battery

[Anonymous-0]

It the Optima battery worth the extra money?
I was thinking $240 was a little pricey for 900 cranking amps

 

[H-66]

I had a yellow top optima on my H. Didn"t run an alternator, I would charge it overnight before the pull. One pull after making two hooks I forgot to turn off the fan and water pump for 2 hours and it still started the tractor. I thought it was worth the money then.

 

[JDJACK]

Never had one. Old co-worker at dealership told me that they shouldn't be charged with a regular battery charger. He said it is hard on them.
I cant remember what they use to charge them, if drained down.

 

[Mike in Mn.]

NAPA has them for about $165, I have used them for years, always got 10 or 12 years of service, solved a lot of battery problems for me. Now I guess there made overseas or some other place and I here a lot of bad about them. Just got done snow plowing, the one in my plow truck is 13 years old and still going strong, electric lift Western plow, there juice hogs!

 

[patrickmull]

I have one in my boat that's 15 years old it still cranks fine

 

[1206SWMO]

They are a great battery..

 

[Travis M]

We used the die hard platinum from sears. I believe it is 1000 or 1100 CCA. It was recommended to us by Gary Baker, we love it. Never had a battery that works as good as this one.

 

[Superih]

(quoted from post at 11:51:57 12/25/13) We used the die hard platinum from sears. I believe it is 1000 or 1100 CCA. It was recommended to us by Gary Baker, we love it. Never had a battery that works as good as this one.

The optima has good reserve but as it ages the amp production declines dramatically. The Diehard is much better technology and a much better battery with a better warrantee.

 

[Schim]

Cheapest place I can find the Optima..
Ebay optima

 

[LCB]

I bought mine at NATPA for around 150 and have used regular battery charger and a maintenance charger and I think my battery is about 4 years old couldn't get a regular battery to last a year. Would not run ant thing else.

 

[Heavy Puller]

(quoted from post at 12:07:05 12/26/13) I bought mine at NATPA for around 150 and have used regular battery charger and a maintenance charger and I think my battery is about 4 years old couldn't get a regular battery to last a year. Would not run ant thing else.

NATPA has a lot of good stuff but I have found NAPA to be less wishywashy..
Just sayin...

 

[MMZAck]

I like optima batteries because the tractor can sit for a long time (like over the winter) and the battery won"t lose a charge. They are more expensive up front but last forever. I just got another one for a tractor I"m building now.

Z

 

[Anonymous-0]

if your going to run it in a vehicle it may be . if on a pulling tractor the 16 volt race batteries are the cats meow

 

[20MuleTeam]

For quality can't beat NTPA stuff.

 

[Gary Baker]

Lol

 

[El Toro]

I use Walmart's best batteries some have lasted over 10 years. They're less than 1/2 what the Optima sells for. Even have a Walmart in my garden tractor. Hal

 

[Whiskey Bent]

If you get one make sure you keep the receipt, I have one only a few years old that shorted out and I cant get it warrented because I don't have receipt.

 

[Gary Baker]

Lol

 

[mEl]

(quoted from post at 08:24:46 12/29/13) If you get one make sure you keep the receipt, I have one only a few years old that shorted out and I cant get it warrented because I don't have receipt.

Whiskey,

I work for a dealer who sells Deka and have got Wal Mart batteries in that failed within the free replacement term as cores, I have taken two in and had them replaced with new at NO cost, obviously no reciept! It probably depends on the particular store management but I've always taken them directly to the courtesy desk. They have a shopping cart right there for the core batteries. As a side note, I buy the highest amp hour battery that will fit my car's box and I got 9 years out of a Maxx in an 87 Olds 3.8.

mEl

 

[Whiskey Bent]

Thanks mEl, but I have a bad Optima.

 

[mEl]

(quoted from post at 17:17:22 12/31/13) Thanks mEl, but I have a bad Optima.

Sorry whiskey, The pic above your post got me thinking about Maxxs, that's why I responded as I did.

mEl

 

[forty40]

(quoted from post at 23:19:02 12/24/13) It the Optima battery worth the extra money?
I was thinking $240 was a little pricey for 900 cranking amps

I believe gel batteries are worth the cost. No sulfuric acid, therefore no corrosive mist when charging and no battery box corrosion. Also in the event of an accident, no acid to leak on everything in the area. We have been using them exclusively for the past 5 years in circle track late model stock cars, engines with 15:1 compression ratio and no electrical charging system. The batteries maintain a charge for the entire evening without recharging. We trickle charge the day before a race, start the engine at least 5 times/night and run the heat and feature, around 30 minutes, without charging. Have never had a problem with the top post batteries. On one occasion a side post melted out, so we no longer use that style. I put an 800 cranking amp Optima in my restored 1951 John Deere A to prevent corrosion. The tractor has 8:1 compression ratio, 6-1/8" dia power block, and cranks over easily. $279 seems a little high, Summit and other racing sites are less expensive.

 

[FactoryFarmer]

I have a red-top in my John Deere G running MSD, fan, water pump, two fuel pumps, etc.

I'm shocked at how well it performs. Even after sometimes 4 hooks in a day it still shows it hardly went down at all.

 

[jhellemn]

This topic comes up often. Good reading at the link below. For me AGM batteries all the way....

http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/viewtopic.php?t=595819