To Optima Batteries,
I went to Sam's wholesale club, got a brochure, went home, read it, and decided I needed a DEEP CYCLE battery, that would be BLUE TOP. I went back the next day, and bought a blue top battery. I did not know the best way to charge it, ie, fast or slow. Well, I went to your web site, and FOUND OUT that I have a blue top STARTING battery. NOT the deep cycle one. This is the problem.
I now have to drive back to HOT SPRINGS Arkansas, a 75 mile round trip, and return it, and either exchange it for a deep cycle one.
This confusion is the result of unclear information on YOUR brochure.
I kindly and respectfully request that you compensate me with something of use to me, for all my troubles, because you did not provide adequate info the first time. I will add that your web site is also deficient in this area, with unclear info, as it took a call to your help line, due to confusion, and the RECORDING about what battery type cleared it up for me. I now know what product you have, that meets my needs.
My 1 ton van gets 14-15 MPG. This equates into 5.17 gallons of fuel, at 14.5 mpg. At 3.75 a gallon this equals $19.39. Plus, a hot dog and a coke for the driver. (Another few bucks) NOT TO MENTION my time. I have a wife and 8 kids, and I am loosing a work day, to figure all this out, plus return it, and get the right one.
I don't want to rant on, but I would also like to know what type of battery this should be considered by my battery charger. It has 3 settings.
1.) Regular battery
2.) Deep Cycle Battery
3.) AGM gell cell.
You are not providing adequate information to your customers, and as well your web site SAYS: "all limits must be strictly adhered to"
(click the link below, to SEE the PDF file with that statement, and down about 1-1/2" from the top)
http://www.optimabatteries.com/_media/documents/specs/34M_082304.pdf
I suspect that the fault is in communication between your web site provider, and the persons printing and or making your product brochures, and the persons making the batteries, or some like thing.
I recomend that you use more color codes, such as an additional STRIPE or sticker of color, across the top of the batteries, to denote the difference between these batteries.
Respectfully submitted. Awaiting your reply,
PS....
Just an additional note, the battery I GOT was a SC34M.
I need the battery to run all day long, and push a 35 watt radio, for 12 hrs sometimes, along with a fence charger, for the electric fence. It is used for a Surveying GPS system. Marine deep cycle is what I need. What do you recomend?
Nathan Dearyan, Arkansas, Professional Land Surveyor
1189 Thunder Mountain Road
Caddo Gap, AR 71935
870-356-3797 home/office
I always used the yellow top and charged it with the gel cell setting on the charger with no problem. I always thought I would move to the bluetop for my next battery, but I retired. Here is a link to the one I would use, the D31M.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/bluetop/specs.php
We use 2 red tops for our Trimble system. One powers our Trimmark radio the other one powers a 5700 base reciever. They easily last all day long for us.
Cy
Base Battery
I used a regular car sized marine gell cell. Hook both the radio and receiver to it. I've never run it clear down, probably would run the whole thing about 24 hours. I use a marine charger (slow) purchased from an auto parts store. Been buying these batteries and also smaller lead acid batteries for the rover and static sessions from a wholesale battery supply house for years. Works good unless you need to pack it in to a base point way off the road (heavy).
