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12/14/2018 2:05 PM  #1


Optima yellow top H6 battery

Hey everyone,

Its been a while since ive been on here.  Nice to see the forum is still going strong!  I have a 66 mustang with a rear mounted battery that i put in when i was in high school.  Ever since i put it in the trunk it has been a headache so im putting it back up front.  I got a new battery tray and factory mount for it.  My old red top optima finally went out, so im looking at a new battery.  I know for optima batteries there is a special mount that goes over the top that i can buy.  When looking online at the optima's i stumbled upon the Yellow top Optima H6 battery that looks like it may work with the factory style battery hold down at the base.  My question is has anyone tried this yet and can confirm it will work? 

Thanks in advance

 

12/14/2018 4:30 PM  #2


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Little off topic(I guess) butt....tell me about the trunk mounted battery being a headache!?!  Mine has been there for years and...considering its ME....pretty trouble free. JUst ask'in
Good to see you back!
6sally6


Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
 

12/14/2018 4:58 PM  #3


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Since its been in the back,  it starts fine when its cold, but when i shut it down and then go to start it back up it hesitates and doesn't want to start back up. it will crank once, then stop, then crank then stop, then cranks normally and starts up...if i'm lucky.  Ive made sure the ground cable is good from the battery to the solenoid and the ground in the trunk are good.  Engine is grounded good.  Its charging properly etc.  but just doesn't want to start back up after i shut it down.  It never did that when it was up front.  lol only reason why i changed it was because people were telling me id get better weight distribution in the car, but i don't race the thing and really haven't noticed a difference with it back there except its been a complete pain. 

Not to long ago i had it in the shop for an alignment and it died on them while out test driving it and they couldn't get it started.  they tried different batteries and checked everything which looked fine.  The only thing they could think of is maybe the cable going from the solenoid to the starter might be too small and recommended maybe changing that to the same size as on the battery. and maybe that would fix it.  also the hold down for it is just a ratcheting tie down that i have looped through i think where the tire iron would go in the trunk.  Just kinda over the whole thing.  I never had this much trouble with it in the front and am just kinda over trying to trouble shoot it, when it worked perfectly fine up front.

     Thread Starter
 

12/14/2018 6:04 PM  #4


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

I could be wrong, but IIRC the yellow top Optimas are deep cycle batteries.  We used to use them for boat motors and winches on 4x4s.  They used to be considerably more expensive than the red tops.  I don't recall the size being any different though.  Size is usually a function of the group to which the battery belongs. 

 

12/14/2018 6:26 PM  #5


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Yes, it is a deep cycle battery.  Its only about $60 more than the red top.  they say it is good for cars with more electronics.  Down the road i would like to add a better stereo power windows/locks etc. they do have a blu top which is classified as a marine battery.  Also has 800 cold cranking amps same as red top. 

     Thread Starter
 

12/14/2018 6:28 PM  #6


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Yeah size is size regardless of the color of the battery. I will say though, I picked up an Optima yellow top from Amazon for my "it's going to run someday" Lightning. I knew it would be a while before the truck was on the road, but I needed to work though all the wiring and electronics. I've run it down several times and it comes right back up no problem. It's over 2 years old now.

 

12/15/2018 6:24 AM  #7


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Modern cars don't have deep cycle batteries and they have more electronics than a classic Mustang is ever going to have.  Sounds like marketing BS.  A deep cycle battery is designed to be deeply discharged and then recharged without damaging the battery.  That's its sole purpose.  If the vehicle sits for extended periods like Raymond_B's Lightning project then there may be an advantage, but of course, you could just put a battery tender on a standard battery.

My car sits at least 2-3 months each year over the winter with a standard lead acid battery and no tender and come spring it fires right up.  The battery in it is at least 5 years old at this point, and its just a NAPA 60 month battery, nothing special.

My point is you might be making a mountain of a molehill. 

 

12/15/2018 2:28 PM  #8


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Unless you are planning serious load suckers on your Mustang...jumping low-rider type hydraulic suspension, megawatt sound system, etc....I believe you are wasting your $$ on the yellow top and may not get as good of service vs the red top due to the battery being designed to be cycled deeply.  I have power windows, locks, mirrors, EFI, alarm system, Vintage Air, Retro radio, power lumbar seats, and I'm sure something else or two and I have zero problems with the Red Top.  During the winter or during periods of spread out use I keep a battery minder on it due to all the systems in the car with keep-alive power drain.

BB


"you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
 

12/15/2018 8:02 PM  #9


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Put a jumper cable on it from the battery to the engine block to test the ground then do the same for the positive side. My bet is either too small of a cable wire or a bad connection some place including the cable ends. If you have bad cables or connections you will still have the same problems with the battery up front. Also there is a lot of amperage loss with cable length so to make up for that the cable needs to be heavier gage. Sometimes you can isolate a problem just by feeling where the most heat at the connections is while you are cranking it.


70, ragtop 351W/416 stroker Edel Performer heads w pro flow 4, Comp roller 35-421-8. T5
 

12/15/2018 9:57 PM  #10


Re: Optima yellow top H6 battery

Had a similar issue with a friend's 65 FB when he moved the battery to the back.  Added a length of #2 from the rear frame member...where he had the battery grounded...to one of the trans tail shaft housing bolts.  No more problem.

BB


"you get what you pay for, good work isn't cheap, and there are NO free lunches...PERIOD!"
 

Board footera


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