battery isolators

[one_fast_prix]

this if for my 93 3.1 cavy:

i'm going with two batteries in the trunk, i have a red top and yellow top d34/78 i'm relocating my red top to the trunk do to my turbo setup using the existing 4ga. ran for the system and going to connect my yellow top with it in parallel + to +, - to - for the stereo while the car is off. now i know i'm going to have to get an isolator, but when i went to research them it looks like there is many different kinds and wondering if someone knows which ones are the best to go with? also if i need to do anything else, just shoot it my way. i also believe i should get battery boxes with vents, even know these are optimas.

[Garrett Powered]

just take a mdf board and screw 2 battery trays to it. I used plastic trays. and take a can of great stuff foam and use foam to glue the board down with the trays attached. also a good idea to bungee cord it up against the back seats too or use giant zip ties to strap it down and around. you canuse a lot of foam around/ between them and protect them with foil first. trim and carpet around there too. I used a 120 amp isolater with an E- post which if mounted in the trunk means you may have to run a 12 gauge wire back for that. it will be a sweet set-up if you get good enough grounds and at least 2 ga. wire all the way back.

[chevyguyss18]

As far as the isolators go, i dont know why you would need to use an isolator if your planning on wiring them in paralell. I got optimas in my trunk and everything works excellent. Also Optima Red Tops are for under the hood, as they have more CCA., which will help in starting the vehicle, yellow tops are for the trunk where they have the reserve you want. Thats what i'd do unless you already have a decent battery under the hood and your just plannin on addin these 2 in the trunk just for more juice. Battery boxes arent necessary being that their optimas and their GEL celled. You can mount them upside down if you want and it wont harm anything or leak. Using the boxes to give them a more clean look would be fine, but if its safety your goin for you dont have to worry.

[one_fast_prix]

i relocated the starter battery to the trunk and also added a yellow top. as far as the optimas go, do they still need to be vented?

 

[chevyguyss18]

no, theydont need to be vented as they dont produce any gases.

[Garrett Powered]

no, theydont need to be vented as they dont produce any gases.

if they dont put out any gasses then your amps not big enough. also if your not needing an isolater yet, your amps not big enough. and your not putting out enough bass yet.

 

if you dont have over 1200 watts to your sub and the sub magnet does not weigh between 30-50 lbs with 4 inch voice coil.....yea, you cant use that much power. enough to drain a deepcycle battery of all its power while the alt is charging it, and the car running- in a matter of a half hour or so. yes, the optimas, or any battery no matter who makes it will emit gasses that are sulferry in smell. that gas is harmless and will go away if you roll down the windows and pop the trunk. not like they permeate in the interior or nothin. takes a bad ass amp hitting super low on a high excursion sub. it drains the best-of-the-best charging systems of any car make or model. most systems of this caliber are only recommended installed in full size vehicles like escallades, full size chevys and such as they come equipped with the mighty cs-144 series alternaters. the huge ones only come on v-8s and on emergency vehicles. the biggest that will fit on any v-6 cars would be the cs-130-d and an isolater to keep the alt from working itself to death trying to charge 2 big batteries and an amp.

[Supreme Cutlass]

no, theydont need to be vented as they dont produce any gases.

if they dont put out any gasses then your amps not big enough. also if your not needing an isolater yet, your amps not big enough. and your not putting out enough bass yet.

 

if you dont have over 1200 watts to your sub and the sub magnet does not weigh between 30-50 lbs with 4 inch voice coil.....yea, you cant use that much power. enough to drain a deepcycle battery of all its power while the alt is charging it, and the car running- in a matter of a half hour or so. yes, the optimas, or any battery no matter who makes it will emit gasses that are sulferry in smell. that gas is harmless and will go away if you roll down the windows and pop the trunk. not like they permeate in the interior or nothin. takes a bad ass amp hitting super low on a high excursion sub. it drains the best-of-the-best charging systems of any car make or model. most systems of this caliber are only recommended installed in full size vehicles like escallades, full size chevys and such as they come equipped with the mighty cs-144 series alternaters. the huge ones only come on v-8s and on emergency vehicles. the biggest that will fit on any v-6 cars would be the cs-130-d and an isolater to keep the alt from working itself to death trying to charge 2 big batteries and an amp.

 

Optima Batteries don't require venting because they don't use the typical Dry-cell chemicals. In a regular battery it will vent Hydrogen gas as part of the chemical process. An optima battery doesn't use {typical} lead and acid for it's cell power so they can get away with sealing it. It's not just a matter of power draw, it's how the battery is built.

[Garrett Powered]

actually it does use lead and hydrocloric acid. who told you that? the electrolyte is absorbed in a fabric and wound up between the lead sheets in spiral shaped cells.

[19Cutlass94]

These two questions from the Optima website will answer this.

 

1. What does the SPIRALCELL® design do?

 

The unique design of the SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY. provides many features not available in ordinary batteries. The following is a summary

 

SPIRALCELL TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES:

More plate surface, closer plate spacing, ability to use high purity lead. RESULTING IN: Low internal resistance. This low resistance gives you more power in a smaller box, ability to recharge much faster, higher, cleaner voltage characteristics during discharge

 

 

Immobilized plates (locked in place). RESULTING IN: Improved vibration resistance, no shedding of active paste material, no gradual loss of power and capacity as the battery ages. This gives you a battery that lasts longer and performs better throughout its life.

Back to top

 

2. Does OPTIMA® ever gas?

 

When used with a properly regulated constant voltage charging system (such as an alternator) the OPTIMA will usually not emit hydrogen gas. However, gassing can occur when charging at higher voltage levels or in extreme high temperature conditions. In automotive applications this typically will not happen if the alternator/regulator stay below 15 volts.

 

So in the end, you guys are both kinda right.

 

And one more;

10. Can I use an isolator with an OPTIMA?

 

Yes, most any type of battery separator or solenoid can be used with an OPTIMA. The important thing to remember is that the charging voltage must be within the limits suggested by OPTIMA Batteries. If you are using an OPTIMA and a conventional battery, your system must charge each battery independently. Remember, some isolators cause a voltage drop, make sure your charging voltage AT THE BATTERY is sufficient. Continued undercharging of a battery will lead to premature failure and a drop in capacity.