ive got a the best red top you can get with i think 1000 cca's i think and i upgraded all my battery cables to 00 gauge, ive had it for almost 2 years, sometimes it starts so fast i cant react quick enough haha, and my jeep sat for 3 days in 20 degre weather during the day and like 10 degrees at night, got in it and it started up quick no problem

 

Oh I do love it when DJB383 joins a thread...better have your facts straight......and.....SHOCKER...a fellow Texan....lol.

 

Same thing with my yellow top, it barley cranks then starts. On top of that I run a 800W power inverter, 1000W in amps and 600W in lights (not all at the same time).

 

That's the key to your quick start (and a good tune).

 

Yep, I'm the resident pain in the ****..........Hey soldier, I/we do appreciate your service and sacrifice and salute you, Merry Xmas to you and yours.

 

X2

I use Interstate. I will never by another $50 battery again. They never seem to last more then 3 years in Michigan. Interstate has not let me down and I am going to stick with them. I have looked into the optimas but the cost isn't worth the reward for me. This is one of those things that you can only decide for yourself and learn for yourself what you want to use. You are on the right track for looking at top quality stuff though.

 

I just switched over to a 720CCA Optima red top last week because when it got down to 8 degrees here my jeep would barely turn over. So far so good, I am happy with it. I bought mine at Oreilly's.

 

I've heard of optima battery's getting chopped by the fan of a jeep losing two of it's cells I guess you can call em. And still starting the jeep for 3 months with no problems. After hearing that I will only put optima battery's in my vehicles.

 

wow how did that happen? lol and yet another reason why ill stick with optima

 

have your charging system tested first then move from there

 

Consumer Reports recently performed a test on batteries in their November issue.

In their battery tests, they actually drain and recharge each test battery 3000 times testing their strength at freezing, and measuring how long they can maintain their current under load.

Under the Group 34, (the XJ's battery size) Tests here are the top ten ranked by Life,Reserve Capacity and Cold Cranking Amps.

1.) DieHard Platinum 50090 $190. Excellent Overall - uses AGM Technology
2.) EverStart Maxx-34N(North) $75.
3.) Optima RedTop SC34U $150.
4.) EverStart Maxx-34S(South) $75.
5.) DieHard 30034(North) $90.
6.) DieHard Gold 33334(North) $105.
7.) Napa Legend Premium 8434/78 $95. VG overall
8.) Autocraft Gold 34/78-4 $85.
9.) Interstate Mega-Tron Plus $135.
10.) Orbital Exide Select $170.
11.) DuraLast Gold 34DT-DLG $90.

As far as the Optima's go. The red top is a regular starting battery vs the yellow top being a starting/deep cycle battery.

The performance was about on par between the Red Top and the EverStart but the price of the Red Top as well as only testing AVG in reserve capacity placed it below the EverStart in the overall rankings.

 

Thats a good list. I think I'll save it. Not 100% on the prices. I got my interstate for $85. I am also not running the standard battery. (group 58 I think. don't remember for sure)

 

Have a red top and absolutely love it.

 

I guess they were offloading without a battery tie down and it slid over and hit the fan. I heard this story from a summit sale rep that's a friend of mine. He said the guy called and told him that. Then brought it to summit and showed him. That's pretty amazing saying the least.

 

I'm on my second red top Optima. The first one started it's life in my '88 XJ, then went to my '74 Bronco and then into my '99 XJ. After 10 years of daily service, it needed to be replaced. Working at a Napa store at the time, I got their best battery (#9978/34) but it only lasted 11 months. I went to the local competing Advance Auto and got another Optima red top and had no more problems for the last 4 years. Your results may vary, but the Optimas work for me.