I'm an optima fan and have decided that after 12 yrs of excellent service it is time to replace my 2 batteries. I can find the red top and yellow top 34/78 units at close to the same price. Which one would be better for a dual battery installation in a race car????

Matt and I use Sear Diehard Platinum batteries but I did a search for you and here's an afternoons full of reading for you.
http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/search.php?searchid=19295154

hi ,
optima pamplet i have recomends yellow for the race car !

No alt = yellow. W/ alt, use red.
I use one yellow Optima, no alt, no problem. 440, 12.5:1, small Chrysler starter, two classes each day, use a Black & Decker smart charger.
Brian

If the ones that are 12 years old are still alive and kicking, I'd keep them.

I had a redtop last over 10 years of daily driving, sitting outside over the winter, etc., and now it is still going as winch power. They started making them in mexico a few years ago and quality has suffered.

But as the others have stated, yellow top for no alt.

Thanks for the inputs. I currently do run an alt (140amp) but I still charge between rounds. Up until a yr ago I could get the battery back to 100% between rounds but not anymore. They have never failed me but I don't want to give them the chance. I have always used a smart charger in fact I'm on my second one now. I have had as many as 7 Optimas in use at a time, 2 in racecar, 3 in motor home and 2 in the bass boat. The only one I ever had any problem with is the starting battery in the MH. I had to replace it twice after a yr of use. After the second replacement the dealer told me he wouldn't replace it again and that I must have a problem in my vehicle. I did some checking and there was a minute draw on the battery and since I could not find the source of the draw I started unhooking the battery after every use. It is now on its 3rd yr and going strong. Again, thanks for the inputs I've ordered 2 red tops to go into the race car.

I use a red top for the ignition and a yellow top for everything else.

I run 2 red tops in my 68 dart with an alternator. I leave the fans and water pump on in the pits to cool down. about every 2 runs, I do a charge on them when in the pits

I also have a Rock Auto racing 16v battery mounted in the car, but I have never used it. Sort of my "ace in the hole". It has a 12v post in addition to a 16v post. I have it hooked to the 12v side,but with the ground off of it. It takes about 30 seconds to hook the ground cable up. If it dosn't start then, I'll move the hot cable to the 16v side. At this point it's just ballast though .

Brian

I run 2 yellows with an alternator for over 6 years. I will buy 2 more yellows if the one's I have ever wear out.

Yellow is a deep cycle battery ....never let me down ....

I have used both the yellow and red batteries...
I have a couple which are > 5 years old, they still do well but I did have a red top that went bad after 2 years..
To me it seems the older ones lasted longer..

Just my $0.05...