FWIW, a Yellow top is meant to be a deep cycle battery, meaning it is for slow discharge, slow recharge. Originally designed for using in applications such as a trolling motor for a boat, where you would charge it for a couple days, then use it over a couple days, then recharge it slowly again, etc. The Yellow top can be used in an automotive function, but your car or truc's system is designed for a fast discharge (starting) then fast recharge, and simultaneously have the alternator carry the load of running electrical components.

Basically, it comes to choices among compromises:

If you plan on sitting in one place without the engine running to listen to your system, the Yellow top is a better choice, but don't expect it to last as long for starting and functioning in an automotive system as a Red top.

If you are looking to replace the OEM battery with a superior product for starting and everyday use, then a Red top will provide years of service and great starting power in all kinds of conditions, but it won't last as long for listening to your stereo when the engine isn't running.

My Suburban has a dual battery setup, with a red top for starting and a yellow top for power supply when the engine is off, giving me the best of both worlds. My F150 only has room for one battery, but the Red top was put in with less than 50 miles on the truck and I am a firm believer in the Optima quality.

 

I bought the yellow top....for obvious reasons

 

you bought a yellow battery to match your truck?

 

Lots of very intelligent replies to this thread so far, but I just want to add my experience with a yellow top. It lasted 3 years. I only ran it dead one day running my 800w RMS stereo for about 5 hours at maybe 60% volume. (yes I started the truck for 10 minutes a couple times, but I was trying to get my work done at my CONSTRUCTION JOB (haterz in Gen Disc). I think it was probably still good when I chunked it. I didn't realize I had a significant key-off draw, and the testers at autoparts warehouses don't give Optima's the correct test. I really wish I'd held onto it.

 

You can't go wrong going with the Optima...they are worth every penny IMO. I am getting a red top to go in my Firebird as soon as I think about while I am in town (only reason I am going with the red top is the car is red...and will not have much draw at all).

On a side note...AT LEAST HERE Optimas are distributed by Interstate Battery, and if you have a distribution center near you you can pick up a "blemished" (sticker scratched or other minor cosmetic blem) Optima of $35-$40. I didn't realize they had them until I went to get a lawn mower battery from them a few months ago and they had about 20 (red, yellow and blues) on a pallet with the rest of the blem batteries. That's were my red top is coming from!

 

I was told they didn't have any blems but had refurbished batteries for $30.00. They said the tested them charged them and tested them again, seems like a good deal. What do you Optima users think about this option? $30.00 is cheap!!

 

I have a Red top I purchased at Sears over a year ago. I have PIAA lights front and rear and a winch and have had zero problems. It has been great(in my opinion) and definitley worth the price (in comparison) to the factory battery. There is a dual battery set-up I read on a project F150 "Fiery Redhead" I believe it was called and they had one red and one yellow. The red for daily use, and the deep cycle yellow for winch, stereo and extended use. From what I have read the Yellow is slow discharge but also slow recharge in comparison to the Red top which has a faster recharge time, As was mentioned above. I also did notice that the Red Top had more CCA than the yellow.
As mentioned before, I think you can't go wrong either way.

 

But you deffintly 100% cant go wrong with that fireyredhead set up

 

I'm looking to upgrade to an Optima battery for obvious reasons, but I can't pick between yellow and red. I have an extremely short commute <2 miles, so it looks like red would be a better option. But I tailgate with my truck and run the stereo a few hours at a time.

Should I get a Redtop for my everyday use and just make sure to run the truck for a few minutes every now and then while tailgating? Or do you think I'd be fine with the yellowtop? Thanks

 

The red top has 3 times the warranty of the yellow top and it is a starting battery unlike the yellow top. I have a yellow car and I put in the red top battery.
<-- Optima dealer.

 

that is what I'm wanting to do. I'd like to put a red top in place of my stock battery, and put a yellow top in my toolbox to run all of my accessories. how would I go about doing something like that?

 

You can fit two optimas in that one battery spot...

http://www.wranglernw.com/pc-6363-79...2003-2005.aspx

 

LOL thats for a wrangler

 

Back in '92 while living in Phx I buoght an '88 T-bird that the previous owner put a red top in,I drove it for 3 years in the Arizona heat and then moved back to Cleveland and drove it for another 5 years in Ohio winters with absolutly zero problems with that battery. I finally sold the car with the red top still in it, AFAIK that battery may still be working. Now for the technical jargon, an Optima battery uses a coiled cell technology that has several advantages over a traditional flat plate (square) battery.

1 Coiled cell batteries are less prone to thermal damage than a flat plate design, plate style batteries begin to warp when the internal temp reaches about 120 F, when they warp far enough for two plates to touch each other it creates a dead short in that cell rendering the battery useless (the major reason a standard battery lasts about 18 months in the desert southwest)

2 A coiled cell is physically stronger than a flat plate cell which translates into better durability.

another advantage that Optima batteries have is that they use an electrolytic gel instead of an electrolytic solution (battery acid) like the standard batteries use, and this means that they can be mounted on thier side, or even upside down and nothing will leak out

 

OK Im bringing this topic back. I have the same question as Vtron. I drain the heck out my stock battery all the time with my stereo but I dont have a long commute. which one would be best if my commute is around 5 miles every day?

Another side note...I have a stock Ford alarm installed on my truck, and when I run my battery down to a certain point (almost dead) I go to turn my truck on and the alarm cuts the engine off and sounds the horn. In order to fix this I have been undoing the "ground" bolt to the alarm, jumping the truck, then reconnecting the battery. Anyone else have this problem?