hardcoreoffroad

WINCHING WHAT TYPE OF BATTERIE DO I NEED . A RED TOP OPTIMA OR A YELLOW TOP OPTIMA. WINCH IS RATED AT 10,000 LBS.

ckmehl

batteries are not rated for weight! get the yellow. you will be happier in the long run with it. plus if you do run the yellow dead you can recharge it to 100%. the red tops only re charge to 75% of there factory power. and drain faster each time you drain it dead. been there done that. get the yellow!

nclehmann

Why are you screaming at us?

YELLOW TOP SHOULD DO IT!

NTXJK

Get the yellow I have the red now and its weak but will do for now

ThinkMud

ok, so Yellow Optima seems to be the way to go, now which one of the yellow ones? I'm looking at their web site and they have 2 pages of different models of the yellow tops...

nclehmann

34 should fit fine. 34/78 also fits, but has additional studs on the side.

letyoudownacon

d34/78 has the dual terminals its the one you want

ThinkMud

so can you pick one of these up at a local auto parts store, or do you have to order them? straight from Optima they are $215....

can anyone with one of these tell me if it stops the head lights from dimming every time you roll your windows up and down, haha... mine dims if i lock my doors or roll the windows up or down:(

Lorrel

I will agree with an Optime, however we could have a debate about this. I agree the yellow top is a true deep cycle battery but if you look at the performance data, you will clearly see the Yellow Top, (34/25) has 620 CCA's, 770 CA@32*, a res capicity of 120 amps and a C/20 rate of 55, whereas the Red Top 34/78, has 800 CCA's, 1000CA@32*, res. capicity of 100, and a C/20 of 50.
Not all that different, except for the CCA's and CA's, which is where most of us need the boost as we use it mostly as a starting battery. (Don't know where you're getting the info about the 100% vice the 75%?)
With that said, I will speak of personal experience. I bought an Optima RT/34/78, for my 94XJ back in 96. Back then I did alot of wheeling. I'll not bore you with the few circimstances in which I used it one night after a wheeling adventure to not only winch a guy, but also used it to power headlights and 4 IPF aux lights while we changed his water pump, all the while listining to music provided from my stereo system pumped out by 2 500W amps, starting the XJ and letting it run for a few minutes of course. The next moring the XJ started right up and that battery lasted until late 2004. There were many other winchings and alot of stereo with the XK engine off on that battery.
It was still OK but for the winters here in Pa I wanted a new one. Another RT/34/78 in Sept 04, and although not much winching on that battery I did leave the lights on all day in early 05. A jump was needed as the battery would not even sound my buzzer with the door open and key in, let alone power the dome light. After the jump I drove about 45 minutes and the battery was as good as new. Well maybe. Another FU with the headlights on my part just last November, this time for 12 hours, and another jump. After driving home the 7 miles, I parked in the driveway, and after about 30 minutes went out and the XJ started right up. I've had no problems starting this winter even in temps of 11*.
I will also say that back in 96 when the Optimas became avail here in the US many XJ'rs were getting the YT and even the Blues, however many also went back to the Red's as they were only getting 3-5 years on the others.
Don't get me wrong, the YT and Blues are great batteries, but yet if they are manily used as a starting battery, that is to say they are not really being deep cycled, they will not last like the Red's.
For hard core wheelers that use the heck out of a winch many times over, the YT is the Optima to get, however if you are only deep cycling a few time each year, the RT will suit your need, plus give you the x-tra CCA for starting in the winter when you need it.
Not saying the posters here are doing this, but I will say I've talked to many wheel'rs who bragged up their YT, and when I asked how many times they've deep cycled the thing I get the 1000 yard stare. Some didn't even have winches and others had a few aux lights.
Just put'in the info out. Take it for what it's worth.

ThinkMud

my local autozone has the red tops that fit the jk, but not yellow or any other color for that matter... I just want something that will hold a little more juice then my stock one. i hate having my head lights dim when i use the electric windows. every time i winch or use my air on the power plant, i always keep my jk running. so it's hardly ever just using the battery.