Went too several different vendors in town to look at these Optima products and darn near laughed at the sales person when saw the price of these things.

What the heck is in them gold?
<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

They are a Gel Cell, and they are worth it. You do not have to worry about loosing any fluid out of the battery, no matter which way you mount or tip it, or the battery venting out any hydrogen gasses. They are truly a maintenance free battery. Because they are sealed too, you never have to deal with any of that nasty corrosion on the connectors that is typical of a lead acid battery. I run a Red Top (~$80.00) in my 79 F150 and a Blue Top (~$140.00) (deep cycle marine) in my XJ so I have the extra posts to hook additional things up to. I have been running them for about 5 years now and never had one problem.

Sean

Apparently they are the rave. I'm not as familiar with their uses in jeeps, however I know the 7.3 diesel guys like to run both batteries on the passenger side of the truck and open the driver side up for air tanks/more air flow to air box and other goodies. They last a long time, no corrosion, and have a good warranty. Another good point is you can mount them upside down along the frame rails or something and they'll still work! You can submerge them, drop them, basically take a hammer to them haha although I would not recommend that!

So did he laugh back at you? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Tikitg
I wouldnt know if he laughed back at me, as I never laughed at him. Mearly a form of speech, like a saying. I can see where your comment is a viable, useful, assisting, well thought out response.
I looked at the prices and they were no where close to what you fellows are quoting. I was qoute upwards of 149-189 at two different places and a third had them for about $123.
In camparison a basic top of the line acid core at farmnfleet, autozone, walmart or many other places are replaceable for 3-5yrs. and less than $75.
By the way the jeep is brand new so I'm not looking to buy a battery tommor, just looking for future reference. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I sure have been happy with them yellow-top batteries from walMart! I use em on everything. The boat will be next.
So far I have not had a failure of one of them and I betcha I have purchased 30.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

Didn't you say you changed them every three years no matter what? I have gotten stranded with a good battery that went dead but I don't recall ever getting stranded because of a bad battery. They always have let me know when they started failing and got me to the store for another. Keep those walmart batteries long enough and they will fail. I'm not saying they are inferior in any way, all lead acid batteries have a limited life span. Many different brands are made in the same plants also. Someone that reads you've never had one fail without knowing why makes it seem like you're saying they last forever. They don't. I don't buy a new battery unless I have to. The longest lasting one I ever owned was a Sears Diehard. It lasted 8 years in a Jeep pickup. Any battery will fail prematurely if it's abused. But some can take more abuse than others. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Hey Pete
In order to make lectric the battery has acid in it that eats at the lead plates inside.. As these plates get eaten up they get thiner and thiner.. When offroading a bump in the trail can cause one or more of the THIN plates to come loose and cause a SHORT in that cell.. that results in a battery with only 10 volts (if you are lucky).
So with that in mind I try to keep a battery that still has THICK plates in it when offroading.
Also if the battery is kept in clean condition and is not discharged much...as in parking and listening to the radio all day.. it will prolly last longer.
I have several different colors of paint pens, which I use to mark EVERY battery with the date of purchase.
I look at it thisaway... Say a battery with a 36 month free replacement costs $60. After it is 3 years old it has cost me $20. a year. Hell! That is a bargain for KNOWING the thing will start the vehicle no matter where it is parked.
So I exchange it for a NEW one, and start all over again.
In my younger years batteries were not as reliable as they are now. I had many dissapointments with them. So maybe I am too careful now.
Big JIm <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> I love your decription of lead acid battery theory! There's a little more to it than that but, there ya go, that's one reason why the Optima costs more. The spiral cell design combined with gell electrolyte can take a lot more vibration that a standard Car batery regardless of it's age. In a stardard batt. the vibration can also knock the goody (lead sulfate) out of the grids where it's supposed to be contained and it piles up in the bottom of the battery causing a short. That's why Marine batteries have a larger space in the bottom for the stuff to accumulate. Small boat batteries (I don't mean small batteries) are subject to brutal beatings in a light chop, much worse than off roading.

?: Jeepete

Would one of these marine batts your refering to work with a Jeep?
I noticed ref..s to deep cell batts with normal 12v auto....is this something that is a viable choice than? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />