Optima Yellow top in RV?

[JohnX]

Need one for my camper....trying to decide if the Optima is worth the money. I know how good the redtop starter batteries are.....so you guys that don't have RV's...please don't remind me how good they are in XJ's, I already know.


My main concern is that a deep cycle conventional RV battery typically lasts from 2-3 years. Is there anyone out there who has had an Optima yellow in an RV for more than 3 years?

 

[tjmwr7]

I hated my yellow top. lasted little over a year. Plus i think the procomps have more deep cycle to em

 

[BlueCuda]

The Optimas have a poor reserve capacity. I would go with an Interstate Marine RV Part # SRM-29 if you have the room.

 

[JohnX]

I hated my yellow top. lasted little over a year. Plus i think the procomps have more deep cycle to em

One more question to add for a clearer view....how often did you take your RV/camper out? Also, was it kept on a charger during down times?

 

[Stumpalump]

My Optma yellow lasted a year. They gave me a new one and now I keep it on a battery tender and if I drain it down I only trickle charge it. Read this thread if you want but I'd say go for a red top just because the warrenty is a lot longer:http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=922445&highlight=optimas+suck

 

[Goatman]

How long any of the batteries last depends on how you keep it charged, and how low you drain it. I've owned a bunch of Optimas in the Jeep, but I don't think it's worth spending the money for them in the camper. My camper is 4 years old now, and I still have the original deep cycle battery that came in it. I also just put in two 6 volts, but that's another topic.

I'd go with a good quality deep cycle, and save a few dollars by not getting the Optima.

 

[lesslimited]

I had a couple of the pro-comp version of the yellow-top in my RV for at least a couple years before I sold it to my buddy. I would either drive it or use a 2 amp automatic charger every couple months, but I don't really recall how often I was using things that would draw on the batteries. My buddy does more dry camping/tailgating stuff than I did - I'll ask him if he's still using the same batteries...

 

[JeepFreak21]

I worked at an RV dealership and we rarely put yellow tops in RVs. You can get a bigger deep cycle battery that will perform better for less money.

Now... in an XJ on the other hand...

Billy

 

[JeepFreak21]

The Optimas have a poor reserve capacity. I would go with an Interstate Marine RV Part # SRM-29 if you have the room.

Interstate's warranty sucks rocks!! But group 29 FTW!
Billy

 

[JohnX]

I took some measurements...I was hoping to fit the monster 4d in there, but it looks like I'll have to settle for the 29. Thanks guys.

 

[gcurtis]

I took some measurements...I was hoping to fit the monster 4d in there, but it looks like I'll have to settle for the 29. Thanks guys.

If you can, try going two golf cart batteries. They will give you greater reserve capacity and burn time. You have to wire them properly, which is stupidly easy, but it is well worth the investment.

 

[BlueCuda]

Interstate's warranty sucks rocks!! But group 29 FTW!
Billy

Please Explain?

 

[JeepFreak21]

Please Explain?

Well, if a qualified shop test the battery and finds it to be bad/defective, you (or the shop) then have to take the battery to an Interstate warranty center. They put it on a trickle charger overnight. You come to get it the next day, and 99 times out 100 they'll tell you it's fine. You take it back and try to use it... of course, it doesn't hold a charge.

So then you take it back to Interstate and they try to insist on charging it overnight again. At that point, it usually takes the perfect combination of 47 curse words to get the friggin' battery replaced.

That's my experience w/ the Interstate warranty place in Sacto at least.

Billy

 

[Gerr]

I have 2 blue tops in the yj on a trickel charger since I only drive it once in a great while other than wheeling and they have lasted really well, you may consider the blue top as a option

 

[karstic]

If you can, try going two golf cart batteries. They will give you greater reserve capacity and burn time. You have to wire them properly, which is stupidly easy, but it is well worth the investment.

x2

Couple that with a solar panel and your GTG

 

[BlueCuda]

Well, if a qualified shop test the battery and finds it to be bad/defective, you (or the shop) then have to take the battery to an Interstate warranty center. They put it on a trickle charger overnight. You come to get it the next day, and 99 times out 100 they'll tell you it's fine. You take it back and try to use it... of course, it doesn't hold a charge.

So then you take it back to Interstate and they try to insist on charging it overnight again. At that point, it usually takes the perfect combination of 47 curse words to get the friggin' battery replaced.

That's my experience w/ the Interstate warranty place in Sacto at least.

Billy

Good to hear an outside opinion.

While we don't trickle charge them here we do put them on a charger and it might take longer than overnight to charge them. If a battery is genuinly run down it can take 24-48 hours to charge properly even more so if its a larger battery. Seldom do we have to warranty anything, we charge alot of stuff up for people but maybe 1 in 20 are truely bad. Now, you take all the warranties that come in from our dealers where the trained "tech" or parts changer checks batteries and 90% of them are good because they were improperly tested IE not charged. They usually miss a sale on an alternator or other problem because they just swapped the battery out and made 0 cash doing it.

While some people get a little disgruntled that we are keeping there battery to charge and not warranting(sp?) on the spot in the end they are happy as they didn't have to pay a pro-rate charge in some cases. We also charge and check batteries from other makers for no charge.

Oh yeah, I work for an Interstate Distributor

 

[JeepFreak21]

While we don't trickle charge them here we do put them on a charger and it might take longer than overnight to charge them. If a battery is genuinly run down it can take 24-48 hours to charge properly even more so if its a larger battery. Seldom do we have to warranty anything, we charge alot of stuff up for people but maybe 1 in 20 are truely bad. Now, you take all the warranties that come in from our dealers where the trained "tech" or parts changer checks batteries and 90% of them are good because they were improperly tested IE not charged. They usually miss a sale on an alternator or other problem because they just swapped the battery out and made 0 cash doing it.

Maybe the shop I worked at was the only one that knew what they were doing. :dunno: The only thing easier than checking to see if a battery is bad is checking to see if an alternator is bad. It's not rocket science.

While some people get a little disgruntled that we are keeping there battery to charge and not warranting(sp?) on the spot in the end they are happy as they didn't have to pay a pro-rate charge in some cases. We also charge and check batteries from other makers for no charge.

It's extremely frustrating when a tech actually knows what he's doing and finds a bad battery (which will usually take a day or two to charge, like you said) and then it takes another 3 days to get the coach back on the road with a new battery because the battery dealer is playing games.

But hell, maybe it's all just the Sacramento dealer's fault. Of course, nothing against you personally man! :cheers:

Oh, and FWIW, we didn't see Interstate batteries failing that often... it was just a PITA when they did.

Billy

 

[Gerr]

cant say ive ever had a interstate battery fail because of anything other than use and time, they make good stuff if you take care of it.

Good to hear an outside opinion.

While we don't trickle charge them here we do put them on a charger and it might take longer than overnight to charge them. If a battery is genuinly run down it can take 24-48 hours to charge properly even more so if its a larger battery. Seldom do we have to warranty anything, we charge alot of stuff up for people but maybe 1 in 20 are truely bad. Now, you take all the warranties that come in from our dealers where the trained "tech" or parts changer checks batteries and 90% of them are good because they were improperly tested IE not charged. They usually miss a sale on an alternator or other problem because they just swapped the battery out and made 0 cash doing it.

While some people get a little disgruntled that we are keeping there battery to charge and not warranting(sp?) on the spot in the end they are happy as they didn't have to pay a pro-rate charge in some cases. We also charge and check batteries from other makers for no charge.

Oh yeah, I work for an Interstate Distributor

 

[Goatman]

I have 2 blue tops in the yj on a trickel charger since I only drive it once in a great while other than wheeling and they have lasted really well, you may consider the blue top as a option

I also run a Blue Top deep cycle in the XJ. The Blue Tops come as either a starting battery or a deep cycle battery............just a Red or Yellow with an additional threaded terminal and a blue top.

 

[BlueCuda]

Maybe the shop I worked at was the only one that knew what they were doing. :dunno: The only thing easier than checking to see if a battery is bad is checking to see if an alternator is bad. It's not rocket science.


It's extremely frustrating when a tech actually knows what he's doing and finds a bad battery (which will usually take a day or two to charge, like you said) and then it takes another 3 days to get the coach back on the road with a new battery because the battery dealer is playing games.

But hell, maybe it's all just the Sacramento dealer's fault. Of course, nothing against you personally man! :cheers:

Oh, and FWIW, we didn't see Interstate batteries failing that often... it was just a PITA when they did.

Billy

The Sacramento dealer might be an independant so they are a little tougher. I work for a corprate owned store. We generally don't charge and check batteries for dealers unless they warranty stuff all the time. Most of the time we just take care of the warranty. After we charge and check it if its good it gets sold as used.

Sounds like the sac dealer is a pain lol