It appears my Trik-L-Start died sometime in the last few months, so my Optima Red
Tops (34/78) are dead as door nails. I felt at least one was pretty weak anyway, so I don't feel TOO bad.
So the question is, stick with Red Tops or go with something else? Does Walmart carry Optima 34s? I have 34/78s in there but a 34 will do fine. Funny - Amazon has the 34/78s (http://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batteries-8004-003-Starting-Battery/dp/B00075OSC4/ref=sr_1_2?s=gateway&ie=UTF8&qid=1284949791&sr=8-2) cheaper than the 34s!
I just bought two Red Top 34s from O'Reilly Auto Parts. $432. It was no bargain, but the batteries arrived at the store in about 24 hours, the batteries were fresh, and O'Reilly's took the cores. Also, the new batteries were exact replacements so that all cables and mounting components were just right.
Since we always plug in during storage at home, I turn on boost when I park the coach at home.
Sam's Club sells Optima and we picked up some earlier this year.
Did you check the voltage out from your Trik L Start? And the wire connections? And the battery post connections?
I had 2 batteries for our diesel p/u truck from WalMart, their testers use a lower than acceptable value for cold cranking amps and voltage . So when my 3 year complete replacement batteries and 7 year prorated went bad they said the batteries were good even though they would't crank my diesel p/u, Oriellys tester said the batteries were bad. WalMart would not honor their warranty. Orielly honored one of my red top Optima from motorhome last year and their tester seems to be more than acceptable values.
Oriellys stores have been good to us and even helped us to get parts while on trip in motorhome. We will not buy batteries from WalMart again!!!
BTW; we installed a battery maintainer from Orielly that is weather proof and used a relay so when engine isn't running the maintainer is charging the engine batteries
Well, I thought it over and went to NAPA, picked up their 84 series group 34 at slightly under 100 bucks each plus tax. Although the terminals are slightly more 'outboard', the distance positive to positive is the same, so the factory custom cables mate up perfectly. I had one clamp that was cracked, so I hack sawed it off and fitted a new end on.
Locally, the Optimas would have cost me 195.00 each plus tax. Online, 160-175.00 each including shipping. But there would have been no production date guarantee at that price. Optima has some funny warranty issues, including a requirement to deal with your original retailer. The NAPA is 2 year free replacement, 5 more years prorated, anywhere. Ordered a new Trik-L-Start too. Saved at least $150 or so from my perspective... That's another battery and a half! Specs are nearly the same.
Oh - and the old batteries, after 2+ hours paralleled to the MK 8Ds plus solar? After removing, 7.5V, 5.8V, and 6.6V respectively. They 'appear' to be right at 4 years old - punch out was 10/6. Could be 14 though. too. Oct 06 would have been a month before I bought the coach - but I remember looking at them then and they didn't look new.
What is a Grp 34 Battery, is it similar to a Grp 31 w/threaded posts?
Can not find one on the internet, where am I going wrong?
Dave
I recently put a pair of these in our 1997 U295. They were an exact replacement for the old batteries. They are Red Top Group 34.
http://shop.optimabatteries.com/products/productdetail/part_number=34/1737.0.1.1 (http://shop.optimabatteries.com/products/productdetail/part_number=34/1737.0.1.1)
Group 34 has posts on top. Group 78 has posts on side, Group 34/78 has posts on top AND side...