Optima Battery Update

[rockyridgefarm]

Like any good tbn green guy, I have been watching my JD battery for spew, and had none to report. But my battery failed amd I decided to take up the warranty. When I removed it I discovered that the base under the battery had corroded. I repaired that myself, and am going the optima route. It just isn't worth it to take chances...

btw, I saw autozone carried optima, so I stooped by. They wanted $150 for the battery, with the terminals in the wrong configuration, so I'll be checking out remy....

Thanks again Hoss, I take back whatever I said ubout you folks on the wrong side of our state line!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[rmonio]

Gary and Hoss -

My 4600 is 2 years old, but I've not had problems with the battery (acid leakage, etc.). I also have my starter nearby if necessary... my battery is the standard JD-provided unit and other than dirt that gets on it (which I've continued to wipe down), why did you replace yours so soon? Is the issue with the battery leakage only related to the 42/43/44 series units? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

-Bob

 

[rockyridgefarm]

This isn't a JD only problem. But the batteries spew acid, probably bouncing doesn't help. In my case, the effects were only seen when I removed the battery.

 

[rmonio]

I'll pop off the battery and take a look. Hopefully it isn't a problem. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

-Bob

 

[PineRidge]

Hoss I'm curious why you didn't just use the red top Optima? I would think the yellow top would work best for an electric trolling motor or similar deep discharge application.

I used a red top on my TC-40D, and no problems yet.

 

[JDgreen227]

Interesting this post would appear....I just went thru the usual 50 hour service routine on my 4210, I lift the hood, remove the side panels and grille, loosen the battery and slide it forward, then give the engine compartment a good cleaning prior to the oil and filter change.

Last time I did this was at 148 hours, there was no sign of corrosion around the battery. This time (198 hours) I found an area about two inches square on the front of the hydro system radiator...the fins were crusted with a white deposit that I carefully cleaned out with a soft bristle brush and lots of water. The crusted area could not be seen unless the battery was slid forward. Vent caps were tight and the fluid level in the battery was correct. Prior to cleaning the corroded area I took a few pictures just for the record.

I'm going to do a search of the JD forum to learn how commonplace this problem is. THANKS to all the TBN members who share their experiences, otherwise I would never know I needed to check for a corrosion problem.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CVHoss]

Mike,
The yellow top is a combination starting/deep cycle battery. Since the tractor may go through long periods of non-use (especially in the winter) I felt the yellow top was the best choice. As a deep cycle battery, it is able to withstand repeated charge/discharge cycles without damage to the battery. If you use your tractor enough that the battery remains fully charged all of the time, the red top would be the best choice. But, even a red top Optima can be damaged if subjected to repeated charge/discharge cycles. Optima specifically says that using a red top in a car with high amp draw stereo equipment will void the warranty on the battery. They recommend the yellow top in this situation. For my use, the yellow top seemed right.

Hoss

 

[timb]

There's a comment on the Optima site that I haven't been able to decipher. It states

"Remember:
Dark Gray Case means Starting Technology. Light Gray Case means Deep Cycle Technology."

That makes the two choices sound mutually exclusive. If you look at the photos - all yellow tops shown appear to 'light gray' at least compared to the base of the red top batteries (that I would call black, not gray). Are there two types of yellow tops? Elsewhere on the site they seem to cite using yellow tops as starter batteries for plenty of circumstances. The only other caveat is that the yellow tops do not have quite as much CCA as the red tops. The blue tops seem to be a possible choice, but I believe they are the most expensive of the line.

I would like to proactively get an Optima for my tractor. I've been running a red top in my Jeep for years and am sold on the Optimas, just trying to figure out which is the best model for tractor use. Seems like every web search I do on 'Optima advice' yields contradicting recommendations!

 

[rockyridgefarm]

I think the best deal would be the red with a battery tender. Next would be a yellow, by itself if you can't use a tender...

 

[bigpete]

I've forgotten all of my rationale, but I ended up with the yellow top 51. I remember reading about the dark grey/light grey signifying starting/deep cycle, and I also recall reading that the yellow top was an excellent starting battery. Becasue I have had various battery problems in the past, and becuase my tractor might sit for several weeks at a time in the winter, I went for the yellow top. I wonder how long it will be before JD or Kubota offers Optimas as an option. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif