Reply With QuoteOptimas are great if you need to mount them upside down. That is about the only advantage to Gel Technology. Otherwise, what Feelay said (I don't fish as much as Feelay, but I get 5-6 years out of my Interstates).
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Crappie Wall Hanger
I have the blue top Optima, 2 yellow top Optimas, and an interstate deep cycle marine battery. When I fish out of the 2 man boat with the 55lb Minn Kota, they are all about the same. I have to take 2 batteries if I want to fish all day. One will wear down, no matter the type or color, they all go flat after about 2:00. I assumed the $200 Optima battery would last me all day due to the cost, but I was wrong. It lasted about the same as the regular marine battery.
With my 36v Motor guide I have the 2 yellow tops and the interstate in series. I have never had these go down. I charge them all to 100% and then fish all day. I have actually fished 2 eight hour days on these batteries and they were still in good shape when I was loading up heading home. When I put them on the charge, the interstate was showing over 1/2 way drained and the yellow tops were about 50%.
Now I will say this, I bought the first yellow top Optima the spring after my daughter was born, and she is going to be 5 this year, and the battery is still going strong. I got the 2nd yellow top the following spring and it is still kicking as well.
Maybe the double cost on the Optima will be worth it if the battery will last double the life.
Cost per battery versus performance, I will not be getting any more Optimas.
Trophy King
Optimas are great if you need to mount them upside down. That is about the only advantage to Gel Technology. Otherwise, what Feelay said (I don't fish as much as Feelay, but I get 5-6 years out of my Interstates).
Crappie.com Legend
I think the gel technology is much misunderstood. They do not provide more run time than traditional flooded cell batteries. In fact, in most cases, the Reserve Capacity is slightly lower for a comparable group size.
The advantage to gel over flooded cell is:
Slightly less weight for a comparable group
Longevity - meaning the number of cycles of charge and discharge before replacement
Zero maintenance - don't need to worry about water
Vibration resistance - don't have to worry about a cell busting and ruining the batter (this is a very slight advantage in that a well made battery won't give you this trouble, but it does happen)
As mentioned, you can mount upside down if desired.
So, if you're a spider rigger, you can expect twice the life out of a blue top Optima compared to, say a Wally World special. Perhaps 3 times the longevity or a "speshul" battery or maybe twice the life of a more expensive one like Die Hard or AC Delco. In my mind, I would expect less than twice the life of a premium battery, such a Trojan. Now, I'm talking spider rigging and single poling here.
If you want to pull cranks or maybe even long line with Optimas or gel batteries, you're going to be sorely dissappoinged. #1 you won't get more capacity than a comparable sized flooded cell and the big one, #2, gell does not like to be fully discharged (ie run way down to say 30% charge or less) you will loose the longevity of the battery and as Torch mentioned, you potentially could ruin the battery.
Thats it. Class dismissed. Oh, but don't forget to do you're homework.
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Wannabe...v2.0
A lot like the old Wannabe... except with fewer bad words. And Karate chop action. But, yes, still purtier than you.
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All battery casings and most batteries are made in Mexico, along with most electrical switches.Originally Posted by crappiholic
[SIGPIC]Drake Waterfowl Prostaff, Dakota Decoys Prostaff,F&F Boats, Mercury Marine, Rig Em Right, Crappie Logic Jigs, Slab Bandits, Hayes Calls, and Kick's Choke Tubes.
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