ddub

Uhhh no I don't see a problem. See there's this cover over the positive terminal... and it has a big *** PLUS sign on it, and a fuse... yah that's how you know it's the positive terminal. Not only that but the batter has a little negative and positive symbol next to each terminal.

Sorry I'm not that stupid, and I would hope that most people aren't. Even if you don't see the symbols on the battery, or the fuse, you have to remove the cover to get to the 2nd terminal and the cover shows a nice big + on it. My "buddies" aren't that stupid either.

Do you really have such low standards for people's intelligence? I try not to associate with people that'd be that stupid, so I won't have a problem.

Sorry for the resurrection of the thread, but I was searching for some info I had posted before and noticed I missed some replies in this thread.

FastRX8

This is kind of an old thread, but I saw it on the 1st page again so I decided to comment.

The Optima Yellow Top 35R is easy to find now.
I bought mine from Summit Racing. Ordered online, and shipping was very cheap.
Here's the link.
Also the pic of the stock next to the Optima.
W/ the included riser pad, it's perfect.
Cover still fits and all.

- Cesar -

Wurmfist

When I was looking I wasn't able to find a "R" type yellowtop so I just put the battery in backwards and extended the positive terminal with 6 gauge wire and the ground I didn't have to do anything with. Works like a charm. Strong start and nice music every time.

Ducky

Can you take pictures or at least gimmie a good picture on how you did this, i got my old yellow top on my garage shelf that used to be in my offroad vehicle, that i need to put in, but alas the same situation you were in, I was thinking of getting this:

http://streetwires.com/products/dist...ePowerDist.cfm

Just to make the wire longer (use it like a splice) and leave the fuse terminal on the battery and run it into one end of this, then run the other end on a new cable, to the starter, but its all hypothetical, if theres an easier way Id like to hear it, I hope you got pics.

forbidden

As taken from a serious SPL competitor and one that sells batteries.

"Yellow tops generally will take more abuse. They're designed for some cyclic use, not true DEEP discharges. But they can handle a bit of it.

You're sticking with just one battery you say. Costwise, red tops are the way to go. Don't let Cosco and Wal-Mart fool you by looking cheaper, they sell the smaller red tops, make sure you're getting a 34/78DT not a 35/75DT (the 35/75 is physically smaller, and not as much oomph of course). Of course, depending on your vehicle, you may have to go with the smaller one.

So, say you're in the habit of parking with the tunes on... Not for long, just for 10 minutes. But you do it once every day or two, say 15 to 20 times a month. That's habitual cycling. No, you're not discharging it deeply, but 10 minutes on a system of 1Kw or greater at say 60 to 70% output... That's significant. Your red top will not like you for this. Two or three years, four if you're lucky, and you'll be looking for a new one.

A yellow top will handle this abuse better. They are designed for much more severe abuse, and regular cycling. It might stand up to it for 5 or 6 years, more if you're lucky.

A red top that is not abused will last for years and years. My brother has one in his truck that will be ten years old this August (yes, we date our batteries). He does not have a stereo system. He's accidently drained it by leaving his dome lights on 3 or 4 times over the years. It's still going strong.

If you're using it for SPL competition purposes, a yellow top is the way to go. During competition, you abuse the heck out of it, so to get any more than one or two seasons out of them, go yellow. There is a group 31 Optima yellowtop (they don't make a red) that is very popular among the DbDrag crowd. It squeeks in under the 800cc rule, and is one powerful ****...

Basically, you weigh the odds. Reds cost much less & have a better warranty. But they won't handle severe abuse, and most severe abusers get a halved warranty, just like diesels and courier vehicles. Yellows cost much more, have less warranty (that has no diesel/courier/abuse clause), but handle abuse like nothing else."

Wurmfist

Yeah I'll try to get you a pic tonight. I didn't buy anything special, I had the wire and terminals hanging aroud in my garage. Unless you want it to look fancy just go buy some 6 or 4 gauge wire and two terminators at your local supplier, will be a lot cheaper. My cover covers it up anyways so it's not a big deal if the wire isn't fancy.

BoosTED

iTrader: (2)

I did the 34R Red Top but pulled it as I am getting the flooding TSB done and can get an upgraded Mazda battery if I have my stock one in.

Having the reverse posts is nice.

It is about an inch shorter than the stock battery maybe a touch more.

Ducky

Cool, Looking forward to seeing the pics of what you did.. try to take pics of all the areas you did so i can get a clear idea! THX!

Wurmfist

Ok, the zoomed in image looks really crappy but you can see what is necessary. I had the spare terminal and wire and terminations all in my garage so it didn't cost me a penny to do this. Other than buying the battery of course. You can see in the full view image that the negative terminal has enough extra wire to stretch to the terminal. Which is good cause I didn't want to compromise the ground. For the positive terminal I simply took some left over 4 gauge wire I had for my amp (I said it was 6 gauge earlier but now I think it was 4, 6 would work too.) I terminated the ends on about a 2 inch piece of wire and attached at both ends and connected my amp wire as well. See the pic, it was really easy. The cover still fits on no problem and you can't even tell I did anything (with it on). Hope this helped.

Ducky

Ok this next statement *might* be dumb since i never took my terminal off my battery yet, but im still confused on how you spliced the 4ga to the stock wire, because isnt there like a huge fuseblock or something attached to the stock coupler?

Wurmfist

No it's more of a junction box and if you measure your extension cable right it will sit in it's original spot and stay fairly stationary. It's completely covered in plastic in any case so if there is room for it to move a little it won't matter. The cover holds it in place too. I just used a terminal and bolted it directly to the original connector that would have gone onto the original battery terminal. Hope I didn't confuse you lol.

Ducky

Any way I can get a pic of your junction box magic?

Wurmfist

Yep, I'll get it today sometime for ya.

Ducky

Cool.. =D

Wurmfist

I got distracted last night and forgot about the pic, sorry for the delay.

Ducky

No Problem, my Yellowtop hasn't grown legs yet.

Ducky

Bump for the reminder!

Wurmfist

Yeah thanks for the reminder, I completly forgot. And now I'm away from home for three weeks now so....yep, sorry about that. Hopefully when I get home I can get the pics for ya. It's really simple though, the original mounting is all still there I didn't do anything with the junctions except use the existing hole to bolt down the extension. and connect the other side to the new terminal.

FastRX8

Check out this tread.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-optima-red-top-75-35-install-mod-33340/
Different battery, but he had to extend his cable also. You may have to adjust the length for the 51.

- Cesar -

ddub

You do not have to do anything to the cable length for the 51R, look at the pictures I posted in the beginning of the thread.

BoosTED

iTrader: (2)

Yup no need for extending cables... the battery Thew posted was a standard 51 red top not reverse post.

FastRX8

I was actually responding to the 10 post before mine from Ducky and Wurmfist discussing how to install the yellow tops that have the regular post.
If you buy an "R" battery you don't need anything else.

- Cesar -

ddub

Then you probably should'nt have said 51R

FastRX8

Oops, my mistake, I meant to refer to the 51 they were discussing. I edited the post to say 51.

mikeschaefer

I'm surprised nobody's said anything about capacitors yet. They will help with the light dimming problem, not to mention extend the life of your alternator AND battery.