Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

SO
Any thoughts on the Optima 6V red/yellow top.....IS it worth the "extra" for one over the other???? Worth it, not worth it?? I want/need a 6V to use more as a jumper/slash quick use type battery rather than permanent use in a car!!!

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

When kept on a low amp 6V tender I have had excellent luck with them and they have high CCA. I have 5 early Fords and they all have Optima 6V red tops. The oldest one is 10 years old and still going strong. My only concourse car has one in a case that looks original. Of course I don't know if one you buy today is as good as one bought 10 years ago, they are not cheap.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

Get Optima at Amazon If you get their credit card they give you a $50 To $100 Off

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

Thanks for the heads up, it seems you go through at least 3 to 4 wet cell 6V batteries these days before you get one good one. PLUS I hate to have to lug that wet cell around from vehicle to vehicle IF i am just using it as a "booster" OR just to drive one for a day, then move it to another vehicle.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

They are great batteries! All depends on your finances. If you can come up with the initial cost, you will be money ahead in the long run.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

Sounds like its worth it!!!! Cost will justify itself!!!

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

I had a wet cell battery for one year and it commenced leaking acid. Returned it under warranty and purchased a red top 6v Optima 7-11. Has 800 CCA and spins the 221 ci very well. No problems. I can use a regular charger. It will hold a charge for at least 6 months.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

Been using red tops for years. Love 'em.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

I am a big fan of either optima for use in my cars, but if you are not using it for high current stuff, use a power supply instead. Old PCs have power supplies in them that put out 5 and 12 V. They are free, plentiful, lighter and more compact than batteries!

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

Do you remember my NAPA starter thread? It turns out the original starter in the car had a cold solder joint on one of the field coils that caused it to turn over about half as fast as the one I replaced it with. I have had 2 Optima's in the car. The first lasted 13 years and the current one has been in there 11 years. All of this with what I would consider abuse. The car, even with the faulty starter, was a reliable vehicle all that time.

Who knows how long they'll last with a good starter.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

16 years out of last one. So far 5 on this one. I do not use maintainer, only charged when driving, when it's whole life without getting terminals cleaned or touched

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

Yup!, if you're running 6 volts, don't know why you'd consider anything else? (If you like finance and budgeting, take the cost and divide by 10 or so. Then compare that to the likely cost of 6 volt lead/acid replacements every two years or perhaps even more often.)

Hope I don't fall getting down off my soapbox!:D

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

My line of logical thinking too!!!

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

I was told by someone that batteries made from recycled lead don't last as long as ones made from virgin lead. Any battery or chemical engineer out there know if that is true or not? Might explain why some new batteries don't last as long but maybe they just use less material.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

I've heard that too, but as a practical matter battery recycling (Lead) is at or near 100% utilization. It's worth focusing on the typical issues - heat, and vibration, chronic undercharging, this is what sends car batteries to the scrap pile before their time.

The phone co. used to use (maybe they still do) banks of stationary batteries for backup or somesuch, and would get 20 years or more out of them. Nobody is going to get 20 years out of a car battery, but getting only 2 or 3 is pretty bad. The automotive environment is really hard on batteries. And the 12 volt system started in 1956, and the electrical demands have gone up considerably since then.

Nobody hardly pays any attention to their car battery, unless or until the engine won't start.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

There was a time when Johnson Controls (the manufacturer) moved the manufacturing from Colorado to Mexico and they had some teething problems getting the manufacturing process running properly. During that time, a few sub-standard batteries got out. They have long since solved any problems, so any "horror stories" you may hear about Optima's stem from that time. I haven't heard a current complaint in years.

To their credit, they had an employee that was on the H.A.M.B. at that time who kept us apprised of the situation and what they were doing to correct it.

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

Oh, a wise guy! Watt's up with that?

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

I had good luck running a red top Optima in my 6 volt Volkswagens so i use it now for my´39 Zephyr

Re: Any thoughts on Optima 6V
 

I have an old Cat 12 grader that has 6 volt starter on the pony motor. Have an Optima in it. Sat for two years and fired right up a couple weeks ago. Yes, spendy, but less so in the long run. On the other hand, had a heavy duty Fleet Farm tractor 6 volt in my '36 sedan that just crapped last week--build date sticker was 2009. And it sits a lot with a tender on it every once in a while. I am going to replace it with an Optima.