What kind of Battery?

[78calico]

I've run them all and I have to say I've had nothing but good luck with Optimas. I'm currently running two. The yellow top is the original that I bought to run dual batteries when I got Calico's first winch back in 2000. This one sat for over two years at one point without ever being charged or used. It's been completely discharged numerous times and has always come back to life for me. It is now BIGBOY's primary battery serving starting and winching duty. My blue top I bought in 2007. I used it to power my bender for a few years, only occasionally topping it off with a trickle charger. It now runs BIGBOY's rear winch.
I last drove my truck back in mid november before the big ice storm. I didn't realize it but I left my CB on. Then we had that whole month of -20 and colder. Both batteries were completely dead when I went to get the truck a few days ago. After recharging them they are both working fine.

I don't buy Optima's for my daily drivers because ti would be a waste of money. they are used every day and continuously topped of while driving. In my offroad rig I'll use nothing else if I can help it. They've always taken the abuse and neglect and come back for more.

I used an Orbital once and it performed well but it was toast in about a year and a half.

I've had zero luck keeping traditional lead acid batteries alive in my offroad vehicles. The plates tend to brake off inside under rough coditions. When that happens their storage capacity is reduced and they can even short out internally. I've seen them "open up" on the tral several times as well. Messy and hazardous. I'd rather not risk it.