I am installing a winch and two driving lights on my Jeep.

Do I need to upgrade to and Optima Battery? If so, yellow or red?

 

NO, and if you did Yellow.

The power to drive the winch will really come from alternator even though its hooked up to the battery. So don't winch without the Jeep running, unless you absolutely have to do to water submersion etc.,

The are other dry cell, "deep cycle" batteries available also, but the yellow top is the right one for the off road catagory, the blue one is for typical marine use and the red top is for low draw OEM replacements, (basicly)

 

No. I'd recommend doing a search on the Optima Yellows. They are the deep cycle which is good with winch use, but apparently our charging system runs at a different voltage then what they want. They're lasting about a year for several people.

 

If you do alot of wheeling and winching chances are you'll require a new battery sooner or later. Most likely sooner. The Optima battery line consists of well built long lasting products. I installed a Red Top 34/78 in my 94XJ back in 96. I did alot of wheeling and had installed a winch, 6 aux. lights and a pretty hefty stereo system with two 500W amplifiers. The initial RedTop lasted until 03, at which time I installed another 34/78. That one is still in the XJ.
We traded the wifes 99XJ on a 07 4dr JK in Nov. 06. It still has the factory battery, but when it goes, I'll install a RedTop.
Many have installed YellowTops, and from what I'm hearing these are not lasting as long as the RedTops. The YellowTop is a deep cycle battery, and IMO are not lasting as long because they are mainly being used as a starting battery, and therefore are not being deep cycled as they were intended.
I believe for the average person who uses the Jeep as a DD, and hits the trails about 4 times a month, has a few aux. lights, a high powered stereo, and a winch, which is used maybe 2 times a month or less, the RedTop 34/78 is the ideal battery.
As was posted there are a few other manufacturers producing spiral cell design, however the Optima has suited my needs and lasted, so my vote would be for Optima.

 

If your battery has shown no weakness in the past, then no. It's not necessary. It certainly is a nice optional upgrade, though. I consider that kinda like tires. I'm gonna run these SRAs til I see AIR...you hear what I'm sayin? So, like them, with the battery...I'm probably runnin it til it drops. I just hope I ain't stranded too bad when it happens. LOL.

 

I'm gonna agree with RedneckJeep. Do you NEED anything, no. When you winch, you need the battery to spit out a bunch of amps all at once, which does put a big drain on the battery and why deep cycle batteries help. Asfar as the lights go unless you intend to run them a lot with the motor off, even with the 140 AMP alternator, you'll be just fine.

I have bluetop marine batteris in mine and have been using them for almost a year. I have heard the Optimas do not like the voltage coming out the JK, but lots of people have them.

 

I bought a dry sprial cell battery from Sam's.... Can't remember the brand though and it was a few years ago. It was a nice battery for far less than a yellow top. Do a google search and you should be able to find it if they still have it.

 

Two things.

Sams has the Optima line of batteries at a great price.
At least the 08 + JK's are running 160 amp alternators.

PS. Good input on that battery... You probably hit the nail on the head! Thanks lorrel

PSS. Optima has stated that the 13.4 volt output on the JK is perfectly fine for the battery. That is not causing any premature failure according to Optima. But YOU will have to search the threads for the info, its out there.

 

The 07's and maybe some early 08's had the 160 amp alternator. The rest of the 08's and all 09's have a 140 amp alternator in them.