TC33D Battery

[noob2024]

I bought an Optima D51 YellowTop Battery for my TC33D last April, so it's too soon to tell about longevity. I considered the Oddysey batteries, but the only ones that would fit easily had lower CCA rating than the stock battery. The Optima fits perfectly and has a higher CCA rating.

An added bonus: manufacturers usually recommend slightly higher charging and float voltage for their AGM batteries than what is used for flooded lead acid batteries. Ideally, this would mean a specialized charger for those AGM batteries (though lots of people ignore this). Optima AGM batteries recommend the same charging and float voltages as are recommended for flooded lead acid batteries, so you have a much wider range of choices of chargers/maintainers. I use the BatteryMinder brand of maintainers, I have several models, including a more expensive one with different charging profiles for Gel, Flooded, or AGM batteries. Both the BatteryMinder folks and Optima recommend using the "flooded lead acid setting" (which also means I can use the less expensive BatteryMinder model 1500 maintainer).

How has it lasted?

 

[John_Mc]

why the yellow top? https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/optima-redtop-vs-yellowtop/
Them seem to think red.

The yellow top works for both starting and some degree of deep cycling. As with all lead-acid batteries, it’s better for it to be promptly recharged after it has been discharged, but it can stand being in a partially discharged state better than the red top, which is more of a dedicated starting battery.

My tractor is not really a deep cycle application, and I usually put it on a BatteryMinder when it won’t be used for more than a couple of weeks, but there have been times when I have forgotten to connect it for an extended period, and once when the circuit breaker in the barn tripped during a storm and I was unaware of it for quite some time. While the article claims this is a case for a Red Top, that is exactly the opposite of what the tech support guy at Optima told me when we had an extended email discussion back when I was shopping. (However, really either the red or the yellow would work fine in my application, especially since I tend to keep it on a battery maintainer/charger when not in use.)

The red top is more of a dedicated starting battery, optimized for brief high-current draws. It really likes to be kept within a few percent of full charge. Leaving it to self-discharge for an extended time will shorten its life - it won’t kill it quickly, and AGM batteries typically have a lower self-discharge rate than flooded lead acid, but it was a concern. Since my tractor is not a particularly tough starting load (33 HP diesel), I wasn’t worried about having a battery that was fully optimized for starting performance.

How has it lasted?

Coming up on 8-1/2 years and still working perfectly. I do put it on a smart battery maintainer when the tractor might not get used for an extended period. (I use a BatteryMINDer model 1215C. Electrically similar to their model 1500, but the 1215C is in a more weatherproof case. Occasionally, I’ll put it on one of their higher-end chargers, just to see what that more advanced unit shows on its battery testing cycle.)

As a bonus: the old flooded lead-acid batteries used to out-gas and cause some corrosion issues. Since the battery is mounted right in front of the radiator and oil cooler, that caused some other problems. Since switching to the Optima yellow top battery, I’ve had zero issues with that.

Prices have increased a lot since I bought mine, but I still would not hesitate to replace it with the same thing when this one finally dies.

 

[noob2024]

The oem batt I had said shipped 2011 I cant read the rest.
Just ordered this

https://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batteries-8071-167-YellowTop-Purpose/dp/B00075OSD8/?th=1

"Optima Batteries OPT8071-167 D51 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery" as its what most on here rec.
Ty for the info!






So you rec this https://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDe...-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

[John_Mc]

The oem batt I had said shipped 2011 I cant read the rest.
Just ordered this

https://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batteries-8071-167-YellowTop-Purpose/dp/B00075OSD8/?th=1

"Optima Batteries OPT8071-167 D51 YellowTop Dual Purpose Battery" as its what most on here rec.
Ty for the info!






So you rec this https://www.amazon.com/BatteryMINDer-1215C-Convertible-Board-Charger-Maintainer-Desulfator/dp/B01MZ6GI98/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=WM695TVCWWHL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4Nwwr8miK7ePMOmkrnsGllUy7BsFjTsjQkY56Yy_HztX6Zw46YxZBM9kkTtO1CWPP-7RnGjtGdvgevQ8AUrkfY08ebhEGC1Za2h_6ce9TIeREZlbVKXnNuOcwpYy8bz8TBD47WXG2vR1mMgu7PGQ8w.IL7vcPGuxmdN1CoD-VIgF7FPpTAHTtxRCs46SxbsB4E&dib_tag=se&keywords=BatteryMINDer®+Model+1215C&qid=1724682770&s=automotive&sprefix=batteryminder+model+1215c,automotive,101&sr=1-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

That Battery Minder 1215C is what I use on my tractor with the same Optima battery. The 1215C is more weatherproof than their model 1500. I used the model 1500 for a couple of years ad it worked fine, but I had to be careful when the tractor was parked outside. (NOTE that both of these models are really more maintainers. They'll recharge big battery that goes flat, but it will take a LONG time.)