Optima Batteries
 

Going to buy a new Optima battery for my drag car. I've had some people say to run the standard red-top and some swear by the yellow top deep cycle one. which is best? What is the advantage to running a deep cycle battery? I do drive the car on the street for short trips to car shows, but thats about it. I run a small denso alternator and the car has a crap load of electric driven stuff:

Water pump
Two fuel pumps
NOS system
MSD digital 7 box
Electric fans
Bottle heater

I know the little alternators only put out about 50-60 amps, but I have no room for a full size one...Any helpfull advice on choosing the right battery would be great! Thanks, Joe

I would run two batteries. JMO

Re: Optima Batteries
 

Dont buy a optima go to Napa and get a Napa Orbital better battery longer warranty and best thing less money.

Last 3 race cars have all had optima in them when I buy them, usually within a year or two they just go bad replaced everytime with a Napa Orbital likes going to 16v setup over the Optima.

Re: Optima Batteries
 

Thanks for the info, I know about the Napa batteries but I'm more concerned with the difference between a deep cycle and a standard battery. which is better for my app?

The standard battery if your going to run an alt. The deep cycle battery's wont last long if you use an alt as they are meant to be drained and then recharged at low amp rate..

I have had red optma battery's in both of my cars and never had a problem with them. In fact in my other car it was in there for almost 4 years with no problem at all and the battery in my truck went bad so I got a new one for my race car and put the old one in my pickup and it's still in there!!! Now that battey has been in my truck for 5 years now!!!!!!

IMHO I think the odessey battery is the way to go. I have them in everything a good reliable battery is required. Race car. Sand buggy, airplane.

These will hold a charge for 2 years. Can be mounted on their sides. And has a 10 or 12 year service life

My race car was a pain to start, when we put 1 in I could not believe how hard the motor would spin

here is a link to read about them

<<http://www.odysseybatteries.com>>

I just put 2 Rock 1236 racing batteries in my race car

Best battery by far I ever owned

http://www.rockracingbattery.com/specs.php

Looks like you have a Fat wallet Tom :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

ONE NOTE TO PASS TO FELLOW RACERS-BEST THING FOR YOUR REAR MOUNTED BATTERY SET UPS IS TO HAVE A GOOD HEAVY DUTY LINE FROM ALTERNATOR BACK TO THE POSITIVE ON BATT. I USED HEAVY 4 GAGE WELDING WIRE AND ABSOULUTELY NO PROBLEMS WITH 1 OPTIMA RED BATTERY AND POWERHOUSE 120 AMP ALT.IT WASNT HOLDING AS GOOD OF A CHARGE WITH SMALLER GAGE WIRE!!!!

Dont forget your ground and dont assume any metal is a good ground.
do a voltage drop test to check- remember voltage travels in a circle.

I'm running 2 NAPA orbital batteries in my car with alt after 5 yrs still going strong. Had a Turbo Start 16v before that what a piece of junk.JMO

One thing I don't like about this is that even with the master switch in the off position you still have 12 volts to that Alternator all the time :shock:

Alternator
 

You can get away from the constant source to the alternator by installing a relay that is activated by the master cutoff switch. That way there is no power with the switch off.

Re: Alternator
 

You have a part# for a relay that will take a #4 wire????

relay
 

Here are a few sites:

http://www.texasindustrialelectric.com/relays.asp

http://www.nextag.com/12-volt-contin...id/search-html

http://www.thewiringproject.co.uk/se...cal+%3E+Relays

http://www.neon-john.com/RV/Electric...ion_relays.htm

http://www.dedenbear.com/ACCESS_cat.htm

Hope these help.

Thanks!!!

If I got anything from reading this thread it is 2 batteries are better than 1

I run 2 batteries optima batteries myself
works great for me
never had a problem

lots of good batteries out there now,,I do like the optima red and you need to get a real alternator if your going to run on the street, I`ve been screwing with batteries and alternators on my street car for years, and the best I`ve come up with is the red optima (because its lite)and a good 100 amp alternater, you have to find a way to run an alternator, sooner or later you will have a problem, and you wont be likeing it. just my oppinion ...I run a single red, and lots of fans and pumps, and it starts my bbc like nothing!

The best battery by far that iv ever owned is the Kinetik just one bad battery.
I now sell them i still sell optima also but these are catching on now .

I sure could use a battery sponsor!!!!!!lol.

I have just one battery and no alt, its a track only car and I agree, I need an alt!~ More than once I've had issues with a low battery - I charge in between rounds but if I go more than 4 rounds its just not enough, I doubt getting 2 batteries would remedy this probelm but it probably would help> Cp