Smallest Odyssey Battery Adequate for TJ?

[Got 4wd]

Well I opened up my TJ wheel well so much that I cant get a full size Optima (I have a red top thats been in since 98, so i cant complain about the battery) to fit without sticking out into the wheel opening. I know there are a fair number of you guys running the Odyssey batterys on here. I am no battery expert so would like to hear some personal experinces with these batterys and suggestions as to which would be the minimum model odyssey battery that would suffice in for a TJ and handle my ramsey winch. the PC680MJT would be a perfect size but will it handle my setup? I read the specs but they mean nothing to me, i need real world testing!
Thanks
Lee Krivacsy

[Stu Olson]

Lee,

Odyssey makes nice hardware but IMO, that battery would be too small for a Jeep. It is rated at only 280 cold cranking amps (CCA). That is the size for 1000cc engines and down in motorcycles and ATVs.

The PC1200, which I believe is used by a number of users here is rated at 630 CCA. This puts you more into the area of what a normal sized Jeep battery would be capable of.

You currently have either 720 or 800 CCA, depending on which Red Top model you have.

For my applications, the Odyssey you indicated would not work.

[Got 4wd]

thanks for the info Stu. I had suspected it wasnt going to cut it. Anyone have experiance with the 925? I saw someone post (i think i found it while searching on this board) that the 925 was equal to a red or yellow top optima? is this accuate?

[Stu Olson]

The 925 is still a ways below a normal Jeep battery or your Red Top.

An Odyssey 1200 is getting closer but still has a lower cold cranking amp rating than a Red Top or Yellow Top.

Edit:
The 925 is rated at 470 CCA.
The 1200 is rated at 630 CCA.
Your Red Top is rated at 800 CCA.

[Scott Hill]

Do you have room to place 2 or 3 small batteries in there and wire them up? + to + and - to -


Scott

[Jeeper]

Do you have room to relocate the battery to the rear of the Jeep? I had the same issues and now my battery is behind the front seats. I don't use my back seat.

[Got 4wd]

yeah i am thinking i will need to be creative on the placement of this thing. possibly 2 small batterys is a idea i looked into, and also relocating it i thought about too. i guess i need to spend some more time measuring....