Optima battery is dead again

[HotRod68Camaro]

Yea definitely use a battery tender. I use CTEK on mine. Always had that problem till now.

[Rybar]

Originally Posted by HotRod68Camaro

Yea definitely use a battery tender. I use CTEK on mine. Always had that problem till now.

Yup, use a Ctek. It even has an Optima setting

[speedshftr]

all these problems with there products but people love there challenge race/good marketing i guess.ill never buy one.too many problems from to many people on several different message boards.

[SLO_Z28]

People have just as many problems with regular lead acid batteries, they just aren't as vocal about them on car message boards. Truth be told the quality on most batteries has gone considerably down in the past 5 years and remarkably down in the past 10 with the SOLE exception of Johnson Control Products(who makes optimas). Some of the best batterties made are the Mega Tron Black Top Interstates made by Johnson.

If you park your car for extended periods of time use a battery tender. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Also, why do you have a yellow top? You shouldn't need one.

[Flash68]

Just realized "Battery Tender" is a name brand, and not a generic term... kinda like how everyone uses Kleenex in conversation.

So is the "Battery Tender" brand most people's preferred unit? or the CTEK it appears here?

I thought it was a relevant question concerning this thread topic.

[SLO_Z28]

I like this unit for home use:
http://www.batterychargers.com/Produ...tName=94026842

You don't have to do anything special for a gel cell batteries. Id say that 19/20 "bad" batteries we got back in a retail setting were good, and worked great after using this.

A normal key off load for your car is in the 360ma range, if you've added any non switched electrical accessories you can add to that. We used to sell those new and they almost never lasted more than one week on the lot, without being jump started, and that was after a FULL charge when we did the Pre Delivery Inspection.

[Northeast Rod Run]

Originally Posted by SLO_Z28

Also, why do you have a yellow top? You shouldn't need one.

There were two reasons why I originally bought.

1.) I used to have the car in a garage with no power in it so I wanted a battery that could sit for an extended period (Optima claims up to 12 months with this battery). I would leave it disconnected back then.

2.) Maybe not a good reason to spend the money, but I wanted a clean and decent styled battery to match the rest of my car. Hey, I'm sure I'm not the only one on here that's done that

[SLO_Z28]

Originally Posted by Northeast Rod Run

2.) Maybe not a good reason to spend the money, but I wanted a clean and decent styled battery to match the rest of my car. Hey, I'm sure I'm not the only one on here that's done that

Actually that makes perfect sense. We have all been there

[Northeast Rod Run]

Just talked to my bro last night. He has two blue tops (marine equivalent of the yellow top) in his boat and has never had problems. His boat even sits outside all year just wrapped under a pop-up tent, all winter here in New England.

Maybe it's just be a crapshoot when it comes to these batteries? Or is it that they have the same amount of problems as other manufacturers, but we just complain more because they are a higher profile battery?

[Paladin]

went through two of them in 4 years. can't hold a charge. ditched it and went to exide. Waaaay better. A necessity on a computerized (efi ) car. Red tops don't hold a charge either. maybe different for a daily driver, but not for cars that sit 2 weeks at a timered top. my exide is killer, love it. sat teh whole canadian winter. cranked right up.