Optima Yellow Top

[Alphacarina]

Just a heads up for anyone looking for an Optima Yellow top battery. I found a great price on a D34 at Sam's Club - $162

Don

[asianflava]

I bought mine at Sam's but it's a regional thing. I didn't see them when I was at a Sam's in FL.

[b.bodemer]

My Sam's Club had it but I'm no longer a member. They said they'd charge me an additional 10% of the battery cost if I didn't want to pay the $35 to join. Plus they wanted to charge me $9 extra because I wasn't turning in a battery. I thought maybe I should think more about it.

On the way home I stopped at my local Advanced Auto Parts store. Told them I had been looking at the Optima at Sam's. Advanced Auto was $178. He matched Sam's Club(without me even asking) and said no problem that I wasn't exchanging a battery, no extra charge there. Nice guy!

Now I'm the proud owner of an Optima Yellow top from Advanced Auto Parts.

Barb

[Alphacarina]

Heck of a deal!

I'm not so sure our $35 membership is a good idea either - My bill to get out of there yesterday was $550

Don

[asianflava]

I'm not so sure our $35 membership is a good idea either - My bill to get out of there yesterday was $550

Sounds like one of my trips to Home Depot. Seems like I can't get out of there without spending at least $50.

[Esteban]

My local Costco sells Optima batteries, too. Where are my notes when I want them? They had one blue marine battery and one yellow top. The price range seems about the same.

[Q]

You could buy 2 or 3 regular RV batteries for that price. Will the Optima battery last longer than 2 or 3 RV batteries? I doubt it.

Q

[Alphacarina]

10 years for an Optima isn't all that unusual - I have a 6 year old one in my Miata, still going strong and I expect it's got several years left

Optimas have some other advantages too - They contain no liquid, so you don't have to keep them topped off. The generate no explosive hydrogen gas when they're charging, so they're great for enclosed spaces . . . . especially spaces shared with living beings who would breathe in the gases. They're spillproof, so you won't have corrosive acid where you don't really want it. Bouncing around in a towed trailer doesn't hurt them or cause them to leak. They don't build up corrosion on the posts like lead acid batteries do. They can be discharged much deeper without shortening the life of the battery than lead acid batteries can. They can be left discharged longer too, without harm. They 'self discharge' about one tenth as fast as ordinary batteries do, which makes them great for trailers which are seldom used

But yes, you CAN use cheaper batteries, though you will probably pay more for your DC power in the long run, because you WILL probably replace an ordinary lead acid battery 3 or 4 times as often as if you had bought an Optima in the first place

Don

[asianflava]

The generate no explosive hydrogen gas when they're charging, so they're great for enclosed spaces . . . . especially spaces shared with living beings who would breathe in the gases.

They do generate dangerous gasses when charging, just not nearly as much as lead acid batteries do. They offer a vent kit for installations in totally enclosed areas.

[Q]

Sorry, I don't buy the hype. I just last week replaced the battery in my Toyota pickup. I bought it at Costco in May of 1997 for $36.00. A standard lead acid car battery. I just looked at the RV battery in my other trailer, purchased 1999 and still working fine.

Q

10 years for an Optima isn't all that unusual - I have a 6 year old one in my Miata, still going strong and I expect it's got several years left

Optimas have some other advantages too - They contain no liquid, so you don't have to keep them topped off. The generate no explosive hydrogen gas when they're charging, so they're great for enclosed spaces . . . . especially spaces shared with living beings who would breathe in the gases. They're spillproof, so you won't have corrosive acid where you don't really want it. Bouncing around in a towed trailer doesn't hurt them or cause them to leak. They don't build up corrosion on the posts like lead acid batteries do. They can be discharged much deeper without shortening the life of the battery than lead acid batteries can. They can be left discharged longer too, without harm. They 'self discharge' about one tenth as fast as ordinary batteries do, which makes them great for trailers which are seldom used

But yes, you CAN use cheaper batteries, though you will probably pay more for your DC power in the long run, because you WILL probably replace an ordinary lead acid battery 3 or 4 times as often as if you had bought an Optima in the first place

Don

[madjack]

Keep in mind that longevity of a battery, like almost anything else is a matter of proper maintenance...a properly maintained, standard lead/acid battery can have a long and happy life when properly maintained...one true advantage of gel cell/AGM batteries is that they suffer abuse and neglect, much better than a standard lead/acid battery....
madjack

[Alphacarina]

The generate no explosive hydrogen gas when they're charging, so they're great for enclosed spaces . . . . especially spaces shared with living beings who would breathe in the gases.

They do generate dangerous gasses when charging, just not nearly as much as lead acid batteries do. They offer a vent kit for installations in totally enclosed areas.

They don't vent anything in 'normal operation' - You CAN overcharge them and force them to vent, but you won't have a good battery for very long. Charged at normal rates of charge, venting isn't any problem . . . . even in enclosed spaces

The 'vent kit' is only offered for the D31 series as it's the only yellow top which has an attachment point for it on the battery, but even then, they tell you it isn't really necessary. My D34 has no provision for external venting

"The D31A Yellow Top will not off-gas in normal operation, but for complete safety in enclosed spaces its overpressure vent will accept a remote venting tube"

Sorry, I don't buy the hype

Not a problem - Don't buy the battery . . . . you probably wouldn't be comfortable using a $165 battery anyway

Don

[asianflava]

They don't vent anything in 'normal operation' - You CAN overcharge them and force them to vent, but you won't have a good battery for very long.

You're lucky our buddy from across the pond is no longer here. Those would be fightin' words. He'd see that Then we'd get inundated with posts. The old timers know what I'm talking about. No dig at you Don, it's just funny to me how this comes back around.

[TD4FREEW/CTD]

I have had serious trouble bringing an optima battery back from the dead.

put it on a battery tender/charger and took a week to give me the green light. still have not tested it in a car. the charging system of the car was not getting it going after it was jumped.

then again, this was in a 57 Fury. the charging system could have been toast.

have not really had any problems with the optima in my pickemup truck.

[madjack]

I have had serious trouble bringing an optima battery back from the dead.

put it on a battery tender/charger and took a week to give me the green light. still have not tested it in a car. the charging system of the car was not getting it going after it was jumped.

then again, this was in a 57 Fury. the charging system could have been toast.

have not really had any problems with the optima in my pickemup truck.

...this something I have wondered about...especially in relation to an older vehicle....gel/agm batteries are supposed to need a charger specifically designed for gel/agm batteries, so an older vehicle will(should) not charge them properly...how about a newer vehicle...are the charging systems smarter on them or is the deal about a specific charger just a bunch of hooey?????? Inquiring minds just wanna know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
madjack