sringer

Optimas have gone downhill in quality lately. I run the odyssey battery. Great quality. Best one out there. Same battery as the sears die hard

bigapplephx

Get a Diehard Platinum from Sears. Reasons:

I had an Optima Red Top purchased from Summit in Nevada. (I'm in Arizona) After 3 years it started to slow start when vehicle sat for a few days. I tried to use the warranty at a local Optima dealer and he said warranty Optimas have to go back to the dealer where purchased. I had a battery shipped from Nevada.
My next battery purchased was a Diehard Platinum.
Battery is made by Odyssey. Side terminals can be used for a winch (hi amp loads) Optima cautions about using side terminals for high amp loads.
The Diehard Platinum warranty can be used at any Sears or K-Mart store in the country.

Ryan0260

I had good luck with a deka intimidator which is their best battery

Cold

I am a huge Optima fan! I have 2 of them in my JK! I pulled the factory out at 500 miles. Yellow Tops all the way!

Wrangled

I went with dual Odyssey's. I don't think they make a better battery. jmo

xinys

So, if I am reading this correctly??? all things being equal, replacing the stock battery with a marine battery vs. an automotive battery, should allow me to air up with my VIAIR 12V compressor without having to run the engine???? but still have adequate power to crank the engine under all conditions???? this vehicle is also primarily towed behind my motorhome, and is not used as a daily driver, and is not driven much between trips (2-3) months at a time, under these conditions it would seem to me that based on this discussion that a marine battery would be the best choice????thanks to all that have responded.

duneslider

My experience is that marine batteries don't last long as a primarily starting battery. Some do it and seem to have good luck but I know several who didn't get good life out of expensive deep cycle batteries when used as primarily starting batteries. Maybe climate plays a roll in this too, I don't know.

Just my experience,

Lorrel

I've had my second Red Top (34/78) in my 94 XJ, since around 2006. Drained it well below 10 VDC two times by leaving my lights on for over 8 hours at a wack, and it's still going. That said, both the Red Tops I've had were made in the US at the Aurora Co. facility. Since then the Optima Yellows and Blues have been made in:
Enertec Exports S. de R.L. de C.V.
RFC: EEX020516KU2
Avenida. del Parque No. 2155
Monterrey Technology Park
Cienega de Flores, N.L. 65550
MEXICO
Phone: 52 (81) 81542300

Donn't know about the Reds as they are still listed as:
OP TIMA Batteries
17500 E as t 22nd Avenue
Aurora, C O 80011
United S tates of America
Phone: 303-340-740

I will say however, I have heard many bad stories of Optima Batteries failing prematurely and it has been all lines.
The wifes 07 JKU purchased in Oct 06, battery failed in 09, rather than going with another Red Top, I went with the DieHard Platinum P1 group 34, and have been quite happy with the battery. The reason I went with the DieHard Platinum over the Red Top was the price, warranty and specifications. Cost was $186.00 as compared to $219.00 RT. Warranty is 4 years full replacement with a 100 month pro rate, as compared to 3years RT. Specification is 1250CA/ 880CCA, 68AH with a reserve of 135 min, as compared to the RedTop 1000CA/800CCA and 50AH with a 100 min reserve. So it was a no-brainer.
Now let me make a few statements about the yellow's and Blue's, since many have jumped on that wagon. Back in 1996 through 2000, both these battery's were listed on the Optima Site, however they were NOT listed as a starting battery, but rather a specific battery. That is to say the Yellow was listed as a deep cycle, to be used for things such as custom vehicles with large audio units, and RV's. The Blue of course was listed as a marine battery. Since then the webpage has re-classified these battery's as multi functional battries????????
That said, prior to jumping on the wagon, one should look at the specs and make the choice from there.
The Yellow (D34/78) having a specification of 870CA/750CCA with 55AH with a 120 min reserve. It's cost is $239.99.
The Blue 34M (8006-006 starting only) is a 1000CA/800CCA with a 50AH of 100 min reserve. It's cost is $209.99
The Blue 34M (8016-103 starting/deep cycle) is 870CA/750CCA with 55AH at a 120 min reserve. It's cost is $235.00
Both blues since they are marine battery's have stainless steel fittings.

The Odyssey 34 PC1500 and the 34/78 PC1500 both have 1250CA/880CCA, 68 AH with a 135 min reserve, the same as the DieHard Platinum. The DiehHard Platinum is NOT a re-badged Odyssey, but rather both battery's are manufactured by EnerSys with headquarters in Reading Pa.

Freewill

With an automotive battery it is better to run the engine because the automotive battery was designed to be used that way.

With a deep cycle (marine, RV) battery, you *could* air up without running the engine (within the capacity limit of the battery) because the deep cylcle battery was designed to be discharged about 50% (11.9 volts, no load) without hurting the life of the battery.

This doesn't mean one battery has more power than the other, just that one can tolerate being used without the engine running better than the other. I would still run the engine with either battery. Why discharge the battery if I don't need to?

A winch can draw more power than the alternator can produce so the battery can discharge even with the engine running. A deep cycle will tolerate this better than an automotive battery.

Sounds like your Jeep has a duty cycle like a boat, so the marine battery makes sense.