Those with Yellow top Optimas
- Thread starter dyogim
- Start date
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
I'd say you're on borrowed time.
It's a nice success story though and you should tell Optima.
It's a nice success story though and you should tell Optima.
4x4junkie
Explorer
^^
That is what I would do, especially if the battery has been living a decent life (always getting a good recharge after use, etc.).
I have Delco Voyager batteries in one of my vehicles that are also 10½ years or so old now and they seemed quite healthy when I did a test cycle on them last year.
FWIW, everything I've read about Optima is that they were great batteries before about 2007 or so. So if yours is 11-yo, then you should have what was one of the good ones. I hear it over & over the newer ones (made in Mexico) don't last anywhere near as long. I don't have personal exp with Optima however, so take it for whatever it's worth.
That is what I would do, especially if the battery has been living a decent life (always getting a good recharge after use, etc.).
I have Delco Voyager batteries in one of my vehicles that are also 10½ years or so old now and they seemed quite healthy when I did a test cycle on them last year.
FWIW, everything I've read about Optima is that they were great batteries before about 2007 or so. So if yours is 11-yo, then you should have what was one of the good ones. I hear it over & over the newer ones (made in Mexico) don't last anywhere near as long. I don't have personal exp with Optima however, so take it for whatever it's worth.
CaliMobber
Adventurer
I would get it tested if your worried but I would keep running it if everything seems fine. almost all battery will start to show sines of dieing before they do. Can always get a little lithium jump start kit and leave it in the car.
I have 2 yellow top 35's in mine. Im guessing on this one but I believe one is maybe 5 years old and the other is maybe 7 years old. I have them in parallel so they are living the same life which i'm sure is bringing the 5 year to the 7 years level.
I have 2 yellow top 35's in mine. Im guessing on this one but I believe one is maybe 5 years old and the other is maybe 7 years old. I have them in parallel so they are living the same life which i'm sure is bringing the 5 year to the 7 years level.
Always nice to hear from happy customers Mike, thanks for sharing! As others have indicated, you may want to have them load-tested, to see where they're at in terms of performance. It may not be a definitive answer, but it will give you an idea of whether or not they should be replaced. Many auto parts stores will do that for you for free. If you do decide to replace them, know that contrary to internet lore, the quality of our batteries is excellent. Thanks for choosing Optima!
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.instagram.com/optimabatteries
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.instagram.com/optimabatteries
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
Hi Jim,
Thanks for popping in! With the season winding down now, maybe you can finally make it to an ExPo event.
...and bet you're glad you don't have face LeBron...
Thanks for popping in! With the season winding down now, maybe you can finally make it to an ExPo event.
...and bet you're glad you don't have face LeBron...
I was in Bowling Green last weekend, Indy this weekend, Michigan & Seattle the weekend after. Winter is my slow time 
I'd actually prefer to compete against the very best (and I'd rather get swept in the finals, than never make it that far). That way, the pressure is entirely on them to perform. If LeBron drops 30 on you, no one is surprised. If a guy like Jan Vesely dropped 30 on you...you've got problems.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.instagram.com/optimabatteries
I'd actually prefer to compete against the very best (and I'd rather get swept in the finals, than never make it that far). That way, the pressure is entirely on them to perform. If LeBron drops 30 on you, no one is surprised. If a guy like Jan Vesely dropped 30 on you...you've got problems.Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries
www.instagram.com/optimabatteries
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
LOL.
I know what you mean. David Robinson dropped 50 on us in college. In the first half...
Nobody got chewed out. It was the Admiral.
I know what you mean. David Robinson dropped 50 on us in college. In the first half...
Nobody got chewed out. It was the Admiral.
Nimbus Engineering
Nimbus with Unimog
Hi Mike
I have been selling Optima batteries for about 25yrs. They are not high in Ah's but very high in CCA and longevity
The one in my Range Rover is now 15Yrs old and still starts that V8 with ease.
I have been selling Optima batteries for about 25yrs. They are not high in Ah's but very high in CCA and longevity
The one in my Range Rover is now 15Yrs old and still starts that V8 with ease.
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
dyogim
Explorer
Thanks, Jim! Nice to know that companies are active in social forums. Expecially, with thoasands of them out there, but I guess Expedition Portal is one of kind.
I'll have it load tested when I get my rig back. Brother is using it while I work on his car.
15 yos and still ticking! That's great news.
stingray1300
Explorer
Optima Jim/Nimbus: I am currently an Optima Yellow Top owner (D34), but please, without taking offense or dishing out any B.S., let me play the devil's advocate for a moment...
.
I take notice of one thing, that those with long-lived Optima batteries are always owners of the "old" (good?) batteries. 2007 was the move south to Mexico for assembly/production? Then a "new" battery could only be about 7/8 years old. I don't see many piping in about much except that they changed to different battery. This does concern me as well as many others, of course.
.
Great customer service isn't going to do anyone any good at all if they're 50-100 (or more) miles off road somewhere when a battery, or any component for that matter, takes a puke. That's a long walk in anyone's book.
.
Here's my concern (FINALLY): I've had the Optima for about 1 year now in my '13 F150. My truck has some sort of factory battery nanny system. This truck is a daily driver with usually a number of starts/stops each day. The battery nanny keeps shutting off the radio, etc. if I sit with the radio on even for just a few moments. The screen reads "shutting down to preserve the battery" or some such thing. This is very upsetting. I was told that my battery should be at 13.1 fully charged (while others are 13.4+).
.
As a side bar, I went to 4WP Truck Fest back in February, and the idiot you guys had as a "rep" said "hmmm, must be the computer inside the battery much be protecting itself and the battery." Huh? Computers inside batteries? We reiterated our (I and a friend, who is anti-Optima now - having been left stranded by one) question, and the 'kid' did a bunch of double talking and looked for someone else to talk with. We laughed as we walked away, but my question remains unanswered.
.
Assuming my charging system puts out 14.2vdc, why does a new battery only get manufactured to be at 13.1vdc? I get a weird feeling I'm taking a risk every time I take a trip.
.
Help me out here... Thanks! (feel free to PM me)
.
I take notice of one thing, that those with long-lived Optima batteries are always owners of the "old" (good?) batteries. 2007 was the move south to Mexico for assembly/production? Then a "new" battery could only be about 7/8 years old. I don't see many piping in about much except that they changed to different battery. This does concern me as well as many others, of course.
.
Great customer service isn't going to do anyone any good at all if they're 50-100 (or more) miles off road somewhere when a battery, or any component for that matter, takes a puke. That's a long walk in anyone's book.
.
Here's my concern (FINALLY
): I've had the Optima for about 1 year now in my '13 F150. My truck has some sort of factory battery nanny system. This truck is a daily driver with usually a number of starts/stops each day. The battery nanny keeps shutting off the radio, etc. if I sit with the radio on even for just a few moments. The screen reads "shutting down to preserve the battery" or some such thing. This is very upsetting. I was told that my battery should be at 13.1 fully charged (while others are 13.4+)..
As a side bar, I went to 4WP Truck Fest back in February, and the idiot you guys had as a "rep" said "hmmm, must be the computer inside the battery much be protecting itself and the battery." Huh? Computers inside batteries? We reiterated our (I and a friend, who is anti-Optima now - having been left stranded by one) question, and the 'kid' did a bunch of double talking and looked for someone else to talk with. We laughed as we walked away, but my question remains unanswered.
.
Assuming my charging system puts out 14.2vdc, why does a new battery only get manufactured to be at 13.1vdc? I get a weird feeling I'm taking a risk every time I take a trip.
.
Help me out here... Thanks! (feel free to PM me)
Hilldweller
SE Expedition Society
All of my Optimas came to a final rest at 13.1 volts. Most of my other batteries, including the Enersys-manufactured Sears DieHard Platinum, rest/rested at 12.9.
And, out of all of my batteries through the years, my Optimas charged the fastest.
Like NE said in his inaugural post, they're never the leader in overall amperage capacity. But they have great CCA and can take a licking.
What's the amperage capacity of the OE battery on the truck? If it came with a big honker with 120 ah or so and the Optima is lower than that, it might have the ability to "see" that and assume that you've got a depleted battery.
I used to have an Intelligent Battery Tester that could calculate the ah left in a battery. When I got to 60% or below the rated ah I retired the battery.
And, out of all of my batteries through the years, my Optimas charged the fastest.
Like NE said in his inaugural post, they're never the leader in overall amperage capacity. But they have great CCA and can take a licking.
What's the amperage capacity of the OE battery on the truck? If it came with a big honker with 120 ah or so and the Optima is lower than that, it might have the ability to "see" that and assume that you've got a depleted battery.
I used to have an Intelligent Battery Tester that could calculate the ah left in a battery. When I got to 60% or below the rated ah I retired the battery.