Optima Yellow Top

[LittleMatt 0]

I am hoping to updrage my chit duralast to a optima yellow top. I was wondering if i can do this with a stock 70 amp alternator? I dont know much about electrical and need an opinion whether this is safe.

[johnecon2001 82]

What wouldn't be safe about it?

How much power are you running to necessitate a larger battery?

You also should look into completing the Big 3 wiring upgrade.

[LittleMatt 0]

i have a 1000 watt orion xtr and my power wire is 4 guage, which im hoping to upgrade very soon. I read the thread on the "big three" that sounds like a plan. the only thing is im 3 hours from home and dont have any tools, yet there is a car audio place around here i may be able to run over there

oh yea and i want to do this battery upgrade becasue sometimes when im driving it almost seems like im getting good voltage on some days and bad voltage on other days. i know i have a stock alternator i was just hoping a better battery might do the trick.

Edited September 5, 2007 by LittleMatt

[woodguy 0]

The alternator is gonna be the bigger problem. If it is not putting out enough to keep up with your amp then it will slowly drain your system no matter what battery you buy.

[LittleMatt 0]

dang ok well, i'll save to upgrade electrical one of these days thanks for the good replys and help

[connersdad19 0]

i know this is almost a week old...but i would go big three then alternator and then to battery....if its still doing what it is now...then look into adding a small battery in the back.

[tommy 0]

yea definatly start with a big three upgrade to 1/0 IMO. made a big difference of my past rides. if i was running any real power on my new set-up it would be the first thing done....

[johnecon2001 82]

i know this is almost a week old...but i would go big three then alternator and then to battery....if its still doing what it is now...then look into adding a small battery in the back.

On a budget thats not really the best idea. I mean, you do need to do all three of those things eventually, but if you can get away with just the big three and a better battery up front, than why go out and blow 400-500+ on a new alt right away?

See what the cheap options do for you first before you commit to something bigger.

[tommy 0]

the cheap options add up also fast. i know a lot of people that go to a a larger more expensive battery and upgrade the cables and still have to buy an alt in the long run due to the annoyance of dimming lights and voltage drop. when if they just bought an alt in the first place they may not of had to upgrade the battery. some of these batteries cost well over 200 bucks. thats more then half the price of an alt if you shop around.....

[SouthPole1989 0]

you still are going to need to upgrade your bat. because i didn't upgrade me battery and i would 12.8 voltage drops with 1/0 big 3 . 200 amp alternator and a 4 year old ps battery that finaly died on 2 days ago. to bad i fired my subwoofer amp to see if it helps with voltage.

[aznboi3644 2]

My Duralast Gold is doing fine with my Nine.1 sucking juice from it....though i also have an Explorer with a bigger alt.

[tommy 0]

you still are going to need to upgrade your bat. because i didn't upgrade me battery and i would 12.8 voltage drops with 1/0 big 3 . 200 amp alternator and a 4 year old ps battery that finaly died on 2 days ago. to bad i fired my subwoofer amp to see if it helps with voltage.

thats a 4 year old battery.... the age was problably the reason it died, depending on how you treated it