I'm posting here b/c you guys just know more than the rest...

My battery is dead and I'm thinking about getting an aftermarket one. What batteries should I consider? I searched and found many of you have gone with the optima lightweight battery. But doesn't this battery provide less cranking amps and less reserve than the stock battery? This optima battery is in a different group (51), as opposed to the stock which i belive is in group 34.

Will the lightweight optima work fine?

BTW I'm running a Jl 500/1 and 300/4 amps

thanx

 

The model 51R has a much higher CCA rating and can sustain more power overall. Than the stock battery. I have no idea what you are talking about as far as groups. I have a sub running 900w RMS and an another amp running 175w RMS by 4(two sets of mids and highs) and it is ok. I ran it like this for about 6 months and then I got a 3 farad cap just for the annoying dimming. This battery is a dry cell and is much better than the stock zero maintenance wet battery. If you want to see exactly what amps and sub I'm running then follow my sig and look for my car in the customer section(it's the silver one). Hope I helped.

 

the normal batteries are not designed to run down in charge many times. most normal batteries will only take 5 or so full discharges before they start to loose the ability to recharge fully. the gell cell batteries are supposed to take hundreds of full discharges in stride and still work fine. i personally have had mixed results with gell cell batteries and have not found one that works as they say and even found they have lasted shorter amounts of time than a normal battery. some of my cars i don't drive much at all, and even though i run gell cells in them i have had a tough time recharging them after sitting a long time, then having them hold a charge.
if stereo perfomance is your main concern, then yes, stiffening caps are the only way to go unless you want to run consecutive batteries. actually, any amp out there that is meant to run your subs, should have a cap on it anyways. high and mid amps do not require it as much if you are running the amp signals from an electronic crossover or dedicated signal outputs.
the lightweight gell cell will work good for ya, i just havn't had good experience with them if you don't keep a constant charge or drive alot with them.

 

What about running an Optima out in the Trunk, making a custom enclosure or something and putting a race battery in the front. I saw one on Horspower TV or something, its 50% lighter and smaller with the same power and can be recharged more or completely. I wish I remembered the name.