Optima: Yellow vs. Red

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

car toys strikes again. tried to return my yellow top, but they refused claiming i voided the warranty.

why would they have a reverse terminal yt if its not for under the hood? Even the site says "automotive use" that includes audio...the red top has the stipulation of no audio use.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

print off the warranty pfd and print the page off the site

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

you still have it? just take it back now out of the car and see what they say.

nah. it was like 3 years back. optima warranty may have even been different then. not sure.

 

[azimuth 5,000+ posts]

why would they have a reverse terminal yt if its not for under the hood? Even the site says "automotive use" that includes audio...the red top has the stipulation of no audio use.

i got it from car toys on special, and that's what they told me. i didn't buy it from optima directly.

 

[reclessantics 10+ year member]

would it just depend on the set up your running?

i want to run a powermaster d3100 in the back by the amps.

and ill have a mechman 250a h/o alt.

personally (with my lack of knowledge) i see the red top as a better battery.

Wouldn't reserve time be specifically for applications that won't constantly be charging.. like bumpin with the car off?

Reserve time shouldn't be an issue if im never going to play without the car being on.

 

[reclessantics 10+ year member]

im pretty sure red tops are superior in every category except reserve time

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

if they were superior for audio more people would use them in spl for 5 second burps...thing is they don't, every heavy hitter I ever seen use optima used a yellow top/s

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

OP, are you planning on isolating the front battery from the rears? If so, I would go for a Redtop. If you are not going to isolate, then go with a Yellowtop, or another Powermaster to match the D3100. The reason I asked about the isolation is that you never want to deep cycle that Redtop. If you do not isolate the Redtop and you deep cycle one time, you could end up with a dead Redtop and have no warranty. Optima specifically states that there are no warranties for a Redtop used for car audio. If it is not isolated, it is technically still powering car audio.

Forgive the kindergarten level photoshop drawings below. The little gray pods on the wires represent where you may need to fuse, depending on the length of the wires.

Sample 1 (with isolator + Red top)

Sample 2 (with PM D2400)

 

[BlurredVision 10+ year member]

I know my local shop went from using yellow to red tops. They said the red tops are better. Hell, I even remember a guy buying 5 for a setup he had and it was nasty.

 

[Ali1 10+ year member]

5redtops?

stupid indeed

 

[loopkiller 10+ year member]

I know my local shop went from using yellow to red tops. They said the red tops are better. Hell, I even remember a guy buying 5 for a setup he had and it was nasty.

Just because someone has done it before, does not mean it is the best way to do it. I know plenty of people who run Boss, Pyle, Funky Pups, or whatever, but that does not mean I am going to buy them.

If you only knew how batteries were made, you would not reccomend a red for anything other than starting. One deep cycle and they are toast. Yellows are not much better. About 10 deep cycles and they are shot. You are much better off with a thicker plate design like the Kinetik/PM/NSB/Deka/etc.

 

[audiolife 5,000+ posts]

I had a red top back in 97 at IASCA finals and it died. Only battery under in the car I went back to batteries plus and they looked at my car and said "oh hell no" to a warranty. Pissed me off as I feel it cost me a top 5 at finals that year as that is where I ALWAYS finished with that pack.

 

[taintedplay 10+ year member]

there was a sign in my mechanics office that was an optima sign, and said red for car and yellow for car audio/accesories. not sure why but thats what the optima poster said

 

[Thedeadly1 10+ year member]

Have the redtop start you car, and the yellow top in the back to run your amps.

 

[99grandprixGT 5,000+ posts]

you guys think ill have a problem if i run my red top up front and kinetik in the trunk with out an isolator?