It is about time that I finally upgrade my battery. I have heard that the Walmart Everstart Maxx 65N; 850 CCA, 1000 CA (manufactured by Johnson Controls) is the way to go and outperforms the Optima YellowTop but I have yet to find any specs on the battery to prove this. I am looking for something that will take a beating from my winch and have plenty of reserve power for longer pulls. I need some help.

 

Well since I work for the company (Johnson Controls) and I just bought a few batteries, I think that the Optima yellow top group 31 battery is the way to go. Granted the thing weighs 60 lbs, but go look at the specs!

Optima Battery 9051-160 - Optima YellowTop Deep Cycle 12 Volt Batteries - summitracing.com

75 amp hours, 900 CA at 0*F, 1125 CA at 32*F! Hard to beat the ratings.

 

The specs you posted look great! When I look at the spec sheet on the web site the reserve capacity is different. Am I looking at a different battery? http://www.optimabatteries.com/_medi...D34_082104.pdf

I wonder if they listed the commercial battery specs? The group thing has me confused

COMMERCIAL YELLOWTOP DUAL PURPOSE BATTERIES
MODEL NUMBER D31A & D31T
PERFORMANCE
Voltage 12V
Cold Cranking Amps @ 0 F 900
Cranking Amps @ 32 F 1125
Reserve Capacity 155
Capacity (C/20 rate) 75
Internal Resistance (ohms) 0.0025
PHYSICAL SPECS
Length 12-13/16"
Width 6-1/2"
Height 9-3/8"
Minimum Weight (lb) 59.8
Type/Post Terminal 3/8" Stainless
Steel Stud & SAE Post
BCI Group 31A & 31T

 

Optima has went to crap a few years ago.


odyssey batterys are the best.
Odyssey Drycell Batteries

 

The link you posted is for a d34 (or group 34) battery, no where near what the D31 (or group 31) battery is! I run 1 in my 95 when I raced it last year, and will run 2 in the ranger this year as it will no have an alternator and needs to power the fuel pump, fans, water pumps, etc.....

 

I'm still not completely sold on the Odyssey batteries. I ran 1 in my Buell a few years back. I only had it for 6 months during the summer and it never really held a charge and caused my starter to drag so much that it actually chipped a few teeth on the gear. I switched back to a standard sealed Harley battery and haven't had a problem with it. But I also got the battery from evil bay, new in the box, so it could have been a crap battery to begin with. A buddy of mine runs one on his Buell and hasn't had the same problems as me, but he aslo continuasly keeps it on a trickle charger if he doen't ride for more than a few days. Not the same as the car batteries, but still same company, and same style battery.....

 

I've heard the Optimas' went to crap too. I had a older red top in the Bronco, no problems from it.

 

my vote is for Odyssey. i will actually be buying two of them in the next couple of months for my diesel. i am mounting them on the frame on the pass side to clean up the engine bay. i have also heard the optimas have gone to crap but have no personal experience with them

-cutts-

 

I'll let everyone know how my 3 group 31's hold up after the race season with only being charged every 2 weeks or so before a race.

 

i think optima's went to crap with there "popular" batteries. kind like any big name they have their off the shelf crap then the good stuff you have to order or know what your lookin for. here what im talkin about for example. sony explodes suck, unless, you buy their high end stuff. they have good steros and subs and things of this such. but if you go to wally world you can buy a 1100 watt sub for 50 bucks. these things suck. but go to their website and they have the good products that no one uses because they cost more.

 

the last thread we had about this i said optimas were crap......i now retract my statement, after a bad alternator killed my batt. just a 2 amp charge over night and it was back.......i have a batt. cut off switch installed so i dont get any draws killing it, but it turns the bronco over no problem......

 

I found the specs on the Walmart Everstart 65N comes with 3yr free and 108 month pro-rata CCA: 875 amps @ 0 degree F/ CA = 1090 amps @ 32° F; Reserve capacity: 165 mins Doesn't sound bad for $60 The question I am left with is should I just forget the Everstart and spend the money on a group 31 optima or the Odyssey? I am leaning towards the Odyssey but love the price of the Everstart.

 

i think the decision breaker will be whether you need the functionality of the gel cell for mounting in any position as opposed to throwing it in the stock batt tray! if you are gonna put it back in the stock position (or somewhere upright) i would go with the cheaper Everstart. I am buying Odysseys for my diesel bc I am going to mount them sideways on the frame so I can still get to the posts.

-cutts-

 

What he said.
They run about the same price as Optima, and I hear nothing but good things.


About the wal mart battery....I was thinking of getting one, but I've heard a couple people say that after 3-4 years they crap out... No sign of slowly looseing cells, just suddenly no more good.

 

I run the Autozone Duralast batteries. The 1000 cranking amp ones. I have 2 on the superduty and one on the F150. I have had good luck out of them. The one on the F150 got used for winching alot last time I was home. I will be adding a second 1000 to it soon. The batteries run around $100 with a 3year replacement warrenty.