Optima Battery - Which One?

[ActionStarCBRxx]

Anyone using an Optima battery in their CUCV? I have a chance to get a few at a great price... but I cant figure out what correlates to the 6TL. I will keep looking but if someone already knows please post.

Thanks!
K

 

[Ferroequinologist]

None will correlate to the 6TL, the Optimas are WAY better.
Just get a couple of red tops and you will be A OK.

 

[Firefighter294]

Go for the Optimas .. great battery.
You can also purchase a 6TL adapter plate from OD Iron, one of our advertisers here on SS.
Optima 6TL Adapter
[6160-01-453-]

OD Iron LLC Military Vehicle Parts and Accessories

Regards,
Rick

 

[Chevytruck]

Red tops may work well for you

 

[realm]

Go for the Optimas .. great battery.
You can also purchase a 6TL adapter plate from OD Iron, one of our advertisers here on SS.
Optima 6TL Adapter
[6160-01-453-]

OD Iron LLC Military Vehicle Parts and Accessories

Regards,
Rick

So if you just buy a redtop and slap it in, it won't fit? Too short I'm guessing? Wedge a 2x4 in there maybe?

 

[twright]

I used them in all kind of MV they come with a cover on top you can put on the bottom to make them higher work great . I pay a round 120.00 t0 125.00 through my shop for them .The 6TL Battery cost me a 138.00 the Optimas come with a 3 year the 6tL come with 18 month .

 

[84cucv1ton]

my cucv came with the red tops. seem like good batteries.

 

[Firefighter294]

So if you just buy a redtop and slap it in, it won't fit? Too short I'm guessing? Wedge a 2x4 in there maybe?

I guess you could do it that way if you wanted. There is another thread on here I read recently that talked about a battery coming loose and grounding out ... it didn't sound very pretty.

So I would recommend how ever you choose to do it you make sure they are "tied" down and won't shift around. I understand that everyone has a budget, so if you are trying to save money by not using the adapters .. don't do it at the cost of safety.

I am not sure what the space looks like on a CUCV, but on my M109A3 had I not bought the adapters, I would have cut plywood about 3/4" thick to cover the bottom of the battery box and then possibly cut 2x4 to put in between the batteries.

The other consideration is to have some sort of strap to hold the batteries down, the adapter actually is screwed to the bottom of the battery box and clips to the bottom of the battery to keep it from bouncing up.

Regards,
Rick

 

[wsucougarx]

red tops!!

 

[Ferroequinologist]

In 2000, I was stationed aboard the USS Stump (quit laughing) in Norfolk, VA. We used Optimas in our RHIB (rigid hull inflatable boat) Well, some moron tied it up between the ship and the pier, and the wind got bad that night...

So we smashed the RHIB up pretty good. Two Optimas sat under water (SALT water) for 3 days until the wind died down enough to un-wedge the RHIB. Then they got a crane to get the boat out.

The electricians took the two batteries and put them in the back corner of their shop, and forgot about them.

2004, the ship was Decommissioning. I was in the electricians shop when they were emptying it out. They found the two batteries, and one bozo decided to 'test' the battery with a screwdriver!!

So after the flash and the red hot screwdriver, I asked what they were going to do with them- throw them away was the answer. So I took them and put one in my truck and the other in my old School bus.

To this day, I can leave the bus sit for months and go out and fire it right up, even if I have to crank it for 10min just to get the fuel back up through the 20ft of lines.

Same thing with my old truck.

Long story short, I am sold on them and will buy them from now on when any of my batteries die.

You could get a set of marine battery straps and mount them to the batt. tray.

 

[hobie237]

Red tops may work well for you

my cucv came with the red tops. seem like good batteries.

red tops!!

You guys do realize that there are different models of "red tops," right? I'm pretty sure he's asking for specific model numbers to look for. All one really needs to do, though, is go to a retailer that sells Optimas and ask for batteries for a K30, and I'm sure most if not all auto parts stores would let you test fit the batteries in the trays to see what works and what doesn't.

 

[KI4GSN]

Optima 34/78 Red top.

 

[Nico]

i decided to take the yellowtop`s.
need the power at meetings & festivals.
-lights
-music
-radio
-electro-heater
and so on
....never dead until now.

 

[lmj301]

maybe i am the only one with bad luck with the red top optima. IF i were to ever buy an optima batt again, it would be a yellow top.

my first optima had a bad cell, the replacement couldn't keep a charge after one deep cycle. now the replacement for that one can't keep a charge after it's first deep cycle.

never again for the red top for me.

 

[hobie237]

Red Tops aren't deep cycle batteries, Yellow Tops are. Blue Tops are a hybrid. AGM batteries don't take kindly to improper charging, unfortunately. Also, many retailers keep the things on the shelf way too long, so the battery you're getting winds up being a year or two old (older in some cases) and it's just bound for failure. Sorry you had bad luck, though.

 

[clinto]

Optima 34/78 Red top.

So I can call an Interstate dealer and tell them I need a "34/78 RedTop" and they will know what I am talking about?

I looked on their website this morning and like most corporate websites, it SUCKS. How can these idiots not come up with a better search?

 

[brianrbull]

I maintain a fleet of MEP-805b (Digital 30kw Tactical Quiet Gen Sets) Here in Afghanistan, all my units have the optima red tops, in the past 5 years I have only had to replace 1 battery and that was due to shrapnel puncturing the battery. I am sold on these outstanding batterys.

 

[WildWolfman]

in all the AGE I have ever used or seen, all have optima batteries, so I am fairly sure they are good for something! I will be going for all yellows myself, they have the dual type, Deep cycle starting, so thats more than likely the one I ma going for.

 

[actionpaintball]

I have used the yellow, red and blue tops for various toys. The blue and yellow are slightly better for winching and reserve high amp draw but I would chose the red over them all for 2 simple reasons:

They are cheaper

They have a 3 year non-prorated warranty-something goes wrong in that 3 year period-you get a free battery. The blue and yellows (that I had) were only 1 year.

 

[Orionspath]

My AF Duece came equipped with the red tops. They fired right up until the generator drained one of the two down to the point where it simply would not hold a charge. I have however had great success with these batteries and have one in my jeep and on the boat as well. Oh and two on my 5K MEP! Bout a Buck twenty at Costco.