Optima battery trouble?
- Thread starter Funrover
- Start date
I am not going to go into the alternator/tach issue.
However, the Optimas have been getting a bad rap of late. One reason is that many do not understand that it is an AGM type battery. Absorbed Glass Mat. An AGM needs a much different charging algorithm then a wet cell type or even the Gel batteries. Hooking up a standard battery charger to a drained AGM will not bring it back to life.
Of all things, the Husky brand charger from Home Depot has multiple battery type charging algorithms built in. I have drained my YT`s down to nothing and have bought them back.
However, the Optimas have been getting a bad rap of late. One reason is that many do not understand that it is an AGM type battery. Absorbed Glass Mat. An AGM needs a much different charging algorithm then a wet cell type or even the Gel batteries. Hooking up a standard battery charger to a drained AGM will not bring it back to life.
Of all things, the Husky brand charger from Home Depot has multiple battery type charging algorithms built in. I have drained my YT`s down to nothing and have bought them back.
HenryJ
Expedition Leader
Some of it is well deserved. I was a believer and diehard, but after three recent failures, I am no longer an Optima fan.fzsk4p said:
Sure there are those who do not charge them properly. They must be charged at less than 15 volts to prevent venting. The vented gases can not be reabsorbed and the battery can not recover the loss.
This is some information that I have complied:
Not all the problems are related to "operator error" . Any regulated alternator in an automotive application should not exceed the charging requirements. Yet still there are problems.
The problems I have had must have been internal shorts. I have one I still use as a test supply voltage. It will maintain 11.8 - 12 volts. These batteries should hold at least 12.9. It does have one swelled cell in it. My guess is that this is the bad cell. believe me I did give them the benefit of the doubt, and made darn sure I "brought them back" with proper charging. After three strikes, I am out.
The batteries that have failed have been made in the last few years. The Optima batteries are dated with a "burn code" this is the four digit number melted in to one end of the case. The first digit is the year and the last three are the number of days into the year. Example: 8365 = the 365th day of 1998 another 6090 the 90th day of 2006.
I still have three Optima batteries in service. The newest is 8 years old and performs flawlessly.
Something has gone wrong recently, IMO.
The next problem is their pricing. The cost has gone through the roof. There are other options that are much more attractive now.
I would suggest some research into the East-Penn Deka batteries. Their "Intimidator" is a 34/78 dual post battery designed to out perform the Optima line. It is an AGM , SLI (Starting, Lighting, Ignition) battery. I have been running one since the last RedTop Optima failure. It is not a spiral cell, which is not all bad. It is much heavier as it does not have the voids of a spiral cell. That means more plate and more potential. Would it be prone to vibration? Perhaps. It is marketed as a tight design and with the AGM I would think the difference would be minimal.
Price is much better too. Mine was $98. Their cost has remained low since they own their recycling facilities. They have the ability to recycle 100% of a battery. 70% of the materials used in manufacture are recycled materials in their line. This has kept their prices lower than other manufacturers.
I do not work for Deka. I have just done quite a bit of research. EastPenn/Deka - DEKA Intimidator 9A78DT
There are other options out there too. For my application the only choices were AGM. Even Odyssey is only an AGM in this application.
Lifeline may be another good choice. They are both much higher in cost though.
I know someone will say that you get what you pay for. IMO, the Deka is a really good bang for the buck. They had the forethought to invest in recycling facilities and now that is paying off in lower costs. I think that is where they have the edge on the competition.
BTW, Why do I have so many batteries? Personally I have six vehicles. I also maintain a fleet with seventy eight. I get the chance to try out lots and see what is most cost effective.
R_Lefebvre
Expedition Leader
I have a small Odyssey (Motorcycle sized) battery in my track car. It's been pretty hard to beat. It's a tiny battery but still has tons of cranking amps to start a cantankerous 2.0L. It has survived countless drainings and always seems to come back to my surprise.
About the spiral cell, being more vibration resistant... I have to believe all AGM's are vibration resistant, spiral or not? I have a Yuasa AGM in my WR250, and that thing takes a real beating.
I plan to do the 34 DieHard Platinum for my Disco when I get the chance. I have to wait till I take a trip into the US however, since Sears doesn't sell car batteries in Canada.
About the spiral cell, being more vibration resistant... I have to believe all AGM's are vibration resistant, spiral or not? I have a Yuasa AGM in my WR250, and that thing takes a real beating.
I plan to do the 34 DieHard Platinum for my Disco when I get the chance. I have to wait till I take a trip into the US however, since Sears doesn't sell car batteries in Canada.
ntsqd
Heretic Car Camper
If an AGM battery is built with the plates compressed together within the battery case I see no reason why a spiral cell design would be any more or less vibration resistant. However, the spiral design does cost space. Flat plates in the same footprint could easily have 1/4 more surface area.
Years and years ago (well before AGM's came along & wet cell was the only real option) I was told by my HS Auto Shop teacher that rough service batteries should be bought from Caterpillar as their batteries had tie straps on the top and the bottom of the plates. All other batteries only had tie straps on top, so vibration and impacts made those plates flop around and break loose.
Remembering this advise makes me wonder what Cat offers now?
Years and years ago (well before AGM's came along & wet cell was the only real option) I was told by my HS Auto Shop teacher that rough service batteries should be bought from Caterpillar as their batteries had tie straps on the top and the bottom of the plates. All other batteries only had tie straps on top, so vibration and impacts made those plates flop around and break loose.
Remembering this advise makes me wonder what Cat offers now?
fzsk4p said:
That's odd. In the past year, I have had three Optima batteries (one red top and two blue tops) discharge to 8 volts from just sitting around in vehicles not used from month to month. 8 volts is pretty low as discharge states go. I used a standard Sears 6V/12V 6 amp charger, and each battery returned to full charge in 24 hours. They are all three still in use. I have no idea if the charger has a voltage limiter built in, but I doubt it. If I read voltage across the clips, it is something like 18 volts, but when attached to the battery, the battery limits voltage to 15 or less unless the battery is defective.