Re: Optima batteries, side posts are not for winching!

[John Hofstetter <hofs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Friday, June 27, 2003, at 01:27  PM, Jeff Bade wrote:

> How should the winch be hooked up?
> Should I have those top post cable ends with the Wing nut and post on
> it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
Jeff,
If you are contemplating using the winch more often than I do, which is
maybe once every 5 - 10 years, lets hope that you have the Yellow Top
Optima which is made specifically for this kind of duty.

Some people just use the battery terminal bolt to hook up their winch,
(my Grand Cherokee and not particularly good), or they get a terminal
bolt that has an extra stud coming out of what would normally be the
bolt head end (my Dodge diesel and much better), or they buy marine
type terminals with an upright stud to which they attach the cables to
the winch, and modify their regular battery cable so that it, too, can
fit on the stud (my Terra and the best arrangement in my opinion). One
of the really nice things about this last arrangement is how easy it is
to remove the cables in order to work on the vehicles electrical
system.

The Dodge has two Optima Yellow Tops which are wired in parallel, and
the winch draws off both of them, which is good unless you are using
the winch to the point that you discharge both batteries and you didnt
have the vehicle running.

More than you wanted to know, I imagine.

John Hofstetter