Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: TJMart on September 28, 2008, 09:44:22 PM

Title: Optima yellow top
Post by: TJMart on September 28, 2008, 09:44:22 PM: Are these batteries any good? are they worth the money? or is there something else that will be up to job? just wondering as i fried my earth terminal on my battery today winching out what can be described as quick sand.
and the uj on the n/s half shaft popped on the way home as well so not had a very good day.
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Post by: Dodster on September 28, 2008, 09:48:33 PM: Ive not had any trouble with my yellow top, touch wood but i know plenty of folks who have had trouble with them.
It seems to be a lottery as to wether or not you get a good one..
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Post by: TJMart on September 28, 2008, 09:55:01 PM: so it's good? does the winch kill it ?? cos my standard battery dies real quick and the volt gauge on the dash dropped to zero really quick and all the beeping from the dash it does my head in.(CHECK GAUGES)
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Post by: Bishops Finger on September 28, 2008, 10:10:56 PM: Think Optima's are over rated tat....buy a Varta....
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Post by: Dodster on September 28, 2008, 10:18:38 PM: Yep its good I think ive been lucky so far.
The winch hasnt killed mine but one of the lads from this weekend has been saying that his wont hold a charge.
There will also be others on here who will come along and say dont waste your money on them, try something else. I know JamesH for one would never have another yellow top..
I would be very wary if i had to buy another.

ps.. if you turn your ign off and back on again it will put the gauge back up again and stop the bleeping, at least for 10 secs or so..
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Post by: gazjeep on September 28, 2008, 10:30:52 PM: Same here, no probs with ours so far but there have been a few folk had trouble with em, think Isle of man has had issues with them IIRC.

Was Odyssey recommended by some or was that something completely different ?
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Post by: TJMart on September 28, 2008, 10:32:25 PM: Ok i better do some shopping around,Varta batteries any particular model?? and any other suggestions please as i don't want to waste money??
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Post by: Asylum on September 28, 2008, 10:59:51 PM: I have been running two yellow tops with a antares split charge system and manual switch to link to perminant paralel for offroading for just under 2 years now and touch wood, no problems with the yellow tops.

8-)
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Post by: TJMart on September 28, 2008, 11:03:31 PM: If i get a yellow top what one do i need?
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Post by: Asylum on September 28, 2008, 11:16:32 PM: Either the 4,2L S or 4,2L U depending on if you want/need side mountable terminals.

http://www.optimabattery.co.uk/pdf/6p_E ... _RTYT_.pdf (http://www.optimabattery.co.uk/pdf/6p_English_1_RTYT_.pdf)

But I think this is an old pdf as I am sure you can now get yellowtops with 750CCA rather than the 690 CCA advertised.
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Post by: Bubba on September 29, 2008, 05:07:49 AM: my oldest is a 6years old and still good i had a problem with one but managed to recharge it and it has been fine since i think the thing they are not good at is if you allow them to discharge on a standing motor they can go down to the point where they are reluctant to recharge as for winching they seem realy good
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Post by: GermanXJ on September 29, 2008, 05:41:24 AM: I winched all day on mine last week, and then my friends ALT died so he drove home on my yellow top 50 miles. I would say the optima did its job that day. It charged right back up after getting us home, and is still my favorite.
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Post by: Roland on September 29, 2008, 06:38:13 AM: I had the same 2 red tops for over 10 years, one is still good.
Some rate the Odyssey batteries very high.

http://http://www.devon4x4.com/component/option,com_shop/Itemid,67/Odyssey+Batteries/mode,browse/cat,96/showcaticons,yes
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Post by: JamesH on September 29, 2008, 01:42:44 PM: If you're spending that sort of money, get an Odyssey. They have far more power and capacity for their size and don't give up the ghost if you let them go flat.
Title: Cheaper alternative
Post by: wildwood on September 29, 2008, 02:52:33 PM: If you want plenty of CCA s try a tractor battery! Cheaper than car bateries and only downside is a bit bigger. But £60 a time for 760CCA rating or £90 for 840CCA rating is worth creating space for!!!???
I googled Tractor Batteries a few weeks ago and came up with these
NUMAX 644 760 CCA size 346x175x232
or NUMAX 655 840CCA size 346x175x289
prices as above.
This trick passed to me by King CJ who has a pair in his monster rig, and they crank like there's no tomorrow.
Worth a thought?
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Post by: PtP on September 29, 2008, 07:29:40 PM: Quote from: "Bishops Finger"
....buy a Varta....

:-D

(http://http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j272/mmore514/DSCN3760.jpg)

(http://http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j272/mmore514/DSCN3758.jpg)
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Post by: TJMart on September 29, 2008, 09:24:51 PM: Cheers guys ordered a pair of yellow tops today going to put them on a split charge system so no more agrow with winching.
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Post by: Steve B on October 01, 2008, 03:12:37 PM: I have a yellow top.

It is rubbish.

Had it for about 3 years, let it go flat 1 winter and now when the jeep is in the garage it has to have life support or it will go flat ( sorry dis-charged )
within a week.

Did I say it is rubbish.

Looks nice though.

Steve
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Post by: Bubba on October 01, 2008, 05:07:35 PM: can i have it
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Post by: Roland on October 01, 2008, 05:12:18 PM: :twisted: :twisted:
http://http://www.birtydastardsjeepclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7694&highlight=optima
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Post by: Bubba on October 01, 2008, 05:15:04 PM: sure is
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Post by: isle of man on October 04, 2008, 11:19:58 AM: i have a couple kicking about - come and get them
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Post by: Bubba on October 05, 2008, 10:24:20 AM: would love to at some point
Title: BATTERIES
Post by: cleggy on October 13, 2008, 11:07:08 AM: DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I COULD FIT ANOTHER BATTERY UNDER MY BONNET ON A TJ?????? ANYONE WITH ANY PICTURES THAT THEY CAN SHOW ME PLEASE?????? THANKS CLEGGY
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Post by: Nosebolt on October 13, 2008, 11:31:31 AM: have a look at this artical m8

http://http://www.4wdandsportutility.com/tech/03054wd_jeep_tj_dual_battery_tray/index.html
Title: Re: BATTERIES
Post by: PtP on October 13, 2008, 01:26:13 PM: Quote from: "cleggy"
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I COULD FIT ANOTHER BATTERY UNDER MY BONNET ON A TJ?????? ANYONE WITH ANY PICTURES THAT THEY CAN SHOW ME PLEASE?????? THANKS CLEGGY

Schhhh! You’ve just woken me up.

I’m sure Asylum had done a similar conversion on his TJ with one on top of the other on their sides in the standard position. As I recall, it was a tight fit, but it worked. I’m sure he’ll be along shortly with some more detailed info.
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Post by: TJMart on October 13, 2008, 10:18:50 PM: just been looking at the mean green tray myself it looks like it's going to be tight.
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Post by: Bubba on October 14, 2008, 05:11:23 AM: is that not handed for the us
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Post by: isle of man on October 14, 2008, 12:20:03 PM: you can get it for right hand drive - it's a tight fit as said.
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Post by: Dave69 on October 14, 2008, 07:43:34 PM: you want tight fit try getting a decent sized battery in the xj, even the disesel has a bigger tray than the petrol
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Post by: TJMart on October 14, 2008, 08:37:00 PM: so where can i get one of these trays to fit a RHD?
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Post by: tim_aka_tim on October 14, 2008, 08:47:07 PM: http://www.4wd.com/jeep-parts.aspx?plID=590 (http://www.4wd.com/jeep-parts.aspx?plID=590)
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Post by: TJMart on October 14, 2008, 09:33:02 PM: Thanks Tim just had a chat with a helpful guy called Les and got a tray on it's way
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Post by: cleggy on October 15, 2008, 04:14:35 PM: which one did you get cheers cleggy.
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Post by: TJMart on October 15, 2008, 09:16:34 PM: I went for this one.... http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx? ... rtID=40355 (http://www.4wd.com/productdetails.aspx?jeep-sid=0&plID=590&partID=40355)

It seems to the same as the mean green one but $50 cheaper if you use extension 804 it will take you to Les he seems quite helpfull.
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Post by: PtP on October 15, 2008, 10:53:55 PM: Are they and you sure they will fit a RHD vehicle? The base plate in the earlier link looked like it was specific for a LHD vehicle.

(http://http://images.4wdandsportutility.com/tech/03054wd_05z+Jeep_Wrangler_TJ+Engine_Battery.jpg)

(http://http://images.4wdandsportutility.com/tech/03054wd_08z+Jeep_Wrangler_TJ+Engine_Battery_Mount.jpg)
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Post by: isle of man on October 16, 2008, 09:01:46 PM: you can get right hand drive speak to mark gasser he has them in stock i believe....