| For going QRM mobile, I decided to pull the spare tire from under one of the SUVs, move it to a custom rear mounted swing out rack that will also hold fuel, water, antennas, a jack, and has a spot to bolt a Honda Generator on. The truck got a Yellowtop under the hood, and a custom tray went down where the spare tyre came out. The tray hold THREE Yellowtops, and a 25 ampere 125VAC/100 ampere 12VDC (150 amp peak), nautical charger inverter, with a remote control head that was stuffed under the dash board. First off the Yellowtops cost $320 from the local autoparts store, and $275 or so on Amazon. The autoparts stores do not sell that many so these are usually slightly discharged, and already neglected when you first buy them. If you need a fast replacement, GOOD LUCK!! I went mobile top be mobile and wander the western USA, and maybe someday even venture back east. I found the Interstate AGM batteries are much easier to replace out on the road. They cost as much or more, but they have way more dealers than Optima does. Interstate's deep cycle starting battery is also at least as good as the Optima Yellow top. I found Interstate products are sold at muffler shops, in one state, Big O Tire in the next state, and both in another, so the condition of Optima yellow red or blue tops at sale, and the availability of replacements, soured the Optima experience for me. Interstate was much easier to find, and they are the best gel mat lead acid battery as far as I am concerned. The charger inveter has variable float, max & min variable voltage between cells, de-sulfides the batteries. YOU WILL NEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT TO KEEP ANY AGM BATTERY HEALTHY! I found mine in a thrift store. New, they cost $1500. The Interstate AGM deep cycle/starting batteries have been great, so far! I also just refurbished three 5-7 year old business class laptops, after paying big money for data recovery. My consumer grade laptop ran super hot, and just baked itself to death. So away goes some more money, but no more yellow top Optimas, or buying brand new consumer grade computers. CHECK OUT THE INTERSTATE DEEP CYCLE STARTING AGM BATTERIES!!! LIVE & LEARN! INTERSTATE MAKES A BETTER BATTERY, (IMHO) and you can find replacements almost anywhere there is are auto repair garages, muffler shops, tire shops, (mom & pop auto parts shops), or any place that sells stuff for boats. Yellowtops are very popular with the loud booming bass stereo crowd, so if you have your heart set on a Yellowtop, tuck that old snubnose .357 in your waistband, and a .32ACP in your sock, and head on down the auto parts store located in the gangland ghetto or barrio nearest your location, and they will probably have plenty of fresh stock on hand. If you know your gang banger etiquette, you may wish to forgo the .357 for a 9mm, or you can try going unarmed, but make sure you get out before the sun goes down. I am not trying to be politically incorrect for unny either. The ONE and ONLY Autozone, Pep Boyz or O'Rileys store in a metro are of 6,0000,000 people, that actually had three same model yellow tops in stock at the same time was out in gangland Maryvale. The guy that welded my spare tire rack (and many other things) is down there too. I have seen him show me bullet holes in his shop, his vehicles, customer's vehicles, etc. that appeared sometime during the previous night. That is why the rent is really cheap down there. The people are generally very nice, but there is still that one faction that roams about the area. They rarely ever bother me, but you never know what you may walk into on any given day. That being said, I am not using Optima batteries anymore. I can get AGM deep cycle Interstate batteries at Firestone Tire store, located in a good part of town and close to home. I replaced one Optima in Denver, and wound up down at a store in Five Points> Yay, worst part of Denver, and they are main supplier of Optima yellow tops. It's that same thumpin' car stereo crowd again. Take care, and good luck. 73s KI7AQJ |