optima's

[Blazer69]

optima's worht it or not? i have trouble with my system making my battery gauge bounce from time to time and i have a 1 farad cap and am only running like 500 watts....curious about them cuz i have heard people say their gauges stopped bouncing once they got an optima and just looking for opnions.....not only for my battery problem but just general takes on them.....and any cheap places to get them

[importmaster1300]

man I wanna know the same thing cause I have a little battery, stock alt, and 1200watt stereo (no cap) and an e-fan runnin off of it. I really need a new batt. I plan on gettin a cap soon.

[joker2040]

I have a yellow top optima. I like it. Some peeps say that you can get better batteries for cheaper. Oh well.

[T Man]

the plus to the optima, is that you can mount them at any angle and they will still work. I would say go for the red top (i believe that it the extreme use one?) it is a small investment for a great battery

[joker2040]

The yellow top is for "extreme use". The red top is just a "normal optima"

This came from the optima website:

The OPTIMA RedTop

The looks alone generate plenty of buzz. But it's the patented SPIRALCELL® Technology in OPTIMA RedTop batteries that's truly worthy of praise. OPTIMA RedTop batteries are built to withstand the abuse Trucks, SUV's and 4x4's experience on and off-road. SPIRALCELL Technology immobilizes the internal components of the battery, enabling OPTIMA batteries to withstand incredible amounts of vibration.

Vehicles modified for better engine performance demand more from a battery. OPTIMA batteries withstand the high underhood temperatures associated with these Performance vehicles. The sealed cells make the battery spill-proof, even if you install it on its side! This prevents external gassing and leaking which can damage engine components and limit battery performance.

If your battery is used in vehicles that demand extra reliability and performance, or if you just take pride in getting the best performance out of your vehicle, OPTIMA RedTop batteries deliver the performance you demand.


The OPTIMA YellowTop (aka Deep Cycle)

Demand more from your vehicle? Then get more from your battery. OPTIMA YellowTop batteries are made for the extremes. If you have an extreme vehicle, you expect high performance. Whether your vehicle is made to take the abuse of off-road driving or cranking out decibels, you need more from your battery. OPTIMA batteries with patented SPIRALCELL® Technology deliver that performance. The deep cycle characteristic of this technology coupled with its extreme resistance to vibration provides performance vehicles with the repetitive power they need in a spill-proof package.

If your vehicle has a lot of accessories like running lights, high-performance stereo/AV system, winches, or hydraulics, your vehicle demands more from its battery. OPTIMA YellowTOP batteries provide the extra performance and deep cycling capability that your vehicle demands.

Be careful when buying a yellow top because there are different ones.

Remember:
A dark gray case means starting technology, a light gray case means dual purpose (engine start and deep cycle) technology.

[sparky2263]

They're getting rave reviews at the track. Most guys are upgrading to it when changing batteries and quite a few run dual batteries.

[joker2040]

I will warn you... they are heavy... mine weighs 48 pounds... that's why I put it over my rear axle

[Minitrucker4lyfe]

I think they are worth every dime, but to the guy with 1200watts man you really need to get a cap a battery will help but you need the cap to finish the job.

[XxInFaxX]

I think they are worth every dime, but to the guy with 1200watts man you really need to get a cap a battery will help but you need the cap to finish the job.

i have to agree with him

[Blazer69]

guess a yellow top it is....with my stereo and soon to be fog lights i don't need my battery dying on me..

[T Man]

you might want to look into a bigger alternator. Sounds like you are putting a pretty big load on the one you have now. Also, get the cap. A 1F should do you plenty.

[importmaster1300]

I have a 100amp alt. and I am going to buy a red top. Will this work?

[XxInFaxX]

i dont see why it wont work, but man...i really reccomend the cap...your system is drawing a lot from your battery...your lights are dimming now i presume when a good bass drop hits?

[importmaster1300]

Yup, but caps are soooo expensive.

[importmaster1300]

http://www.cardiscountstereos.com/catalog%20page.asp?Product+%23=DACAP200

What about this?

[bvr775]

like previously mentioned on advantage is it's a sealed battery and can be mounted at any angle(good for mudding and boats)

The boat is why I bought the yellow cap and after seeing how quickly it recharged(anyone who has a trolling motor know's what i'm talking about). after killing a factory battery in my truck(keep in mind I have an 03. yeap,, i was steamed to have a dead battery in a new truck) I decided to buy a red top for my truck.
No it won't keep your amp gauge needle from jumping, but it's rapid regeneration makes up for it a little. They are super heavy and a bit pricey. A good exide battery would been a better buy for me, but the damage is done and outher than the price, it really is good battery.

here are the rules for buying a battery:
1.never a buy from Wally-world..see rule 4
2.never buy buy a battery that has dust bunnys on it..
3.alway buy a buy a battery that includes roadside assitance..
4.always buy from a reputable company(napa,oriley,advance,pep boys. notice i didn't include auto zone)
5.never pay more than a battery is worth(if you go to firestone and ask for battery, bring plenty of vasoline cause your going to reamed)
6.never less than a battery is worth..see rule 1
7. never buy an old battery(see rule 2) or a refurbished battery

a cap is just a bottle neck for power. Yes at a low amp pull it will help at a higher amp pull it will restrict cause you to put more caps to compensate. 500w it won't affect you but at 1500w it will limit you....this is in theory and from what i've been told by people who use caps. I don't use caps. They are way too exspensive for what they do.. For the price of a good cap you can have an alt souped-up..souping a stock alt will decrease it lifespan(just like what souping up your engine does) for the price of 2 good caps you can buy a good lifetime high output alt. There is a differnce in a good cap and the ones they sell at wally-world

[importmaster1300]

why is there a diffrence?
All they do is store and release power.
I understand one diffrence is the type of plating that is used inside of them.
But what else is there?

[XxInFaxX]

i dont see how a cap can cause a weaker or less powerful system...the cap just stores the energy, but is able to get the power quicker then the alt can charge the battery, making it so the draw on the battery and the whole system isnt as bad...ie..the lights diming, etc...i know you say it is just a theory on the bottlenecking...but if you could, can you get one of them to explain it...perhaps we can make it a tech post...cuz i know i'd love to know! (and it may sound like sarcasm, but im being realistic)



and import, yeah...that cap would be fine...i mean hell, im not sure on how many farads you should run with a 1200? watt amp...but for that price, if one wont cut it, it wouldnt be a big loss to buy a 2nd...either way you will notice a difference in power draw off of your battery...i just sold my Rockford 1Farad amp with LED read out for $65...so $40 isnt bad...but idk what shipping is...might i add, check a local electronics store...Caps don't need to be from audio manufactures...electrical supply centers have the same for A LOT cheaper...for all i know radio shack might have something...never really browsed their electronics before

[importmaster1300]

shipping on it is $15

[XxInFaxX]

eh, its an average priced cap...id check a local electronics store...i looked on the website for radioshack and didnt see sh*t...but i know you can get em...or keep checkin ebay for someone wanting to be raped!

[joker2040]

ebay has caps for cheap.... do a search on them... that's where I got mine and it works perfect

[bvr775]

http://maw.truckmoxie.com/

this site has allot of smart ampheads on it.
just put up a post like "cap vs no cap" they'll give you more info than you want.

if your going to run a cap get a good cap http://www.batcap.net (http://www.batcap.net/)

[BlazinLow_inORE]

eh, its an average priced cap...id check a local electronics store...i looked on the website for radioshack and didnt see sh*t...but i know you can get em...or keep checkin ebay for someone wanting to be raped!
radio shack should have em... but if you have a Stereo King... or a Car toys locally.. id try them... im not sure if stereo king is something wordwide or not but its huge in oregon

[importmaster1300]

Well I went and got a redtop, its a little better but I am going to just get a Isolator and hook up both batteries.

[Blazer69]

caps around here at stereo stores run around 170 for a 1 farad....each farad is good for 1000 watts.... so for 1200 watts a 2 farad or bigger would be good....just spend the money and get a 5 cap good for 5000 watts or there is always the option of a custom alt....i have looked into that and it's 6 one way and 1/2 dozen the other...custom alt and 5 cap are about the same price and will do about the same thing....

[D-Caf]

Looking at this site: http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=897225
They seem to recommend everything else before going to a capacitor, they don't say to not use one, but that the other solutions are first on the list. Hrere is the relevant sections from them:


When my car is running and I have the music turned up loud, my headlights dim with the music. Do I need a new battery or a new alternator?
The headlights will dim because of a momentary drop in the voltage level that is available to power the vehicle's accessories, including the headlights, amplifiers, the engine, etc. This voltage drop can be caused by a very large current demand by an accessory, such as an amplifier trying to reproduce a loud bass note.

The first thing to do is to get your battery and alternator checked for proper functioning. A failing battery can place undesirable loads on the alternator, leaving less power for your system.

If the power system appears to be working correctly, an improved alternator may be required for the large current demands of the audio system. When upgrading an alternator, be careful in your purchase, for there are some potential problems. An alternator which advertises a certain output level may only achieve that output at very high engine RPM ranges, for instance. Also, the new alternator must be adjusted to provide an output voltage within a reasonable range in terms of the voltage regulator.

If you find your car will not start after playing the stereo for long periods of time with the engine off, and the present battery is in good working order, then another, paralleled battery could prevent this embarrassing problem.

What do I look for when buying a capacitor?
The single most important attribute is the capacitance value (expressed in Farads). Put simply, more is better. Another important consideration is to make sure the maximum voltage rating of the capacitor safely exceeds the operating voltage of your vehicle's electrical system. In addition, ESR and ESL values may be provided with some capacitors to essentially indicate the amount of voltage drop that occurs when a capacitor is delivering current. Smaller values are better in this regard.

How do I install a capacitor?
If you conclude that your best course of action is to install a capacitor, it should be installed in parallel with the amplifier and, generally speaking, should be wired with approximately the same gauge wire used for a single amplifier (usually 8 ga. is sufficient even for rather large capacitors).

Before permanently installing it, it must be charged. Failure to do so could lead to blown fuses and lots of sparks! Some capacitors come with charging resistors. If yours does not, you can simply buy an automotive bulb and wire it in series with the capacitor's + lead while the capacitor is grounded. The bulb will continue to dim until the capacitor is fully charged. Once the capacitor is charged, it should be treated as you would a car battery; caution must be used to be sure not to short the terminals.

The final step is to permanently install it into the car. There's been much debate about where to install the capacitor. It's been argued that the placement is important because it requires shorter wire lengths. While this is true, there has never been any evidence supporting the notion that it should be installed as close (electrically) to the amplifier as possible. In fact, electrical theory demonstrates that it's more effective at quenching the dimming effects by installing it as close to the device exhibiting the symptom (ie. the headlights) rather than the device that's drawing the bulk of the current (ie. the amplifiers). However, the benefit to doing so is negligible. Therefore, hooking it directly to the battery, the amplifier terminals, or the distribution block are equally valid solutions as long as the mounting location is safe, the wire lengths are reasonably short, and there's an adequate ground present.

I have more than one amp in my audio system. Which one should I have the capacitor run?
The amplifiers are all connected in one way or another to the battery. In fact, unless you're running separate power wires to each amplifier all the way from the battery, they're usually connected at a more proximal site (a distribution block, for example). The effects of the capacitor are felt by the entire electrical system, including the amplifiers. Therefore, you cannot selectively dedicate a capacitor to a specific amplifier.

Will my bass response improve by adding a capacitor?
A capacitor serves to smooth the voltage fluctuations associated with transient current draw. As a result, the supply voltage presented to the amp during peak demands tends to be slightly higher than without the capacitor. For most amplifiers, this will increase the power output of the amplifier during transients. The degree to which it increases, however, typically leads to an inaudible improvement.

To illustrate, if you consider an amplifier that delivers 100 watts at 14v and 80 watts at 12v (these numbers are somewhat typical), the difference in output from the speaker will be at best 1 dB when the supply voltage fluctuates from 14v to 12v. However, when you take into account the fact that no practical amount of capacitance can completely eliminate this voltage drop during transients, the difference in output becomes even less pronounced. Further, if you take into account other factors such as loudspeaker power compression the equivalent series impedance of the capacitor, the length of the transient, and the human's decreased ability to perceive differences in intensity for shorter intervals, this difference in output becomes negligible.

[BlazinLow_inORE]

nice info... thumbs up

[XxInFaxX]

yes, good find on the cap info

[Blazer69]

from what i've seen cap is the cheaper way to go thats why people do it more often then (edit) "Jerry Rig" alt's and batteries.....i will keep my cap as well as get a better battery....just to be safe....