Optima Yellow Top or Odyssey Battery

Opinions, Experiences. Am trying to decide between both.

 

I've got an Optima yellow top and I don't have any complaints about it.

 

Optima Red Top..... the differences between the Red Top and Yellow Top are really minor, the Red Top has a highter CCA rating, and you can expect the Yellow Top to last slightly longer..... But otherwise identical.

And before anyone starts to flame me for saying there is a difference.... Save it... I've heard it all, and know someone who used the Red Tops in an electric car back before the Red Tops hit mainstream.

 

ttt

 

Yea I also heard the sears diehard platinum are the same as Odyssey just different packaging. I have had the yellow top and it worked great in my jeep with winch

 

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I asked this question several years ago on this forum and another forum and the answer from some of the "off-road pros" ... especially if they "winched" a lot ... their choice was mostly .... Odyssey

I put a Optima Yellow Top in my wife's last Subaru and that was a fantastic battery. Never had an Odyssey though ... and have not seen them in any of the auto supply stores either.


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My red top was crap. Horrible at holding a charge. My old school diehard gold was much better. Lasted over two years longer.

 

Yellow top FTW!

 

Rellik, why are you replacing your battery? You have the group 27f Truestart, no? Truestart has an 84 month warranty with 2 year free replacement and higher reserve capacity than a Yellowtop.

 

A suggestion, if it's OK to suggest another option not among the original choices.

Caterpillar battery.

As in the bulldozer company. They sell batteries that will fit a huge range of applications. Their batteries are made by one of the best manufacturerss- East Penn- but to particularly rigorous specs for Cat. Designed to perform as starting batteries, but with far more amp-hour capacity for non-running loads compared to usual vehicle batteries. I put a set in my last vehicle- a 1989 Ford diesel- and they completely put to shame the prior batteries, which were of a very reputable make and only 2 years old.

The Cats also are not way-expensive for what they are- more than a discount store battery, but less than Optimas, Odysseys, or DieHard Platinums.

 

I also have a 2500w stereo that the battery couldn't handle and took a dump fast, my headlights would almost turn completely off when the bass hit. This battery rocks, it's the biggest yellow top made, headlights don't even dim now. At all. Been in the truck for 3 years, still works like new.

 

Oops, it just dawned on me that that question was directed to the OP. Sorry.

 

No worries. You using any capacitors?

 

My sons car needs a new battery and would like to "donor" the battery from my truck and replace with something good.

 

You have an inverter in your truck? If so, you already have a good battery. Truestart 27f is a beast made by Johnson Controls. Check specs. If you only have 24f or a Panasonic, I could see why you might want an upgrade, but your stock battery still has a great warranty. Still rocking my original 5.5 years of Ohio weather later and will buy another from Toyota when it finally dies. If anything, buy a red top for your boy and hang onto that Truestart!

On another note, I have a bud who works for an auto electric repair shop and he prefers interstate megatron over optima.

 

If upsizing what is the largest battery that will fit without to much modification?

 

What size batteries and do you need to add a switch?

 

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--- ^^^ ... That sounds like a neat idea ... but I did not know that you could put "dual yellow tops" in that OEM space and have it fit. How do you do it and like the post above asked ... what "Optima Yellow Top" models did you use ?

Or did I read this wrong ?? ...
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If 2 yellow tops can fit in the stock locaton I want to see it, as well as why you would do that. I also want to see the stereo in a Tacoma that needs a 50 farad capacitor, I thought I had the biggest stereo on this forum.

 

Still wondering which batteries would fit for a twin setup.