need a battery. Which one? and where to buy?

[nakman]

After reading many threads about batteries, I thought that I had my mind made up to get an Exide Orbital Extreme 34XCD. I could only find positive reviews about them, a decent write-up on Pirate, and a couple guys on Mud that I respect tech-wise run them, with no issues. I've been turned off by Optimas, mainly because it seems so many folks have issues with them. If you've counted, you'll know that the ratio of "Optimas are the best" posts to "Optimas suck" posts are about 2:1, and encroaching on 50-50.

So I tried to order the Exide from this place, they took my order but never responded. Never charged my card, never shipped, and never returned my phone calls or emails. I guess they're not in business? I then called Exide's local distributer, who said go to any Checker or Wall Mart to buy them.. well, Checker doesn't have the model I want, and their cost is $160 for one that's not even as good.. WallMart has nothing.. so now I'm thinking by the time I special order & pay tax I could have bought an Optima Blue top (most the bad reviews are about yellows, the rest reds).

So last night I was ready to just to go AutoZone and buy the stupid Optima and be done with it.. but now they don't stock them!! They say they're not allowed to transport them because they don't have a Hazmat license. Geez.. so do I go to Costco on Saturday? or should I hold out for something better?

 

[leiniesred]

Optima - vote (non plussed)

both of my red tops lasted 2 years a piece. I think that sucks.

I went back to my grandpa's advice: "Get the biggest dam (sic) batt-rey (more sic) that fits in the rig. Get it from somplace ez to find in case it craps out." (He meant sears, but these days it is wal-mart).

That "batt-rey" has 4 years on it and is working fine. It is big, heavy and yellow. I don't remember what it is, but it wasn't very much dough compared to an optima or other "spiral tech" battery.


-LeiniesRed

 

[wesintl]

I bought 2 yellow tops from autozone. Checker has the blue exide marine battery.

Excide is made by optima so I don't think reliability is going to be any greater

 

[powderpig]

Most of the exide stuff is made out of the country in forgein factories. Where the optima is made here in denver. Go figure. Any how have you look at some of the dry cell batteries? I will look a little latter or see some of david Morse's stuff on IH8MUD in the 80's section (just remembered Stinger batteries), two will fit in the same spot as one orginal battery, but more money. The stinger design was orginally for helicopters. I do not like regular lead acid batteries for the corrison they cause (or may be I am lazy and do not want to clean the battery box every 6 months), but I have had less problems with them over their life span with failing and charging issues. later robbie

 

[Uncle Ben]

I have/have had a total of 12 Optimas now. First two were actually Gates (which was Optima before they changed the name. Both red top Gates are still in use going strong (15 years old!) Two red top Op's went with my '95 1 ton Chev diesel that I traded in for my 2002 (also a snow plow truck....btw Op's kick ass for snowplows as they are not affected by cold temp voltage drops!) One red went with my '63 K-10. My first Yellow went with my '75 F-250 High Boy. 1 red is still going strong in Kippers 62. Wild Rice has 2 yellow blems. Ricecake has two Yellows. I gave my boulder property manager a yellow blem. Out of those 12 I had 1 red cause problems (it started not holding a load within a month after I got it) and it's full warranty replacement is still going strong. I will never buy a wet lead acid battery again! I also have learned that for heavy use/drain yellows are better than the reds when completely depleted as they take forever to get fully charged whereas the yellows don't seem to have that problem. (I was told by a guy at Optima the differance between reds and yellows is that yellows have current bars conecting the cells at the top and bottom but the reds ony have them on the top) You can get reds at Costco and I have bought the last two yellows at Autozone in Laf-a-lot.

Just my observations....

After reading many threads about batteries, I thought that I had my mind made up to get an Exide Orbital Extreme 34XCD. I could only find positive reviews about them, a decent write-up on Pirate, and a couple guys on Mud that I respect tech-wise run them, with no issues. I've been turned off by Optimas, mainly because it seems so many folks have issues with them. If you've counted, you'll know that the ratio of "Optimas are the best" posts to "Optimas suck" posts are about 2:1, and encroaching on 50-50.

So I tried to order the Exide from this place, they took my order but never responded. Never charged my card, never shipped, and never returned my phone calls or emails. I guess they're not in business? I then called Exide's local distributer, who said go to any Checker or Wall Mart to buy them.. well, Checker doesn't have the model I want, and their cost is $160 for one that's not even as good.. WallMart has nothing.. so now I'm thinking by the time I special order & pay tax I could have bought an Optima Blue top (most the bad reviews are about yellows, the rest reds).

So last night I was ready to just to go AutoZone and buy the stupid Optima and be done with it.. but now they don't stock them!! They say they're not allowed to transport them because they don't have a Hazmat license. Geez.. so do I go to Costco on Saturday? or should I hold out for something better?

 

[nakman]

I have bought the last two yellows at Autozone in Laf-a-lot.

Well not any more, apparently. Thanks for all the replies, all.. still haven't quite decided what way to go here so please keep the comments coming!

 

[60wag]

I bought an Excide to replace my red top. It wasn't a great deal but since it was at Napa, it couldn't be more convenient. So far, so good.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

I went with the NAPA one...

Nakman, I asked around and got the same/similar stories on Optima. I then talked with Ron at Rocky Mtn Cruisers, and DJs Traction out in SLC who did my motor/tranny swap...they both put the high-end Napas in their own rigs. Ya'know, whatever sealed batteries they sell...

I'm with 60wag on this, Napa's are everywhere, and if something goes wrong, I can usually find one to take advantage of whatever kind of warranty/pro-rated thing they have going.

So far so good...over 2years now...

CardinalFJ60

 

[nakman]

Well, pulled the trigger on an Exide today at Checker. 2 year free replacement warranty... start the clock.

 

[calphi27]

bump for the winter time. Has anyone bought a blem or 2nd from Hensley Battery near invesco?

 

[CardinalFJ60]

sorry - didn't answer your question...

Nakman, I asked around and got the same/similar stories on Optima. I then talked with Ron at Rocky Mtn Cruisers, and DJs Traction out in SLC who did my motor/tranny swap...they both put the high-end Napas in their own rigs. Ya'know, whatever sealed batteries they sell...

I'm with 60wag on this, Napa's are everywhere, and if something goes wrong, I can usually find one to take advantage of whatever kind of warranty/pro-rated thing they have going.

So far so good...over 2years now...

CardinalFJ60

FWIW...Still the same battery...

 

[Crash]

Haven't bought a blem or second but did buy my group 31 Deka from them. Great battery and service is good.

 

[nakman]

Holy old thread! Hey my Orbitals are still going, so to speak. I killed one of them running my seat heaters all day more than a few times, it wouldn't hold a good charge anymore even removing it and trickle charging overnight. But Checker gave me a deal on the replacement, I think they prorate the cost over the 80 months or something, anyway it was about half price for a brand new one. So I've got one newish (6 months?) battery, and one 3 year old battery, both doing well.

I'm still happy with the decision and would recommend it- buy a super common battery from a chain store that comes with a warranty, so you can get a new one just about any time, any where. Not the place to be "exclusive," IMO.


edit: And in my first and only yellow top experience, Crash that battery I bought from you is still doing well. It spent a brief tenure in the plow truck, then moved over to to Subaru, then it went camping on the Ouray trip in the camper, then it rested inside the garage for a few months. When it started getting cold I brought it inside the house and stuck it in the closet. And wouldn't you know it, two weeks ago someone left something on and ran the battery down in the Subaru, so I swapped in the yellow top and voila back in business. After trickle charging and testing the other battery it's back in there now, with the Optima back on the shelf ready for its next job.. one thing I learned last winter being an hour away and 10° colder than everyone else is having a nice warm backup battery inside the house can be a wonderful thing, glad I got one of the good ones!

 

[Shark Bait]

I out an Exide Orbital in my 40. Boy, seat heaters would be nice right now.

 

[Romer]

I bought an Excide Orbital for Rachels 4runner and it died after 3 years. The 2nd battery in my truck is also an excide. I noticed when I ran my primary down while camping that the backup almost didn't start the truck.

On my list before Spring is a new battery

 

[Crash]

Glad to read this Nakman. Back up is always a good thing!

 

[sleeoffroad]

Just a FYI, we stock the Optima reverse terminal for the 80

 

[nakman]

I bought an Excide Orbital for Rachels 4runner and it died after 3 years. The 2nd battery in my truck is also an excide. I noticed when I ran my primary down while camping that the backup almost didn't start the truck.

On my list before Spring is a new battery

That's about on par with my experience, Ken. Maybe the better question is, how long should one of these batteries last? Under normal use, being winching a few times a year, running it dead while camping a couple times a year, a few -0° starts, etc.

 

[DaveInDenver]

That's about on par with my experience, Ken. Maybe the better question is, how long should one of these batteries last? Under normal use, being winching a few times a year, running it dead while camping a couple times a year, a few -0° starts, etc.

No winch, but otherwise similar mistreatment of batteries. I got 7 years from the last Red Top and my current Red Top is about 2 years now (with addition of fridge, that should punish it sufficiently).

 

[LARGEONE]

The NEW Sears Die Hard Platinum is the same battery as the Odyssey. There is a thread on MUD showing both batteries and they are identical except for color. As mentioned above...I bought the biggest one they had and it just barely fits in the tray (with very slight trim of the corner). They also sell one the same size as stock (27, I believe). This thing has so much cranking power and with the deep cell, I hope it does well after being drained. It's only been in there for a month or so, so I can't speak to longevity, but owners of the Odyssey batteries who chimed in on MUD completely swear by them over the Optima. On sale at Sears, it was around $200. Not cheap, but not too bad for what it promises and the warranty is easy at Sears. I had a red-top prior, but it was having trouble in the cold. PO put it in only three years ago.