I searched the site for this question but didn't find what I was looking for. Here it is:
Do I need to get a more powerful Alternator for my car and/or just an Optima battery.
Installed I have a Viper 5900 alarm, An 800watt MB quart four channel amp, PIAA offroad lights, hardwired passport 8500, kenwood navi, Alpine speed sensor for navi.... and... that is it... I am mainly concerned about the amp wearing the alternator down and don't want to become stranded this winter... The lights will dim on low bass notes but only slighty... dimming becomes very noticable in the winter. is this enough to warrant buying an alternator or battery? capacitor? What is the amp rating on the '05? i saw in the posts that the alternator for the prior X only had an 85amp rating.

The alt in a 05 is 110A. The service manual makes mention of a 130A, but I can't figure out what model it comes in as the Nissan dealers I have contacted don't have it listed in their parts list.

LR1110-725 (110A)
LR1130-701 (130A)

I can only assume that the 130A comes with the SE.

I don't think you need a new Alt, but a Optima Red Top might do you good. There is some question if they make an Optima to fit the 05+'s yet as the terminals are reversed.

Definitly would throw a capacitator in the mix there, maybe a little more than a 1/2 farod, so get a 1f cap and it'll do for that application. Basically the cap will store the energy from the amps for those surges of xtra power needed; and also control the amount of electricity disbursed to overall control the leveling of the whole audio system so as to not pull on the other accesories of the truck. The battery is another thing though, definitly step it up- better safe than sorry for the system.

This should be sufficient. See where your volts end up with everytyhing turned on (stereo up, wipers on, all lights on, AC on, etc.) .. you may need to get a separate voltmeter though, the one on the dash is ... well ... :rolleyes: vague at best.

I am going by the car audio place today to get a cap installed. I will wait to see what it does to the dimming before replacing the battery. Thanks for the advice.

looking at getting a yellow top battery for my truck wondering does anyone know of the model number for the yellow top for the 05/06 xterra's?

if the terminals are reversed, you need an 34R (previously the Orange top, now Red.) There is no deep cycle with reversed terminals.

This is the Toyota battery with the positive and neg reversed from the red/yeller tops.

I've had my Yeller for a couple years. Best investment ever. My next step will be installing a Troll Fury in the cargo area.

Are you sure because a friend of mine has a yellow top on his 04...isnt the battery and the terminals in the same place like the 05/06's?

i had a trouble with this too.
i tryed to get a Yellow Top Optima but it was reversed so i couldnt get it.they said maybe if i did longer wires,but couldnt do that.
so i am thinkin about just dropping a Compasotor.

are the 04's and 05/06's not the same with respect to the battery location and the terminal location?

Hey... this is a follow up. I put a 1 farad cap in the X. There is no longer any dimming and the overall sound is much tighter. As for the Optima, as some of you are saying, there is no yellow top yet. Prior to '05 you can get one but '05 and up you can only get a Red Top... I will wait on the battery...

so wat kind of battery did u put in your Truck.
becuz i need a battery to..
i have the Duralast for temporary right now

I still have the stock battery... its about a year and a half old and seems to be fine right now. I may wind up with the Red Top if the don't get a Yellow that works anytime soon.

someone was saying D34/78 might fit on the new generation X's I have put an email into optima to see what they say. Is there a huge difference between the red and yellow top optima's?

yellow top is deep cycle... will give better cold cranking and run longer to discharge; better for running acc. lights, winches, hi-fi stereo/AV components.
red top is just a basic dry-cell; no huge advantage over stock battery but does offer vibration resistance, wihtstand higher temps, spillproof.

The red top actually has higher cranking amps than the yellow top.

Thats not what I heard...I was told that the red top is more powerful and it has higher cold cranking amps vs the yellow top. The yellow sustains power longer for example if you winching all day or if your offroad lights are on for a very lengthy time well then the yellow top is for you.


Anybody know what model of red top will fit the 05/06 xterra's

Here ya go.

http://thenewx.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=1272&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

just got an email from Optima and they said
For your application of a 05/06 Nissan Xterra, the correct yellowtop
would
be our Yellowtop D35 model.. Please see attached spec sheet for this
model..
part #8040-218

I also confirmed the D35 via phone call to optima..

Nope, not going to fit, the terminals are on the wrong side.

http://tinyurl.com/yz3cug

You would also have to modify the fluse block on the positive terminal to get it to fit (metal extension maybe?).

So I wonder why optima told me they have test fitted it in the new x's?

I have no a clue. But if you get one and find that it fits, please let me know.

I have been thinking about just rewiring mine to get a Yellow top to fit. It's something that should probably be done any way. Just put new pos and neg cables on. I already got new ends and have been working on a relocation bracket for the fube block.

So I called them again and they said that R34(with reverse terminals) and the D35 are the same(both have reverse terminals) accept that the D35 dimensionally is less than an inch smaller in height/width/length than the red top. So it will fit but you might have to custom a bracket for it to hold it in place.
So I put them together on a comparison chart.
Hope this helps some.

Yellow Top
Discharge Chart of Self-Discharge V6 Traditional

MODEL NUMBER D35
PERFORMANCE
Voltage 12v
Cold Cranking Amps @ 0F 650
Cranking Amps @ 32F 810
Reserve Capacity 98
Capacity (C/20 Rate) 48
Internal Resistance (ohms) .0030
PHYSICAL SPECS
Length 9 5/16"
Width 6 13/16"
Height 7 5/8"
Mimimum Weight (lbs) 36.4
Type Post/Terminal SAE Post
BCI Group 35

Red Top
MODEL NUMBER 34 & 34R
PERFORMANCE
Voltage 12v
Cold Cranking Amps @ 0F 800
Cranking Amps @ 32F 1000
Reserve Capacity 110
Capacity (C/20 Rate) 50
Internal Resistance (ohms) .0030
PHYSICAL SPECS
Length 10"
Width 6 7/8"
Height 7 13/16"
Mimimum Weight (lbs) 37.9
Type Post/Terminal SAE Post
BCI Group 34 & 34R

The above link didnt work...

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publish/o...D35_082104.pdf# search='Optima%208040218'

The pic on the spec sheet shows the pos term on the left. Maybe the pic is wrong.

Yes, I see what your saying....I checked the spec sheets and noticed D51R (yellow top) has the reverse terminals....I will call them again tommarrow and ask about the spec sheet. I will post as soon as I find out.

This is from source:thenewx.org

They say they do have a reverse yellow top optima battery.
the part number isOPT 8040-218.

That's the same as the discussed above. Looking at the photo in the spec sheet, it is not a reversed terminal. The photo may be wrong.

So I just got off the phone with Optima Customer service and they told me that their spec sheet for the Yellow top D35 is wrong. The terminal caps where put on wrong and D35 should be exactly the same as the reverse redtop model 34R...
So it fits!

just ordered my yellow top D35 for the X. Should be installed by this weekend.

Let us know what you do for a terminal extension. I went down this road last year and gave up on it. 4 wheel parts had 5 optimas delivered damaged so I gave up.

Will do.Actully Optima said it would be a straight swap for the stock one...I gues I will have to wait and see...
will post pics when mod is done.

The only thing I don't like about the D35 is the size, not the physical size, but the fact that it has less capacity.

As stated above, it seems that there are quite a few DOA Optima batteries now. Hopefully they fixed this problem.

That's why you don't buy anything made by Interstate Batteries. Optima's quality slipped several years ago when they got bought out.

Save your money, and buy an Exide Orbital. It's an improved design, cheaper, and overall better battery. Get the marine blue w/ dual terminals & quick thumb screws for the smaller posts for accessories, for the same price as you'd pay for an overrated Optima.

I dont get it what do you mean capacity?

Did you get that thing in yet?

Take a look at the spec sheet.

Compare the D34 to the D35. You'll see the differnece. The cold crank amps are higher, the cranking amps are hight, the capacity is higher, etc.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publish/o...ical_specs.html

BTW - if the terminals are reversed, just install it upside down, and you're done.

Hope not yet. It was out of stock when I ordered it, might be here this weekend.

Battery is in, but didnt get a chance to go pick it up...Damn Santa claus parade...had to take my kids to it, so hopefully next weekend it will be in with pics...

so the battery is in...and I will post pics hopefully tommarrow...and for all you 05/06 owners yes! the D35 does fit.

So like I said here are the pics took me 15 mins to put it in....




any questions?