> Maybe dumb question - why would side or top connect matter?  Don't they
> internally connect together?

Not dumb at all.

Both terminals will read the same voltage but the side terminals because of
their internal configuration (lower resistance current path, more metal) can
deliver more current especially at starting current values >250Amps.  Got
this info long ago from the Optima folks before they were sold to Johnson
Controls(?).

The top terminals are a folded metal configuration, visible if you saw off
the tops and look at the cut area (customer of Stephans had done that, much
to his chagrin and then attempted to join the two cut pieces by screwing a
steel screw into the gap.  Didn't work too well.

pensioner (who doesn't play an engineer on TV regardless of which motel he
favors)