Confused on which battery to buy.

[SHAWNINATOR]

Im looking to buy an optima battery for my boat. I have no radio. Just need it for starting the boat and running the bilge. Should i buy just the starting battery or would a deep cycle be better?

[speedymopars]

Im looking to buy an optima battery for my boat. I have no radio. Just need it for starting the boat and running the bilge. Should i buy just the starting battery or would a deep cycle be better?
The yellow top is the best of both. It has pretty good starting capabilities, and it can deep cycle for those times you don't run it (like during the winter). Any vehicle I do not drive frequently gets a yellow top.

['75 Miller]

I've got a deep cycle marine that's close to two years old and I've never had a problem with it. It sat on the shelf for over a year and when I tested it before re-installation it was still @12.4v.
Not long ago there was a thread here with a bunch of guys talking about having had problems with the optimas, so I'm sure there will be some replies soon.

[RitcheyRch]

Get the Optima Marine dual purpose battery. Have one in my boat and has been trouble-free. I actually have Optimas in all my vehicles.

[SHAWNINATOR]

Ya i saw those too. Im running 13:1 comp. My last battery was a car battery. It had 800cca and 1000ca. would a yellow top with 750cca and 870ca be sufficient?

[speedymopars]

Ya i saw those too. Im running 13:1 comp. My last battery was a car battery. It had 800cca and 1000ca. would a yellow top with 750cca and 870ca be sufficient?
It is on my 12:1 motor with 15 feet of cable attached to it.

[fish]

Not for nothing and I know I am a newbie with few posts, but IMHO, optimas are not worth the money. Don't get me wrong, they are awesome batteries when they work. However, I had a blue top in my stv w/ 260. I left something on i guess and it drained all the way down to 0. It was done after that, I could not bring the battery back. I know, my fault, but sometimes batteries die and to spend that much $$$ on a battery you can't bring back... I got a good nappa battery and have been very happy.
Just my $.02, and I know I am probably gonna get ripped apart for it, but figured I would mention what I learned the hard way.

[SHAWNINATOR]

Ok bitchin. Off to get one. Ill let it charge it up over night and wake up the neighbors early tomorrow morning.:idea:

[SHAWNINATOR]

Ya i had a duralast battery before but i got in a brutal motorcycle accident and left the positive connected and never put it on a charger. Drained it to almost nothing couldnt bring it back and looked like a schmuck in front of my friends when i told them i had a loud boat.

[Burn504]

yea there are two posts on these forums somewhere with many accounts of bad optima batteries.
I have had numerous bad ones and am trying to keep myself from buying another.
The biggest problem with Optimas is that when you charge them you cannot charge them more than 10amps at a time and they are not supposed to get over 120 degrees. If you do either of those your Optima is toast...

[pw_Tony]

Been running a Napa orbital for about 4 years now. It has a 8 year warranty. Ive had it in and out of boats, golf carts, cars, trucks, and other stuff. And it's been good to me.
But if it's like every other Napa part it'll probably fail soon. I think it is 800CCA and 1000CA

[thatguy]

The first Optima I had was a red top about 7 years ago. Awesome battery, used that same battery in my truck to go to the lake, then would pull it, stick it in a miller 454 with no alternator. Run it all weekend then back in the truck and drive home.
Since then? Almost every Optima I have bought has been a disappointment.
Seem to ALWAYS be dead and nonchargeable. I don't know what the deal is.
Yellow, Blue, Doesn't seem to matter. I keep hoping, but I am going to look elsewhere next time. Maybe it is me killing them somehow, but they just don't seem to be as good as they used to.
Tommy

[watergun4u]

I have had a yellow top for over 5 years now, and have never had a problem, when I am not using it, I just take off the power cable, and then the next time I go out I hook it up , and it always start's right up, I have yet to have to put it on a charger!!!!!!!!! Optima is a great battery!!!!:D

[bp]

i had a red top in my boat for 7 years. last april, it finally went byebye. installed another red top.

[pw_Tony]

I have had a yellow top for over 5 years now, and have never had a problem, when I am not using it, I just take off the power cable, and then the next time I go out I hook it up , and it always start's right up, I have yet to have to put it on a charger!!!!!!!!! Optima is a great battery!!!!:D
I have never had a problem with Optimas, but when I read that half the people have had problems, in other wise a 50% success rate, I wouldn't trust an optima by now

[Cas]

here's the link to that OPtima thread-
http://www.***boat.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157574&highlight=optima