Why Upgrade Your Electrical Output?
Perhaps the most famous AGM battery is the Optima RedTop that has roots dating back to the ’70s. Optima uses a Spiralcell technology that feature six spiral-wound rolls. Each roll is made of two pure lead plates separated by a micro fiberglass blend that holds the electrolytes in a uniform suspension and keeps the plates from touching. The Spiralcells are bound together in a virgin polypropylene housing with the familiar Optima Six Pack design. The history and experience that Optima brings has kept them as a leader in the AGM battery market for many years and while there are other options, there are also a number of kits out there designed specifically for Optima battery housings, making them often the easiest choice to turn to when making a battery upgrade. Whatever your 4x4’s electrical needs—and they can vary greatly from vehicle to vehicle—there is really no downside to improving the power bank that supplies your vehicle’s electrical requirements.
Common Battery Measurements
Volts are the unit measuring the difference in electrical potential between the positive and negative terminals of a battery.
The rate of flow of charged carriers (usually electrons or electron-deficient atoms).
Unit of electrical current, amps are defined as the amount of electrical charge that flows through a conductor in a given time.
The current a battery can provide for 30 seconds at 32 degrees F without dropping below 7.2 V.
The current a battery can provide for 30 seconds at 0 degrees F without dropping below 7.2 V. Modern-day industry requirements are based on CCA, but it is a more relevant measurement for people who live in sub-freezing climates.
same as Cranking Amps. A measurement more common for batteries not used in icy conditions.
The current a battery can provide for 30 seconds at 80 degrees F that a battery can provide without dropping below 7.2 V. This is not really a common way to measure automotive batteries anymore.
The battery’s ability to deliver 25 amps at 80 degrees F while sustaining a minimum of 10.5 V, measured in minutes.
What is an AGM Battery?
The Optima RedTop is an AGM battery with lead plates turned into Spiralcells for a signature look that has distinguished Optima batteries for years. AGM batteries are non-spilling VRLA batteries that come in both starting and deep cycle versions and have their lead plates separated by media that hold the electrolytes close. These batteries are often mistakenly called “dry cells” or “gel cells”—both of which are incorrect. Dry cell batteries are not used in