optima 6v battery

[kevinanderson]

Anyone spring for an Optima 6v battery. Speedway in Lincoln,Ne says it has 900 cca. CAn this be true? And the price, yikes.

[BobT-47P15]

Some people have an Optima and are happy with it. Others did not have

quite as good luck. Not sure one is really necessary. I just use a normal

6v battery and it works good enough.

[1just4don]

saw the 12v models in Bomgaars yesterday $160.00 a pop but Bomgaars NEVER was the cheapest place to buy batteries!! No 6V on the shelf,spose they dont sell many of THOSE. Didnt look but sure they had 6V regulars around tho. VERY few Optimas even 12v. I think three,,,tons of regular battereis. I bought an optima for my Dodge pu a couple years ago and never got it installed in there,,I should now,,battery is getting weak. It instead got put in a Ford Peecup and got parked last winter. To this day I bet I could walk out there and start her up, open the door and lites still bright!! IF I could just find a 90's E4OD trans for a 460 4X4 I would love to drive her again!!

[curtiswyant]

I have a 6V optima redtop in my Dodge. I made a box for it out of an old army ammo box. It works fine, no problems, and I've never run it down even after a few "hard starts"

[49roadster]

I have an optima battery in both my '49 Dodge and the '49 Plymouth. The one in the Dodge is four yr. old and the Plymouth is three.

I have nothing but good to say about them.

[kevinanderson]

thnx guys. i am so leary of it spinning over so slow when cold and that milled head. do they really have that much cranking amperage?

[Norm's Coupe]

Kevin, I'm with Bob. I have a one group 6 volt lead acid battery in my coupe. Cost is only about $60. My coupe starts all year round even after sitting for several weeks or a month without a problem. I live in Wisconsin so I think we are normally a little colder than you are during winter.

[martybose]

thnx guys. i am so leary of it spinning over so slow when cold and that milled head. do they really have that much cranking amperage?

Oh yeah, they turn a motor over real well! I ran a 6V Optima for a couple of years with a 6V alternator on my flathead, never had a problem with it.

That said, the biggest issue with gettting a flathead to turn over is usually the battery cables. If the cables are 0 or 00 gauge, you'll be fine. If someone has substituted a 4 gauge setup from the local auto parts store, you're in trouble regardless of the battery.

Marty

[grey beard]

TWO Optimas in parallel (pos to pos, neg to neg) will give you nearly two thousand cold cranking amperes - you could crank that cold engine till the radiator boils. AND, they will both fit into the same space as your old 6-volt battery. Someone even makes a case they will fit into and it looks like a 5-volt lead acid battery. These batteries can be laid on their sides, upsixde down, etc., and do not gas - jell cell technology. They're the best on the market, IMHO. Sorta' spendy, but what a cranking system that would make!

AND, why would anyone who owns an older MoPar think of installing a group one battery in a six volt system? They came new with group II, if memory serves. This is what it takes to get the job done in cold weather with those double ought cables mentioned above. A group II costs only a few dollars more than a group I at my battery dealer - Interstate. Mine cranks at the same speed cold or hot with a new group II and a newly overhauled starter fed by Tractor Supply welding cable with soldered ends. I heartily recommend the recipe to anyone.

[Norm's Coupe]

AND, why would anyone who owns an older MoPar think of installing a group one battery in a six volt system? They came new with group II, if memory serves. This is what it takes to get the job done in cold weather with those double ought cables mentioned above. A group II costs only a few dollars more than a group I at my battery dealer - Interstate. Mine cranks at the same speed cold or hot with a new group II and a newly overhauled starter fed by Tractor Supply welding cable with soldered ends. I heartily recommend the recipe to anyone.

Primarily cause the Battery Shop book says that's what came in these cars. First battery I bought direct from the battery shop said Group I in the book. Cost didn't enter into the decision. This was a Remy Battery factory store.

[Jim Shepard]

I put one in my B2B, mainly because it was recommended by Fifth Avenue for their 6V alternator, which I had purchased. I, too, had to fab a holder because Optima doesn't make one for the 6V, but it worked out fine. I've never had a problem with it or the alternator. I liked the idea of keeping it 6V but I wanted more reliable charging, which the alternator gives me. I've got an old Ford 9N tractor that is 6V and it seems like I'm always buying batteries for it. But, then again, I don't use it that much and it sits all through the winter months...

[49roadster]

Keep in mind that 6v started the 1955 Chrysler C300 Hemi. I should start that 218.

[Norm's Coupe]

For you guys who want the Optima batteries, you don't have to make your own holder, unless you just want to. Places like Speedway, etc. sell battery holder/trays for the Optima.

[Jerry Roberts]

I bought my 6 volt optima in march 2005 and no problems yet . Cost was $118 and shipping was free . It spins the engine almost like a 12 volt system . My notes from talking with the distribution center say that the battery is 800 cca and 980 mca , I don't remember what mca stands for ( possibly max cranking amps ? ) Their literature states that the optima can sit for 8 to 12 months without recharge . No corrosion around the terminals is a plus .

[martybose]

For you guys who want the Optima batteries' date=' you don't have to make your own holder, unless you just want to. Places like Speedway, etc. sell battery holder/trays for the Optima.[/quote']

I've never seen one that is made for the 6V Optima, which is a 3x1 cell battery; they're all for the 12V, which is a 3x2 cell battery.

I had to make my own for mine.

Marty

[greg g]

my 46 P15 battery tray is sized for a group 1. the group 2 is to large to fit.

[kevinanderson]

thnx guys. my system is all new. and with the big cables(H's and M's on the farm). just want it to spin faster. i always get alittle ansey when it wont catch after the 3 or 4 revolution. but i do have to say it has never, ever let me down.

[Arthur1947]

I have an Optima. I actually have two. The first one I bought in 03. I thought it was dead so I bought another. Come to find out I was charging it wrong/12v setting. If anyone wants the new one feel free to make me an offer. I'd hate to see such a good battery go to waste so any offer would be considered. I've only used it to start my plymouth a few times but I have made sure it still holds a charge.

Best.

ARTHUR

[Jerry Roberts]

Here is the info on the case to make your 6 volt optima look like a normal battery . The optima sits into the case diagonally and it ends up as the size of a group 2 battery . So if your vehicle battery tray is for a size group 1 it won't work . Go to www.quailservices.com I have not purchased from this company so I can't vouch for them myself .

[Don Jordan]

My friend across the street has an old Ford tractor - he let me borrow his Optima 8v - I am about ready to buy one. I don't think it should hurt anything and it gives that little extra kick when needed.

Will this wreck havoc with my electrical system?

And like others have said I think they are a bit pricey.