New Optima Battery Question

[RRose]

OK guys.... I need information. I have two red top optima's in my ranger right now, connected in series. Its time to replace them (one has a slash in it and took the other one out with it). I want to be able to park the truck and still listen to the radio and race radio for a while..... so should I replace the red tops? Swith to yellow tops? or run one of each?

[Kritter]

are they 6 volt? You should be running parallel if they are 12v, series if they are 6V.

Voltage adds in series
Current adds in Parallel

[partybarge_pilot]

Yellow tops. Do you have a dual battery switch? When your sitting there waiting listening to the radio its nice to run off just one battery. That way if it goes dead you can still start your rig.

[RRose]

are they 6 volt? You should be running parallel if they are 12v, series if they are 6V.

Voltage adds in series
Current adds in Parallel

Sorry... they are parallel. I don't have a battery switch to seperate them.... and I don't want to rewire it for that.

[Chris_Wilson]

Red tops die with one big discharge. We use Yellow tops for all applications, they have
no problem starting high compression engines.

Also suggest a battery switch as Partybarge suggests but not just for running
the radio when stopped. Good idea to always only run on one battery. Lets say
you are running along and don't notice that either the alternator fails or one battery
shorts out. With the switch on "both" or without a switch, you end up with two dead
batteries at once. If you are just running on one, you will have a fresh one in
reserve when you notice the problem and can take measures to conserve power and
get home. I alternate trips between running on Bat 1 or bat 2, so both always have
a fresh charge. I never run on "both".

[RRose]

Alright... I popped for two new yellow tops. Think I got a pretty good deal on them at $145 each in Huntington Beach.

Next question.... when my truck is parked.... should I put a trickle charger on them? Or does that ruin them?

[la2baja]

No need for a trickle charge unless you plan on leaving the truck parked for very long stretches. Weeks at a time. If you need to trickle charge after short periods of time you have a short/ bad ground somewhere draining your batts.
For future ref. The blue top is also a great battery. It is the best of both worlds. Good for starts and long drains. I agree with the battery switch advice. Redundant systems will get you home everytime!

[vwguy]

another thing about having the two batteries and no isolater switch is, according to many alternator shops i have talked to, you can fry your alternator trying to charge both at once just my 2 cents