I've been running my red top battery for about 8 months as a second battery but when my stock battery died i used it as the main battery i was only running 1 amp(600w)off of the red top.I go to start my car today and it died what could be the reason for this?(I dont have a HO alt or the big 3 yet)
crank your car and use a multimeter to see it you are getting 13.5-14.5V w/ the car running. If you are not getting roughly that voltage...your alternator died on you. This caused your batt to drain.
also...take the batt out and put it on a charger for a while. make sure it will old a float voltage of 12V+.
The Optima Red top is NOT a deep cycle battery! Its a starting battery with high amount of cranking amps. The Yellow top is a deep cycle batt! <-thats what you use with a system. You prob drained your Red top with your system. They are NOT as strong as Yellows.
The Orange and Red are the same with reveresed terminals. Blue top is also same as the Yellow, but its for marine use; so you can use a batt charger with it.
But now a Yellow top should work fine under the hood if you dont have a engine that requires lots of cranking amps. =D
sometimes i felt like the redtop would recharge itself cause when i drive around my volts would be around 12-13v but the next day when i start my car it would be around 14-15v