My Optima yellow top battery just died today after 1yr of in my car with normal use. It was 26lbs vs OE 36lbs, I got it for the weight savings.

I know a lot of people use the yello-top, but my mechanic says it's not the right battery to use, because the yellow-top is Deep Cycle, not meant for daily cranking. He said I killed it by use it in daily cranking applications.

The red Top is for cranking but it's as heavy as stock, I am not getting another optima, very disapponited. I thought it was my alternator that died, but
no, it was the battery. Put my old OE battery in, lucky that it's still working fine
after a year laying around.

Anyone else heard yellow-top die on you?

 

I have heard that the yellow tops need to be drained down every once in a while. They are designed for high audio output not normal everyday driving. Unless your car has a lot of current draw on a stock battery, then you should have gotten a red top.

Maybe try and contact optima.

 

The stock battery is 36lbs, it runs fine just a bit heavy.
Most people get optima for weight savings.

The redtop models range from 33lb to 38lbs, there is no weight
savings for going to the red top, so I am going to stick to my stock
battery & probably get a diehard after my oe battery rund down.

 

I got the red top on my other car and for 2 years it's
still rockin n rollin

 

It boggles the mind to try and save 10 lbs in a pig like the G35

 

+1 I agree

 

Optimas have some of the best warranties on the market. Why wouldn't you at least get a replacement to give away or sell?

 

Cost vs 10 lbs saved weight, you could just not eat for a week and have done the same "mod".

Yes the Yellow Top is designed for people with the need for the CCA. The Red Top is a more "stock like" battery with the optima "benefits" which honestly, the batteries, for the cost, are a joke. I killed a stock alt, an upgraded alt, and two yellow tops in my old s-10. It had 2 alpine type r 12s, each powered by a 1000x1 alpine V series amp. Two sets of component Alpine Type R 6 1/2's powered by 2 420x2 amps (S-10's have no real rears so it was just eaiser to rig 2 2 way amps than try to jimmy rig a 4 channel) and alpine 4x6 components in the dash. It wasn't anything (by most peoples means) special. Yet, I had better luck when I went back to the stock GM/Delco battery with an upgraded alt.

 

my optima red top has a 3 year warranty. maybe let optima know to get a new replacement.

 

not yellow, but i ordered a red last year and that POS was dead right out of the box....ended up with just an oem.

 

[QUOTE=EX-250]Cost vs 10 lbs saved weight, you could just not eat for a week and have done the same "mod".QUOTE]

hahaha

 

Ah... ...the yellow top.

I've never had a problem after sticking a red top in. Try one of those.

And keep in mind, some places have them sitting on a shelf for a long time. Went to grab one off the display at a local vendor and he stopped me and told me to grab one from the higher shelf, as the others were pretty old. That's likely the reason some have seen such a short life out of a red top.

 

I have a red top on my IS because I have aftermarket ICE. It works great so far. I just got the G35 and I'm not plan to put any aftermarket ICE so I'd just stick w/ OE battery.