Red Top Vs. Yellow Top
 

What's the real difference between the two types of batteries? The Red top has a much better warrenty and it's less expensive. I've looked through the Optima web site and I can't find out why the yellow is "better" for car audio use. In my case, I will only have one battery in the car. And chances are the battery will never be drained completly. For those two main reasons I'm leaning toward the Red Top. Am I wrong?

I believe the yellowtop is deepcycle, while the redtop is geared towards cranking power... I think.

kewl ive always wondered that too :P thx

If you're only going to have one battery, then use the red top. yellow top is not needed unless you have a pretty extreme system and you will be playing it a lot with the engine not running.

Yellow tops generally will take more abuse. They're designed for some cyclic use, not true DEEP discharges. But they can handle a bit of it.

You're sticking with just one battery you say. Costwise, red tops are the way to go. Don't let Cosco and Wal-Mart fool you by looking cheaper, they sell the smaller red tops, make sure you're getting a 34/78DT not a 35/75DT (the 35/75 is physically smaller, and not as much oomph of course). Of course, depending on your vehicle, you may have to go with the smaller one.

So, say you're in the habit of parking with the tunes on... Not for long, just for 10 minutes. But you do it once every day or two, say 15 to 20 times a month. That's habitual cycling. No, you're not discharging it deeply, but 10 minutes on a system of 1Kw or greater at say 60 to 70% output... That's significant. Your red top will not like you for this. Two or three years, four if you're lucky, and you'll be looking for a new one.

A yellow top will handle this abuse better. They are designed for much more severe abuse, and regular cycling. It might stand up to it for 5 or 6 years, more if you're lucky.

A red top that is not abused will last for years and years. My brother has one in his truck that will be ten years old this August (yes, we date our batteries). He does not have a stereo system. He's accidently drained it by leaving his dome lights on 3 or 4 times over the years. It's still going strong.

If you're using it for SPL competition purposes, a yellow top is the way to go. During competition, you abuse the heck out of it, so to get any more than one or two seasons out of them, go yellow. There is a group 31 Optima yellowtop (they don't make a red) that is very popular among the DbDrag crowd. It squeeks in under the 800cc rule, and is one powerful mofo...

Basically, you weigh the odds. Reds cost much less & have a better warranty. But they won't handle severe abuse, and most severe abusers get a halved warranty, just like diesels and courier vehicles. Yellows cost much more, have less warranty (that has no diesel/courier/abuse clause), but handle abuse like nothing else.

If ya haven't figured it out, I'm an Optima dealer. PM or check out my linked website for more info.

good as I have a red top and don't play the system without the engine running, thanks to Grizz post I'm going out now to see what version of the red top I have, not that it matter but didn't know there were two of them
checked and mine is a 34/78 from Walmart, 800 CCA

WoW.

Thanks for the knowledge Grizz

how much the yellow bad boys run for ?

I'm looking to upgrade my battery on a budget. I have always read about the yellow top, but the red top defintetely suits my needs. Is the walmart battery similar caliber? Also, what are the going rates on both the walmart bat and the red top?

think there going around the 130 ish mark IIRC.

what about the orbitals? what orbital is simalar to a redtop?

I dont ever play my system without the truck on, but I will be getting a winch so I guess a yellow top would be better for that, right?

I'm not sure what you have seen at Cosco, but I just bought two 34/78 there for $179 a pop. $130 for red tops. The yellow top 34/78 also states that it's for deepcycle and starting.