Sorry that site didn't come up but let's talk about batteries.
Optima (yellow top) is a deep cycle AGM battery. That's a glass matt battery and they have different float voltages and charging than lead acid batteries, they also have different internal resistances. Batteries (deep cycle) are rated for number of cycles they are recharged and they are a different animal than an auto battery which is not a deep cycle battery. If you look at Optima's web site they give the charging for their batteries and it says "strictly adhered to". That's because if you charge it wrong the battery life goes down... drastically. Batteries are charged by a percentage of 'C' where C is the battery capacity. So an AGM battery might be charged at C/5. Let's say the battery is rated at 10 amps, C/5 = 2 amps charging. Charge it faster and your battery life goes down or worse on an AGM it gets too hot and the one way valve lets gases escape so the battery doesn't blow up. The problem is that once too much gas escapes the battery is toast.
So AGM batteries have different float voltages, different rates of charge, different internal resistances and different peak safe voltages.
Deep cycle batteries are not designed for CCA (cold cranking amps). Optima might make one but you still have the above conditions to meet.
The thing that ruins lead acid batteries is fast charging. What happens is the plates warp and when they warp material falls to the bottom of the battery and shorts the plates. If you notice Deere batteries are relatively high, that's a good thing because it leaves more room at the bottom of the battery for material to sit before the battery fails. Bottom line, don't charge your car or tractor battery fast. Use a slow charge over a few hours.
With all this said they may work in your tractor and Optima may even sell them for cars but I don't want one. Optima give you a strict charging paradigm to protect themselves and several years ago they were pulling batteries off the shelf. (do a search on Optima troubles, they're not without them) Deere batteries are fine used properly AND designed for your tractor's charging system, that's important. Mine last.
I've seen more people complain about batteries when it was how they handled them and I've seen dirty terminal with poor connections sending people for new batteries when they didn't need them.
Rob
Optima (yellow top) is a deep cycle AGM battery. That's a glass matt battery and they have different float voltages and charging than lead acid batteries, they also have different internal resistances. Batteries (deep cycle) are rated for number of cycles they are recharged and they are a different animal than an auto battery which is not a deep cycle battery. If you look at Optima's web site they give the charging for their batteries and it says "strictly adhered to". That's because if you charge it wrong the battery life goes down... drastically. Batteries are charged by a percentage of 'C' where C is the battery capacity. So an AGM battery might be charged at C/5. Let's say the battery is rated at 10 amps, C/5 = 2 amps charging. Charge it faster and your battery life goes down or worse on an AGM it gets too hot and the one way valve lets gases escape so the battery doesn't blow up. The problem is that once too much gas escapes the battery is toast.
So AGM batteries have different float voltages, different rates of charge, different internal resistances and different peak safe voltages.
Deep cycle batteries are not designed for CCA (cold cranking amps). Optima might make one but you still have the above conditions to meet.
The thing that ruins lead acid batteries is fast charging. What happens is the plates warp and when they warp material falls to the bottom of the battery and shorts the plates. If you notice Deere batteries are relatively high, that's a good thing because it leaves more room at the bottom of the battery for material to sit before the battery fails. Bottom line, don't charge your car or tractor battery fast. Use a slow charge over a few hours.
With all this said they may work in your tractor and Optima may even sell them for cars but I don't want one. Optima give you a strict charging paradigm to protect themselves and several years ago they were pulling batteries off the shelf. (do a search on Optima troubles, they're not without them) Deere batteries are fine used properly AND designed for your tractor's charging system, that's important. Mine last.
I've seen more people complain about batteries when it was how they handled them and I've seen dirty terminal with poor connections sending people for new batteries when they didn't need them.
Rob
