blazinbg
Registered Member
Can you guys recommend a good battery for my blazer. I have two amps for my music and running dual electric fan set up and power windows and locks. any pros and cons to the optima batteries. suggestions please
CK5
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I need a battery?
- Thread starter blazinbg
- Start date
I'm a fan of Interstate Batteries myself. Won't matter though if your alternator is weak.
Desert Rat
Fetch the comfy chair
I prefer the basic Optima red tops. You can get them for a decent price at Costco these days. If you aren't doing any real hard core offroading, and the Blazer is just a weekend mild trail vehicle, WalMart has a decent battery called the Maxx.
I have an Optima Red Top in my k10 as well as my k3500 and I have no complaints. I've read some guys bashing them lately saying they aren't as good as they used to be but I'm satisfied with both of mine. I bought one about two and a half years ago and the second one about a year ago.
wayne
3/4 ton status
I'm running a Yellow top in my K5 and have no issues after 3 years.
BlazerBud
1/2 ton status
I went through a period where I put Optima red tops in all my vehicles. They are good for serious abuse only. They also boast having better discharge performance, meaning that they will still have high voltage while draining for longer than the comparable lead acid battery. This may be true, and certainly the graphs showing the lab testing supports this.
Here is what I have found, and others also claim this. The long term storage voltage of an Optima battery is only like 8 volts, a lead acid will keep 12 volts longer in storage. Meaning, if I didn't start some of my vehicles for over a couple weeks, the volt meter, if so equipped would read less than 8 volts and I could barely turn over the engines.
For my non-daily driver vehicles I had to put trickle chargers on them the day before I planned on using them, That's OK. Not a real nuisance. But with 4 or 5 play vehicles, sometimes I had to shuffle one or two to get to the one I wanted or to mow or move a trailer. On a whim, I could not just crank up a vehicle that was equipped with Optima batteries If it had to sit for over a couple weeks.
I even gave away some perfectly good Optima batteries, less than 2 months old.
I have been really pleased with Duralast. In my experience, Any good housebrand is as good as any other. It only varies by warranty, so who cares.
For me, biggest cold cranking amps is all I buy. $65 to $85 for a good lead acid vs. $178 last I checked for an optima.
I would rather have a dual battery set up with two lead acid batteries. You can secure your dual batteries in auxiliary box covers much like used on a tractor or something. I also take an extra fully charged spare when wheeling.
Here is what I have found, and others also claim this. The long term storage voltage of an Optima battery is only like 8 volts, a lead acid will keep 12 volts longer in storage. Meaning, if I didn't start some of my vehicles for over a couple weeks, the volt meter, if so equipped would read less than 8 volts and I could barely turn over the engines.
For my non-daily driver vehicles I had to put trickle chargers on them the day before I planned on using them, That's OK. Not a real nuisance. But with 4 or 5 play vehicles, sometimes I had to shuffle one or two to get to the one I wanted or to mow or move a trailer. On a whim, I could not just crank up a vehicle that was equipped with Optima batteries If it had to sit for over a couple weeks.
I even gave away some perfectly good Optima batteries, less than 2 months old.
I have been really pleased with Duralast. In my experience, Any good housebrand is as good as any other. It only varies by warranty, so who cares.
For me, biggest cold cranking amps is all I buy. $65 to $85 for a good lead acid vs. $178 last I checked for an optima.
I would rather have a dual battery set up with two lead acid batteries. You can secure your dual batteries in auxiliary box covers much like used on a tractor or something. I also take an extra fully charged spare when wheeling.
cdoggwsu
1/2 ton status
Optima's own documentation will tell you that a vehicle's charging system is not sufficient for charging their batteries, especially if they get below halfway. They do very well when used every day and are constantly being topped off, but frequent heavy discharge/recharge cycles will kill them quickly, often less than 5 years in my experience. Save your money, go with a good lead acid (or two) and you will be fine even with amps and such.
A good alternator and charging system will offer much more benefit, as well as making sure you have good solid grounds (often overlooked!) between the motor, cab, frame and battery.
A good alternator and charging system will offer much more benefit, as well as making sure you have good solid grounds (often overlooked!) between the motor, cab, frame and battery.
I've had two Optimas, one yellow and one red. The yellow top I bought new, worked great for about 8 months. Then I parked the K5 for about 3 weeks...battery was dead when I came back to it. Jumped it and it was fine. That's untill the next morning when I went to start it...dead again. Pulled it out threw it on a "smart charger" and put it back in when charger said it was ready to go. Still wouldn't hold a charge...it was getting to the point that after driving for 3 hours, shut the truck off to get gas, it wouldn't have enough to crank it over. Put an AcDelco battery in it's place and haven't looked back.
The red top I got in a vehicle I was scrapping out. Was purchased 2 weeks before I bought the car (have the recipt). Stuck it in my Jeep that my girlfriend was daily driving. Worked good for a month then took a crap. Wouldn't even take a jump or charge. Was showing only 8.4volts. Pulled it out and put a Napa battery in. I've still got some time on the warranty to exchange this one.
Of the AcDelcos I've got (I have 3, bought them at an auction) 2 sit unused for months at a time. They still start the cars just fine. It's been 4 years since I've owned them...no telling how long they sat at the shop I bought them from.
The red top I got in a vehicle I was scrapping out. Was purchased 2 weeks before I bought the car (have the recipt). Stuck it in my Jeep that my girlfriend was daily driving. Worked good for a month then took a crap. Wouldn't even take a jump or charge. Was showing only 8.4volts. Pulled it out and put a Napa battery in. I've still got some time on the warranty to exchange this one.
Of the AcDelcos I've got (I have 3, bought them at an auction) 2 sit unused for months at a time. They still start the cars just fine. It's been 4 years since I've owned them...no telling how long they sat at the shop I bought them from.
I have two Optima yellowtops in my 24v trailrig (former DD) they have been there for 4 and a half year now and no troubles winter or summer.
I do not use blockheater and the truck sits for 2 or 4 weeks in a barn and starts good even in the cold winter.
I do not use blockheater and the truck sits for 2 or 4 weeks in a barn and starts good even in the cold winter.
I had an Optima in my truck for a few years, then it went bad. My truck hardly has an electrical draw, I'm not hard on batteries and I make sure they stay charged.
The only Optima supplier in Moab would sell me a new Optima battery but wouldn't deal with the warranty (prorated) on the old one because the owner of said shop felt it was very difficult to get any warranty compensation out of Optima.
You sell the batteries but won't deal with any warranty issues?
So I bought an Exide orbital battery (same style battery as the Optimas) from NAPA.
When I got home, I contacted Optima about the situation. They told me to pound sand.
**** Optima
The only Optima supplier in Moab would sell me a new Optima battery but wouldn't deal with the warranty (prorated) on the old one because the owner of said shop felt it was very difficult to get any warranty compensation out of Optima.
You sell the batteries but won't deal with any warranty issues?
So I bought an Exide orbital battery (same style battery as the Optimas) from NAPA.
When I got home, I contacted Optima about the situation. They told me to pound sand.
**** Optima
Randy92782
1 ton status
I was all about getting an optima for my truck. read some reviews and changed my mind. Went to walmart and picked up a Maxx (?) 1000 CCA
Think is a damn good battery and it has a good warranty as well
Think is a damn good battery and it has a good warranty as well
doonjumper
1/2 ton status
Unless a D/D I would stay away from optima. Mine was not a D/D so I had to use a trickle charger.
Desert Rat
Fetch the comfy chair
I'm surprised at the Optima problems. I have two in my Blazer and it sits for months without being started. However, it has started up every time I've gone out to fire it up without any issues. Maybe it is due to the mild weather we have with no extreme swings into ultra-cold.
I'm on my third yellow top in about 8 months. It's in my crew cab and it's not a daily driver. Both failures came after the truck sat for a few days. I bought 'em through work from Auto Zone and they won't refund my money since it was purchased with a purchase order so I'm gonna keep making them warranty them. I've noticed that they have a "Made in Mexico" sticker on them.
BlazerBud
1/2 ton status
Thunder
3/4 ton status
With 2 amps, electric fans, ECT,ECT, you need a better alternator if you still have stock. The stock one will not power all that electrical stuff if everything is running.
As for batteries I have always had good luck with Walmart Maxx batteries.
I run Maxx batteries in 2 of my vehicles and have 2 in my boat.
I really dont like Optima.
I know too many people who have bought Optimas that have problems with them.
75GmcJimmy4x4
1/2 ton status
you know back to the reference of the walmart MAXX battery i got one of those like 3.5 years ago for my lowrider and with all the bouncing and banging from the hydraulics and the extra amp draw from my acesseries that battery is still doing great.... just my .02 on batts
blazinbg
Registered Member
thanks for all the input. I ended up going with the optima yellow top since the battery I was replacing was an optima and had warranty thru costco. i never really had a problem with it until now. But I did get a high amp alternator 160 amps since that is where my problem started and a few posted that the stock alternator was sufficient enough to give it a full charge. If the optima doesnt work out I think I am going to give those walmart batteries a try.
