Optima Battery Install-Not a dumb Question

[Fullpower]

I have learned my lesson to keep up with them. another thing though its a 3 year warranty free replacement not prorated like some batteries. I got one for free and the other for 100 bucks so I couldent go wrong. I dont think I would buy another one though.

The free one was worth what you paid for it, hope you don't take a bath on the other.
You have room for full size batteries in that rig, I am not sure why you want to restrict your battery bank to a couple of optima car batteries. You are giving up much of your reserve capacity with that choice.

 

[dstang97]

Hate to burst your bubble but that is what the military is doing to

 

[ken]

What's wrong with the optima's? I have them in everything. Including my 5TON. They have worked great for years. I still have the one i bought in high school in 1991 and it still works

 

[Fullpower]

Reserve capacity 6TL ...... 230 minutes at a 25 amp load.
Rerserve capacity Optima SC34U...... 100 minutes @ 25 amps.
the Optima has much less than half the capacity of the OEM mil spec battery, and do to it's electrolyte starved construction, will not tolerate either short term overchagre or long term discharge without total failure.
The Optima was a decent car battery once, and I have seen a few of them last a decade, but quality has gone down since they started the mexican manufacture.
About half of the optima batteries I test are junk.....

 

[Mudstone]

i've heard lots of good things about the optima. also they are starting batteries. not used for long term draw. glow plugs and starter... will be perfectly fine on the coldest of mornings

 

[JDToumanian]

The Optima was a decent car battery once, and I have seen a few of them last a decade, but quality has gone down since they started the mexican manufacture.
About half of the optima batteries I test are junk.....

I was disappointed to see the made-in-Mexico sticker when I went to install mine..... But I will hold them to their warranty! When they get tired of replacing batteries and losing customers, their only choice will be to improve quality. But knowing they're made in Mexico, I would not buy them again. It's not as bad as China, to be sure, but I prefer to keep my dollars right here at home.

Here's a couple pics of my installation of the adapter trays. I had forgotten until I looked, that I ended up only putting in 2 bolts per tray, in opposite corners. There are obstructions below the trays that would make installing all four bolts difficult. Two per tray is sufficient, in a collision you'll rip the battery out of the plastic tray before you snap the bolts.

The bolts are 5/16 x 3" long. I did use washers and nylon insert lock nuts.

Jon

 

[Mudstone]

thank you much sir. now to replace terminals... and then i'm golden for install. I definitely appreciate it.