Optima AGM Blue Top Marine Cranking Battery 800 CCA Group Size 34m

[bturner]

Wow. Those trays are nice. I am cheap but those are very very tempting. My g21 came with optima's. (Maybe owner before me put them in)

In my 210 it was hard to get the batteries out with out tilting them and sometimes they spilled just a wee bit. So I really like that these agm are spill proof and maintenance free. It was pretty much a pain to add water to them.

I am a little confused about comment about "changing charge profile plug over" with on board chargers. "An OPTIMA battery is an AGM battery, not a gel battery or regular flooded battery." Manual says, "Your battery charger is equipped with a user programmable battery type selector that is factory set for standard Flooded (lead-acid) / AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries." So out of the box on my g21 it is fine with factory installed charger. On the upgraded prosports 20 i guess you get a high performance agm setting...see attachment.

Those are what I used in the picture of my batteries in my post. My BIL has a machine shop and said unless here were running about 100 of them that would be about his cost after CAD, Machine set up and cut time. That will be one of my spring upgrades on my current boat this spring.

[MLA]

bturner

Similar to you, I to am not a stock holder in an Optima competitor's co. So my comments are not based on that. However, I have access to Optimas through Interstate Batteries and have chosen to go with other AGM brands. My experiences are both personal and professional. I have owned/used Optima personally, as well as im in a unique position to deal with others battery issues, and work to resolve them. Thats a large and diverse sample size.

Mounting options: Optima is not the only AGM that can be mounted on its side. I have a 10 year Shuriken thats been on its side from day 1 of installation.

More details as to why I choose others over Optima? The 2 major reasons have been touched, and you even confirmed one yourself. 1) low Ah to $$$ ratio. For the money, there are higher Ah AGM's with the same footprint. Take the optima 31 with 75Ah. A comparable 29 or 31 AGM might have better then 100Ah. Thats about 35% more Ah for the same size and similar price point. 2). Charging. Optima suggest to use their charger only. This is part marketing hype with a little truth thrown in. You yourself stated that after a very early failure, Optima suggested to get their charger. Well, To my knowledge, Optima does not offer a true marine on-board multi-bank smart charger. This leaves MANY boaters with a viable charger option. Boating goes well beyond trailer boats stored in your garage.

Though many chargers state they are compatible with AGM, I believe this to be true with most AGM, but Optima seems to be the exception, and by Optima's own words. I have come across Optima failures where a marine on-board charger with an AGM profile, was in use. Conversely, I have had these same chargers in use with other AGM, and experienced no issue. Given the number of variables, I still take these results with a little grain of salt, and not an absolute conclusion. So I revert back to reason #1 in the previous paragraph, and choose other AGM brands.

My point was to not paint all AGM's with those bullet points, if they are indeed Optima's.

I would not use grandpa's charger on any battery, AGM or WCLA. WCLA can last a number of seasons, depending on use and maintenance. I think most short lived batteries are a result of not enough maintenance and/or wrong battery for the job. This can happen with WCLA or AGM, neither is immune to neglect or wrong application.

[MLA]

Wow. Those trays are nice. I am cheap but those are very very tempting. My g21 came with optima's. (Maybe owner before me put them in)

In my 210 it was hard to get the batteries out with out tilting them and sometimes they spilled just a wee bit. So I really like that these agm are spill proof and maintenance free. It was pretty much a pain to add water to them.

I am a little confused about comment about "changing charge profile plug over" with on board chargers. "An OPTIMA battery is an AGM battery, not a gel battery or regular flooded battery." Manual says, "Your battery charger is equipped with a user programmable battery type selector that is factory set for standard Flooded (lead-acid) / AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries." So out of the box on my g21 it is fine with factory installed charger. On the upgraded prosports 20 i guess you get a high performance agm setting...see attachment.

I would add that if nautique really wanted to come across as premium they would go with a tray like this and ditch that piece of crap box, with the trash straps.

It is of my opinion, and that of at least one Promariner engineer, that the basic wet cell/standard AGM profile, is not suitable for an Optima, even though its an AGM. For a large AGM or Optima, I suggest changing the profile to the blue AGM HP cap.

[scottb7]

It is of my opinion, and that of at least one Promariner engineer, that the basic wet cell/standard AGM profile, is not suitable for an Optima, even though its an AGM. For a large AGM or Optima, I suggest changing the profile to the blue AGM HP cap.

I dont think I have that option on my mariner 12.

Sent from my SM-G973U1 using Tapatalk

[MLA]

The prosport12 does indeed have a changeable profile. However, Correct Craft may not have supplied the other profile cap, with your boat. It would have been in the charger's manual bag.

*EDIT*

Taking a closer look, it appears that the prosport12 only has the WCLA/standard AGM (black plug) and GEL (green) and NOT the bright blue AGM HP that the prosport20 does. I rarely use the 12 as I think for a few $$$ more, the higher capacity 20A is the way to go. So im not as intimately knowledgeable of the 12 as the 20. Sorry for the misinformation.

In this case, Id stick with an AGM no larger then a group 24 if you plan to use one side as a true house bank. I would also choose a different AGM then the Optima due to the limited charge profile selection.

[XBIGPUN66]

Scottb. I am pretty sure the battery "box" with straps is required boating eqipment. It is one of the items on the checklist for the coastguard safety inspection.

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[bturner]

Offshore boats have used trays forever in racing situations. They're also sold at most boating outlets.....

https://thmarinesupplies.com/collections/battery-trays

As a side note we're getting the tooling set up to start making the aluminum plates and should have them up on our site (leadingedgecut.com) in a week or so. Still looking at possible clean or color anodizing for a custom finish but when we do offer these at first they'll most likely be without anodizing.

[MLA]

Scottb. I am pretty sure the battery "box" with straps is required boating eqipment. It is one of the items on the checklist for the coastguard safety inspection.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

Box or booted terminals are acceptable among the 3+ marine suggestion org's.

[MLA]

[QUOTE]

Offshore boats have used trays forever in racing situations. They're also sold at most boating outlets.....

Im not into offshore racing..........are those boats registered watercraft, or like most other racing vehicles, and not street/water legal, but for "offroad" use only?

[bturner]

Donzi, Formula, Wellcraft all make pleasure boats equipped this way. Here's another ad for Marine Battery Trays from Bass Pro Shops.....

https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/bass...ttery-tray-kit

Here's another from West Marine.....

https://www.westmarine.com/buy/seafi...09_272_003_003

They're basically offered by every marine hardware vendor and manufacture. I know you want to be right here but I'm 99.9% certain you're wrong on this one. I've personally been running trays for 10+ years, had multiple inspections and never had anyone even ever mention them other than comment on how clean the installation was. Pretty much you're the first.

Wish I could find a spec but for some reason that seems elusive.