Red tops or blue tops?

DiscoBayWakesetter · Criminal Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 64 City: Discovery Bay

Ok so locally here, I see Optima blue tops for around 160.00 and the red tops are at Costco for 99.00 ea. The red has a 3 year warranty and the blue is a year and a half. I can't really see why the blue tops are better to go with. I mean, if I kill the red top from full discharge, I return it and get a new 3 year warranty! I'll be running two so the chance that they both totally die (won't recharge) on me and leave me stranded is not likely right?
I'm putting in a BIG amp and Perko switch so I'll be draining at least one battery now and then. I also plan to get a small jumper box just in case.
What do you think?

lee · Outlaw Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 196 City: USA

The blue tops have the marine terminals and the red tops do not.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

I definitely needed those marine terminals. That's how all of my accessories are hooked up. I also got my blue optimas at eliots hardware for $112 a piece for the deep cycle. You might want to keep looking.

DiscoBayWakesetter · Criminal Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 64 City: Discovery Bay

Is that the only advantage? I am running all new wires anyways for the Perko switch anyways and can use whatever ends I want to.
Seems like 3 years guaranteed free replacement kicks *** on 1.5.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

DiscoBayWakesetter, I just did a little research and the Red Tops are not deep cycle batteries. So if you're ever going to be idling or stopped with your music on or will ever be draining the battery slightly you run the risk of killing your battery. If you're just going to be taking sets all day and not draining power from the battery the red tops will work.

DiscoBayWakesetter · Criminal Joined: 13 Dec 2004 Posts: 64 City: Discovery Bay

Yeah, I'm going to run red tops. I figure with the Perko switch, I can run on one batter whenever I am idling or engine off/music on and if I drain it, I'll switch to both batteries to strart it and regharge the dead one. Also, like I said, if I kill the battery with a complete discharge and it won't recharge, I'll warranty it.

I'll post this thread back up later after some experience and let everyone know if this has any drawbacks. Saving money on the batterys and doubling the warranty over a blue top seems like a pretty good thing to know about.

Wakebrad · Ladies Man Joined: 11 Dec 2003 Posts: 12257 City: Dallas

DiscoBayWakesetter, that might work. You might run into some problems if you keep warranting the battery though. I've warrantied 2 batteries and one they did it with little questions asked. The other they asked me like a million questions and checked a bunch of stuff. They did replace it but if you're doing it every couple months they might not allow it.

I guess it was ill-concieved of them to have the cheaper one with a longer warranty but you are using the wrong battery for the job. Maybe it will work out though.