Battery Questions: Marine & Optima

[JG-Man]

I have a used winch which I plan to install some day. However, I need a real battery to power it so I have been looking for deals.

I have come across some sweet deals on MARINE batteries and was wondering if they would work OK starting my XJ and being charged by the alternator, etc. There is an Optima Blue Top for sale locally that is a powerhouse as far as CCA and capacity and a DieHard Marine battery that has only 500 CCA but lots of reserve hours.

[4.3LXJ]

The Optima batteries have lots of reserve. I have a yellow top for a winch battery that I like a lot. The yellow tops are a deep cycle battery, as well as the marine. Generally the yellow tops are a little cheaper.

[JG-Man]

Yes, I know that yellow tops are the gold standard for winch equipped 4x4s, I should have put that in my question; --> In looking for deals on yellow tops, I have happened across a great deal on a blue top (people want more for their used yellow tops than Costco sells them for new!) So I was wondering if I score a blue top or another brand, really good "marine" battery if I will be screwing myself, or if I buy it, end up having to go with a dual battery setup (one to run the Jeep and the marine for the winch) which I want to avoid since the winch will see light duty at first.

[4.3LXJ]

Well, IMO I would stick with the optima. you can mount them anywhere, mine are in the back along with my 1750 watt inverter. they never give off acid fumes. Every time you pull a conventional battery down, it gives off hydrogen gas and starts to get sulphur deposits on the posts and will eventually start eating everything else up. You just don't get this with an optima. That is one reason they make such good winch batteries.

[JG-Man]

Yes, I know that yellow tops are the gold standard for winch equipped 4x4s, I should have put that in my question; --> In looking for deals on yellow tops, I have happened across a great deal on a blue top (people want more for their used yellow tops than Costco sells them for new!) So I was wondering if I score a blue top or another brand, really good "marine" battery if I will be screwing myself, or if I buy it, end up having to go with a dual battery setup (one to run the Jeep and the marine for the winch) which I want to avoid since the winch will see light duty at first.

[Mudderoy]

I think a marine battery would be find as a secondary battery, but not your only battery. I'm hoping to go to a second battery when I do my snorkel.

[muddeprived]

Either Yellow or Blue will work. They have different versions of the Blue top, some being deep cycle and some starting batteries. I like the blue top deep cycle batteries because they have extra battery terminals on top.


FYI, i almost bought a blue top at Sears 6 years ago but the salesman convinced me to go with die hard that had the same specs at the blue top but with a 7 year warranty compared to the optima's 1 year. I was so glad I did because that die hard battery lasted four years of constant winching abuse and held up just fine. One time I winched for 30 minutes straight and the battery drained but it recharged as i kept the vehicle running and still was problem-free after that. Even though it's not deep cycle, it still holds up well.

[JG-Man]

I was just informed the blue top is sold :(
Hmm what are the minimum specs I should be looking for in any battery that I will use on a winch equipped 4.0L Jeep?

[muddeprived]

http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/yellowtop/specs.php

You can just look for a battery with the same specs as the optimas or with a higher rating.

[JG-Man]

I clicked on the link at the bottom of this thread:
http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/?gclid=CJyomdqV0p0CFRWbnAodQDsrrA
It lists all the specs of all the optima batteries if that is helpful to anyone else beside me. Thanks all.