Heavy Duty Truck Battery - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Kastoria · 10-08-2009, 10:07 PM

My Dodge Ram is due finally for a new battery. Was curious what you guys are using and how well its holding up. I was thinking about the Die Hard Platinum or Bosch but really dont know if these are any good. So whats good?
Thanks

angus242 · 10-08-2009, 11:01 PM

They're not cheap but definitely the shizbah!

http://www.optimabatteries.com/home.php

dkillianjr · 10-08-2009, 11:52 PM

I'll second exactly what angus said. The red top is a good heavy duty battery for evryday needs. If you have a lot of electrical accessories on the truck I'd go with optimas yellow top.

Dave

Kastoria · 10-09-2009, 10:21 PM

Yeah I almost went interstate but heard lots of good thing about the optimas. So going to pick up a yellow top tomorrow. Thanks

kingston · 11-14-2009, 08:50 PM

x2 OPTIMA!!!!!!!!!!!

TBFGhost · 11-16-2009, 12:38 AM

...I dunno, I put the largest EverStart Maxx Battery I can fit in my truck. I think I have a 1000CA with 870 or so CCA. Way overkill for my truck. Never had a problem. Once left the headlights on for 3 hours, came back and the truck started up. They have a 3 year warrenty on them, so even if they ever get messed up, I can just take it back for a free one.

IHI · 11-16-2009, 06:47 AM

Got red tops in the race car trailer for running 12V things and as a back up for the red top in the rac car (5yrs on that and no problems), red top in all my other trucks and the last pick up that had a ho hum battery just got upgraded to a yellow top so i'm curious to see if that is any different this winter plowing snow vs the red tops in the other trucks as far as if the lights dim at all when plowing or spreading material.

Expensive, but i love'em. Years ago when i ran a OTR shop i talked with the Interstate batt. rep we had and he said he loved guys that bought the biggest battieres they could fit for thier trucks, the lead plates were soo small to be able to produce say 1000cca that any sort of extended vibration, hard jolt would make the small lead cells/plates inside short out and ruin the battery, then he would turn these pizzed off customers onto their smaller batteries and get the same starting/reserve performance, but a longer life. so it was/is a case of bigger actually was'nt better with typical wet cell battery's. Luckily the optima's you dont have to worry bout that

Cole82 · 11-16-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IHI

Got red tops in the race car trailer for running 12V things and as a back up for the red top in the rac car (5yrs on that and no problems), red top in all my other trucks and the last pick up that had a ho hum battery just got upgraded to a yellow top so i'm curious to see if that is any different this winter plowing snow vs the red tops in the other trucks as far as if the lights dim at all when plowing or spreading material.

Expensive, but i love'em. Years ago when i ran a OTR shop i talked with the Interstate batt. rep we had and he said he loved guys that bought the biggest battieres they could fit for thier trucks, the lead plates were soo small to be able to produce say 1000cca that any sort of extended vibration, hard jolt would make the small lead cells/plates inside short out and ruin the battery, then he would turn these pizzed off customers onto their smaller batteries and get the same starting/reserve performance, but a longer life. so it was/is a case of bigger actually was'nt better with typical wet cell battery's. Luckily the optima's you dont have to worry bout that

I can't get a yellow top to last more than a 2 years in my offroad truck. The winch KILL's them. My brother has a yellow in his boat just for the trolling motor and he has no problems. The red top on the other hand is a beast. I still have the very first one I bought in 1998 it works great.

BCConstruction · 11-16-2009, 08:30 AM

Becareful which one you get. 99% of people will be better of with a red top for normal use. The yellow top is more suited to deep cycles like running high amp car audio system with engine not running. The red top can only take a few deep cycles but the yellow top will do a few more than the red top can.

Cole82 sounds like you need a bigger alternator. Unless your running the winch with the engine not running then your prob lucky if you get 30secs at full power with a yellow top. It will kill the battery big time if using it like that every time.

IHI · 11-16-2009, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole82

I can't get a yellow top to last more than a 2 years in my offroad truck. The winch KILL's them. My brother has a yellow in his boat just for the trolling motor and he has no problems. The red top on the other hand is a beast. I still have the very first one I bought in 1998 it works great.

ugh, hopefully i did'nt make a $220 mistake. We've had excellent results with the red tops over the year like you have, and i decided to try the yellow top in the F250 plow truck/back up rig since i figured it's a bit better reserve wise than the red top....but now you got me nervious

stp57 · 11-16-2009, 08:41 AM

Odyssey batteries are great! Worth the buck$. Check the reviews on deep cycle batteries. Optima is not at the top.
Steve

Inner10 · 11-16-2009, 08:58 AM

Most lead-acid batteries aren't all that different, just get one with a good warrenty.

Everyone in my old car club had a wikkid hard-on for optima batteries. I've heard excellent things but never peeled out the bills for them, I ran 3 deep-cycle marine lead-acid batteries for the sound system in my jetta(RIP) and they were Canadian Tire brand, never had one fail.

Red Adobe · 11-20-2009, 09:50 AM

I have redtops if you dont want to spend the $ then get a comercial truck (semi) battery if it will fit. They are built a little better and last a very long time in a work truck