room do you have under the hood? Seems to me that there should be plenty of room to add a double battery setup of some kind.

[Lurch]

From what I've read the optimas aren't what they used to be. Mine is 7 years old. It's been getting weak for the last year and will randomly just go dead. This time it isn't coming back.
I'd like to do a dual batt set up but at $200 apiece it's hard to justify right now.

[Roman]

Deka must really be making a run at us cheap bastads . . .

They just moved in as the "store brand" "Premium batteries" at Schmuck/O'really's~Vato-Zone, and now Lurch says they are at Costco . . .

From my Web searching, they are the "Bee's knees" for "bargain" AGM's

I've got a Yeller Top that's 'bout 3 yrs old, and it's till starts the old 'turd when asked (WHICH AINT OFTEN 'NUFF!!!)

Speekin of, think im gunna take the Old Jeep dog fur a cruise tomorrow!
Shees been givin me the Jedi Heeler Eye lately!

[Jafo]

I've been running a Orbital for the past 6 or so years, it was in my jeep and now in the pharm truck and its a blue top.

[Wrench]

Duals are a good way to go if you have the room.

This is also good: http://www.batteriesplus.com/product/46 ... p-24M.aspx

I have had good luck with the batteries from Batteries Plus, and the lady down there that runs the store does a rockin' job of standing behind her products. I believe the one listed above is made by Johnson Controls, and there are also the larger sizes available (group 27, 31)

I have an account over there....

[commando14]

I've been buying Duralast batteries at Autozone, think I've bought about 5 in the past 4 years or so for all my rigs and my boat. Had one that died after a few months, took it in and they gave me a new one.

My only experience with Optima is a red top which I got in a Cherokee that I bought... it was only a year old but it kept randomly dyeing and eventually wouldn't take a charge.

[TJDave]

From what I have read off the intardnet, Optima Batteries where bought out by Johnson Controls a few years ago. They are now made in Mexico, and the quality started to go down hill from there. Costco even quit selling them due to quality/return issues.

The Sears Die Hard Platinum that peeps are raving about is a re-badged Odyssey battery.

When my stock TJ battery finally died a couple years ago, I also bought a Duralast gold top battery. It came with a great warranty, and has been doing fine. But, only one real winch-fest at the last FYBR.

I also won a new Red Top Optima at the Jamboree in 2011. It's been powering my c-pap machine in the camper for the past two seasons. Hopefully, it can handle that for many more seasons.

[Lurch]

Kinda leaning towards trying one of the dekas. I like the lower price and they seem to be getting decent reviews. Heck maybee I'll get 2 of em

[OldGreen]

Duals are a good way to go if you have the room.

This is also good: http://www.batteriesplus.com/product/46 ... p-24M.aspx

I have had good luck with the batteries from Batteries Plus, and the lady down there that runs the store does a rockin' job of standing behind her products. I believe the one listed above is made by Johnson Controls, and there are also the larger sizes available (group 27, 31)

I have an account over there....

Quanto questa?

[Jeepscum]

Optima was bought out by JCI which makes Costco's Kirkland batteries the level of quality was cut but they are still providing the long years of service. I did a lot of research into all brands of orbital batteries when my 11 year old red top was retired. With talking to the Deka sales crew they were seeing a large amount of returns at that time and advised me to purchase a Optima Yellow Top from their competitor which I have been running for the past 2 years with no issues.

There is no comparison to the original Optima brand prior to the sell of the company. My red top was involved in a roll over, a head on collision, 3 years of assaults from the Ridge Runners 3 ball coarse.

[Jeepscum]

From what I have read off the intardnet, Optima Batteries where bought out by Johnson Controls a few years ago. They are now made in Mexico, and the quality started to go down hill from there. Costco even quit selling them due to quality/return issues.

We quit selling them at Costco due to low production numbers. My shopped need a minimum of 20 reds and 5 yellows a week. So times that by 400+ US stores and JCI could meet demands. I hope to one day see them return the store.

For the volume sold there was not a large difference in returns the main complaint was guys were getting 4-6 years were they had gotten 10+ out of the orginals.

[White trash]

In my experience the new optimas are junk. I turned 3 red tops in as cores about 6 months ago that just flat quit taking a charge and wouldn't come back. Their rep that is a member on pirate4x4 is a liar that believes his own bs as well, if for no other reason I wouldn't buy another one because of optimajim.

Orbital batteries are the biggest piles of worthless lead I've ever had the displeasure or owning. I picked up a black top for my old Honda that was on clearance at schmucks. When it wouldn't hold a charge overnight a year later I was stuck with it since it was sold on clearance and had no warranty. I was given warranty papers and they scanned it into the system as such too.

My blue top orbital lasted almost 2 years in my old yota. It was my dd so it never sat for long. One day it just died. Something must have come apart inside since it went from being a decent battery to a paperweight in an instant.

I have a top of their line lead acid batter from orielys now that is a trooper! Drove almost a mile on the starter run it dead with the electric fan every once in a while and it just keeps coming back. It's 2 years old and still as good as the day I bought it. My next GOOD battery will be a sears Odyssey for sure. They have a fantastic rep and warranty.