I'm starting to think that my recent crop of electrical problems is due to a bad battery. The battery is now ten years old and I let it sit for as much as nice months (at which point it was dead...).

I took it into a battery shop and had it tested, but I did not like the shifty guy that tested it. At first he blocked my view of the test meters and swiftly told me it was dead and I needed a new one. Obviously he has an incentive to move new batteries out of the shop... so I thought it kind of shady...

When he did let me see the two meter levels, one was reading 200 (amps?), and the other was reading like 4-Volts... seemed like he could turn this nob though (the amperage load probably?) and change the readings on those nobs.. and I must admit I'm unschooled on what proper test readings should look like.

Anyway... I figure it's about time for a new one anyway. Can anybody suggest a decent brand of battery at a decent price? I've seen those "optima" brand ones with the distinctive round-cell look and red and yellow tops.. are those worth the price...? I haven't even priced those yet, but it seems like I've heard that those are the high-end quality brand...?