Installed New Optima Yellow Top Battery... ???

[NY2002ElantraGT]

Just put in my optimum yellow top battery, but its about half the size of the stock battery. Its moving around alot, i think im going to drill some holes in the tray and zip tie the bottom down. should i sell this and get a bigger one or something? i got, what i thought was a, great deal on ebay. only paid $130 shipped. what are your opinions?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/SurferJ4/ElantraGT%20Pics/DSC02438.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v484/SurferJ4/ElantraGT%20Pics/DSC02439.jpg

[xxxmonoxidechil]

upgrade your ground ;)

[NY2002ElantraGT]

upgrade your ground ;)


how? are you talking about the ground terminal? i have a ground wire kit.

[xxxmonoxidechil]

from the pic, it looked like u still had just the factory ground on the battery itself. (but the angle isnt the best.

[Seinster]

The size is good, it definitely (wow I've been spelling that wrong for years, like 35% of you after a search) needs securing though.
I think that zip ties are a good immediate solution, other people have used bungy cords. I recommend bending some aluminium, to make a bracket that goes over the long edge, and bolting it down.

[CornbreadXD]

i would also suggest zip ties or bungee cord. I used straps from home depot that they use to hold down the rolls of carpet. If you can get a hold of one of those it'd be perfect cause its adjustable and we throw them away so if you could ask for one if they arn't trashed already that would be one way to go.

[Keyan]

that's a yellow top designed for a honda. you should sell it for a profit and buy one normal sized. lol.

[Fishslayer]

$130 and only a year free replacement? :eek:

OK... as it was explained to me by a battery guy you have "Deep Cycle" and you have "regular" batteries. Deep cycle are supposedly better for running electronics but not great for cranking? Something about deep cycles not liking the sudden large current draw?

And there on the Yellow Top is "Deep Cycle and Starting."


I almost bought an Optima last time around but the $$$ scared me off. If they're really that much better longevity-wise, I'd be tempted.



Oh yeah...

A $130 battery & yer gonna zip tie it down? :eek:

Fishslayer

[kizzo]

good choice for that battery, coulda went bigger though

[NY2002ElantraGT]

it was an ebay battery, if i saw the size, i would have gone bigger. it really looks mini! haha. im gonna work on it today, i dont think i'll be able to sell it now that its not in the shrink wrap, im just gonna deal with it being mini. O and my car starts faster than it ever has!

[bfgoedeke]

You have to take into account the CCA rating on the battery. Size is important, as to fit it in your vehicle. The 500 CCA rating is optimal for a 4cyl. A larger battery would come in handy if, lets say you want to run a "upgraded" sound system. The extra capacity helps. Also, the size of the battery dimensionaly, also dictates its Output and ampere hour rating. Hence, bigger is more..

[KeWLKaT]

OK SINCE I HAVE ONE HERES WHAT I THINK

1- Check the CCA. My 34/78 (stock size) one has 650 CCA, that's 100 more than stock. Screw anyone who says cranking sucks, it's like 20% better than stock!

2- Put it IN THE TRUNK! I did it, it's an easy mod, frees up space in the front, and weight, which is critical for FWD applications, also, by putting it in the passenger side back corner like I did, you redistribute the weight to counteract against your own on the opposite front side, at a certain rate, which is better for when you take corners/race when you're alone.

3- As opposed to normal batteries, these are deep cycle, meaning they can be discharged/recharged 400 times (or so they say on the optima site), without it affecting the battery performance iself.

4- These do not produce fumes, so you can mount them inside, sideways, anything, without any danger. Also, they are gel cell, the do not leak.

5- These are the shizznit!

[NY2002ElantraGT]

the CCA on this battery is 500. if you look at the first battery it has all the info. as for relocating it to the trunk that cant happen. I need all my trunk space. i gotta get it zip tied down.

This is what i found out.... Battery Info (http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/)
My battery:

Model D51, 500 CCA, 625 CA, Size is small, Reserve minutes is 70, Case Size Category: Small 9.25 x 5.0 x 9.0" Height includes 1" terminals weighs 26.0 lbs

Price:
$139.95
(includes shipping)

Model
D34/78, Part # 8014-045 D750U SC34DU, 750 CCA, 870 CA, size Medium, 120 reserve minutes, Case Size Category: Medium 10 x 6.8 x 7.8" Height includes 1" terminals, weighs 42.9 lbs, Price $174.95 (includes shipping)

so those are the differences between the two. im really thinking i should sell it now and get the right size. im dont know what to do............

[Keyan]

the CCA on this battery is 500. if you look at the first battery it has all the info. as for relocating it to the trunk that cant happen. I need all my trunk space. i gotta get it zip tied down.

This is what i found out.... Battery Info (http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/)
My battery:

Model D51, 500 CCA, 625 CA, Size is small, Reserve minutes is 70, Case Size Category: Small 9.25 x 5.0 x 9.0" Height includes 1" terminals weighs 26.0 lbs

Price:
$139.95
(includes shipping)

Model
D34/78, Part # 8014-045 D750U SC34DU, 750 CCA, 870 CA, size Medium, 120 reserve minutes, Case Size Category: Medium 10 x 6.8 x 7.8" Height includes 1" terminals, weighs 42.9 lbs, Price $174.95 (includes shipping)

so those are the differences between the two. im really thinking i should sell it now and get the right size. im dont know what to do............


sell it and get the right size. you can maybe make a profit on that battery.

the reason is because it's for a honda. and optima doesn't make yellow tops for honda's anymore. why? because the honda-size yellow tops are known to short out internally. so optima stops making them.

get the right size. :cool:

[Fishslayer]

OK SINCE I HAVE ONE HERES WHAT I THINK


4- These do not produce fumes, so you can mount them inside, sideways, anything, without any danger. Also, they are gel cell, the do not leak.

5- These are the shizznit!


I worked on some equipment awhile back that used the red tops for starting. That was the first thing I thought of...

"No more brushes & baking soda!"

After perusing this thread I may just go Red Top for my stock Y2K Wagon next time around. Anybody had one installed for a long time?

Fishslayer

[KeWLKaT]

I've had my yellow top (very similar to red top) for about a year and a half now... Went through 2 winters.

[Fishslayer]

I've had my yellow top (very similar to red top) for about a year and a half now... Went through 2 winters.

The climate where I live is tough on batteries, too. We get freezing & below one, sometimes two months a year, and three months or so of 100+ f in the summer.

'course, in Quebec ya might really dig only one or two months of winter, eh? :D

Congrats on COTM, BTW. :bowdown:

"Sleeper" is right. I'd never guess from lookin' what lurked under dah hood. ;)

I'm still tryin' to wrap my mind around some of the stuff you guys are doin' to your commuter cars... :D

Oh yeah... my Y2K turned over 137K yesterday! :cool:


Fishslayer

[exsailor]

I have searched here, webtech and google and cannot find out the information.
Anyone know the dimensions of the stock battery (length, width and height)? :)

[KeWLKaT]

LOL I would love a one or two month winter :D Thanks! And my little car is soon turning 120k km old :)

exsailor, not sure why you want the dimensions, but if you want optima, 34/78 is the stock size, fits perfect in the tray with the stock bracket too.

[exsailor]

Thanx KeWLKaT, that's what I needed to know. :)

[KeWLKaT]

here's a pic of the 34/78

Note that the carrying handle in the middle can be removed.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/6/web/486000-486999/486709_242_full.jpg

[NY2002ElantraGT]

I HOPE YOU TOOK YOUR HANDLE OFF... Mine come off before it even went in my car.

[exsailor]

Any trouble with the posts? Are they the same diameter as stock posts? I think I remember a thread where someone stated that the clamps were a little loose when tightened and someone else said that they had put something around the post so as to be able to tighten fully.

[KeWLKaT]

I HOPE YOU TOOK YOUR HANDLE OFF... Mine come off before it even went in my car.

... I don't know if you NOTICED but that is DEFINATELY not my car in the pic, lol.....

Any trouble with the posts? Are they the same diameter as stock posts? I think I remember a thread where someone stated that the clamps were a little loose when tightened and someone else said that they had put something around the post so as to be able to tighten fully.

Bah, the whole shabang is the fact that the negative post is an OK fit instead of a tight fit. Frankly I have it on as tight as possible right now, I can maybe get it off with a screw driver and a hammer, but not by hand. So it's tight enough for me :)

You can use the GM posts too if you want (the ones you see in the front of the battery itself)

[djarsonist]

LOL I would love a one or two month winter :D Thanks! And my little car is soon turning 120k km old :)

exsailor, not sure why you want the dimensions, but if you want optima, 34/78 is the stock size, fits perfect in the tray with the stock bracket too.


So what is one size below that? My car just died and I need a new battery, and I obviously want a yellow top. Problem is, I could never fit my CAI bypass valve in because my stock battery was to big, so if I go one size smaller, I should be ok?



PEACE
dj arsonist

[NY2002ElantraGT]

i got the Model D51, which is super small. our car calls for a medium which is a D34/78. if you get the D35 it will be a little smaller and give you room for the CAI.

[djarsonist]

Well, I bought the 34/78 last night. I'm waitin for my buddy to come over with his tools so we can put it in and the bypass valve. It looks as though it will fit. It's smaller than the original battery. I truly hope that the battery is the problem....


PEACE
dj arsonist

[NY2002ElantraGT]

what CAI do you have? i have the same problem with my 3" accord CAI from ebay. with the stock battery in, i had to take the mounting bracket off and keep it on a slight tilt forward to let the cai make it past. are you cutting it to add the bypass? if so cut a little shorter it might help. i plan on cutting mine in the spring to add the bypass thats sitting in my garage.

PS- I LOVE YOUR CAR!

[djarsonist]

So the car works great now. The Bypass valve was to small though!!! Damn it!!! I guess my CAI is 3"... It is, we measured it again and found out the problem...


PEACE
dj arsonist