I'm looking at getting an Optima D34 Yellow top for my TH. Looking in the new sticky thread about dimming headlights, it says that to fit one it requires modification... Can anybody thats fitted one let me know exactly what sort of modification is needed to make one fit in the stock space? And does it still allow fitment of the battery box?

no modification rqd....
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/4933/enginebay2hs7.th.jpg (http://img145.imageshack.us/my.php?image=enginebay2hs7.jpg)

:confused: Hmmm, ok. Maybe somebody should correct the new sticky thread in here then...

Thanks for that Tim. Do you fit the battery box over the top of that aswell?

Yeah no modification at all. Even the terminals are on the correct side. You will just need to play around with the brace that holds it in but it will hold...:D

oooh very nice battery

I was forced into buying a new battery just last week after mine died, it had a hard life but the New D34 should be good, now just need to put system back in and see how it goes.

very easy to install no mods as tim said.

:confused: Hmmm, ok. Maybe somebody should correct the new sticky thread in here then...

Thanks for that Tim. Do you fit the battery box over the top of that aswell?
Nah no battery box for me.

Yup, chucked it in this weekend, fit straight in even with the battery cover etc. Although it is a bit shorter, and so doesn't clip in on the little brace that goes across anymore. Now all I need to do is upgrade the negative terminal and the ground wire.

Fits straight in, but as said above the stock brace is a little to short. Just had a nut or two, and it will be fine again :)

Yeah I had one too, no modifications.

They are bloody heavy though.

i up graded my factory earth that stopped dimming a lil bit, but i am looking to upgrade my battery as well, how much do the D34s go for now?

Between $350-$400 retail usually.

Between $350-$400 retail usually.

:shock:

and or those of us who do not know any better.....what makes these batteries so special that it is worth spending that much money on??

:shock:

and or those of us who do not know any better.....what makes these batteries so special that it is worth spending that much money on??
They'll last 10 years...

u do the math :)

hmm......i have an Exide Evolution Battery here, cant remember of hand its CCA's, bout 550 i think....has lasted 8 years so far, and it still starts our Ford LTD which has a 5.8 litre V8 donk......cost $120.......i just did the math........anything else?

Well if you arent into performance/audio probably not worth the coin. Just go a cheapy.

I have mine for my audio, and everything also seems to work better in the car. Just seems to have more juice for everything. (could be in my head)

I've never had a flat with it so peace of mind. I occasionally leave my stereo going at events/comps and can happily let it run for hours and know it will start.

No maintenance required, you can run them flat hundreds of times with no problems unlike wet batteries, as soon as you run them flat they will start to deteriorate and wont hold their charge as well

Can you mount it upside down?

Does it leak? Need maintainance?

Does it power 100A of amps day in day out plus an "engine" lights etc? Even with 550CCA it will be in-efficient and when running decent amps, you will still get dancing headlights. They can also sit there for years and maintain charge ( not that you would want to ).

Should look at the Optima D34M. Its the blue top, cost me $340, it has an extra set of terminals so you can jump start / charge the battery without having to hook it up on a your sexy gold terminals if you get them. I think the D34 Yellow top is about $10 cheaper.

Thanks for that guys....just the kind of info i was looking for.......Tim....yes I am into car audio......running 2 amps (sub amp at 800W RMS, cant remember the other).......and I know i am in desperate need of a better battery........so it looks like they D34 might be they way for me to go.....if only i could persuade the missus into letting me spend that much seeing ive already spend $3500 on my sound system......

Thanks Guys:D

Thanks for that guys....just the kind of info i was looking for.......Tim....yes I am into car audio......running 2 amps (sub amp at 800W RMS, cant remember the other).......and I know i am in desperate need of a better battery........so it looks like they D34 might be they way for me to go.....if only i could persuade the missus into letting me spend that much seeing ive already spend $3500 on my sound system......

Thanks Guys:D

Just make it an even $4k :D Do it!!

This is some light reading from the odyssey battery site:

What is Drycell?
Pure virgin lead; not corrosive in sulfuric acid.
Grids can be made extremely thin.
Thin grids allow more plates per cell.
More plates - more plate surface area.
More surface area for chemical reaction.
Result - 40% greater pulse discharge power, especially for first 5 seconds.
Worlds only pulse power and true deep cycle - all in one battery.
40% more 5 second cranking amps.
400 cycles to 100% depth of discharge.
High pressure sealed design, explosion-proof and completely safe for in passenger compartment mounting.
Batteries are certified by USDOT and IATA as non-hazardous, nonspillable for shipment by UPS or air transport.
Exclusive 4 year full limited warranty against factory defects materials or workmanship on PC 2150.
Exclusive pure-lead design (not gel) offers performance capabilities not available from conventional batteries.

Metal jacketed vs. Non-metal jacketed: The metal jacket is needed if it's being mounted near heat to protect the plastic of the battery from swelling. The lead plates are under much higher pressure than a lead acid battery and if the plastic heats up, the plates will want to expand outward which can ruin the battery if it doesn't have a jacket.

Cold Cranking Amps: For all the power, durability, and life of our technology, the cca ratings can seem disapointing. That's because the cca ratings are misunderstood. Odyssey batteries are SLI (starting, lighting and ignition), so if you are looking for a starting or reserve battery the cold cranking numbers can be irrelevant.

The "standard" cca test measures the output of a battery for 30 seconds of crank at 0 degrees with the ending voltage of the battery being 7.2v. Some companies use 15 or 20 seconds and some companies use 32 degrees which can make for better results.

A vehicles starter isn't designed to withstand 30 seconds of cranking so we feel the batteries starting power is more important. The Odyssey part numbers represent the 5 second cranking power of the battery.

The PC680 is rated at 680 amps for 5 seconds, 595 amps for 10 seconds, and 525 amps for 20 seconds. Cranking power is even higher for the first four seconds. Similar sized lead acid batteries are only rated at 180 - 220 amps.

Battery Testing
1. The voltage of the battery needs to be measured.
2. If the voltage is less than 12.65 the battery needs to be charged with at least a six amp automotive style charger. A trickle charge will not work and could possibly ruin the battery if it is discharged. This needs to be done outside of the vehicle.
3. The battery needs to sit for 24 hours outside of the vehicle and the voltage tested again to see if the battery holds the charge.
4. The battery needs to load tested based on the maufacturers specifications to determine if the battery can pass a load test. The load test can only be performed on a fully charged battery.

Load Testing:
PURPOSE: generally performed because the battery is not performing as expected or as specified. This test will determine the battery’s overall condition and its ability to deliver an engine’s starting current requirement while maintaining a specific battery terminal voltage.
NOTE: Most Load Testers can be adjusted for the temperature of the battery. It is important to best determine the temperature of the battery and adjust the tester accordingly.
TEST PROCEDURE:
Step 1: Battery terminal voltage must be 12.60V or greater to test. If the battery voltage is below 12.60V, charge battery before testing.
Step 2: Connect the Load Tester cables and the test leads of a separate Digital Voltmeter (±0.25% DC accuracy, if the Tester has no direct DC Voltage Meter) to the battery terminals.
Step 3: Adjust the Tester Current Load to achieve ½ the Cold Cranking Amperage (CCA) rating of the battery and apply it for 15 seconds.
Step 4: At the end of 15 seconds, note the battery voltage on the Tester Voltmeter or the Digital Voltmeter and discontinue the test.
TEST EVALUATION:
This test is a pass or fail. Compare the recorded test voltage to the chart below. If the battery test voltage is above the appropriate voltage at the determined battery temperature, the battery tests OK. If the test voltage is below, then the battery failed and needs to be replaced.

BATTERY TEMPERATURE vs. END OF TEST VOLTAGE

70° +
- 9.60V
60° - 9.50V
50° - 9.40V
40° - 9.30V
30° - 9.10V
20° - 8.90V
10° - 8.70V
0° - 8.50V