Ag951

I installed an optima redtop in my 951 a few months ago. I haven't driven the car for close to two months, and it wouldn't start today. I also tried to pop up the headlights and got nothing, so I guessed it was the battery.
I checked the battery with my DMM, and it's at 5.7V. Is this normal considering the only load on there should be the stereo HU, CD changer, and clock?
Do I need to start it on a monthly or weekly basis to avoid this?

Jonas Goldsmith

Couldn't hurt could it? Just try jumping it and having the alternator recharging it?

Ag951

I plan to do that, but if I have something bad happening that's draining my battery, I'd like to fix it, rather than deal with the results.

IceShark

Can your multimeter measure amp draw? Either you have a big draw like a glovebox light that sticks on, or the battery is bad. You should be able to stay up after two months though it isn't a bad idea to trickle charge.

The battery may be screwed anyway. I don't know if gell cells can take a drain down under 6 volts without being hurt bad.

Ag951

I had the same thing happen to my previous battery.
With the garage door shut and all the lights off, I can't see any lights on in the car. I'll check the glovebox. Is that light big enough to drain it?
If the battery doesn't recover, I'll be investigating optima's 5-year warranty.

UDPride

Check the door light toggle switches in the doorjams. That was my problem. If they are jammed "in" and wont pop out, thats your problem too. The car thinks you never got out of the vehicle and maintains recessed power. It will very slowly drain the car battery. Took about an hour to dig mine out with a Leatherman. After that, problem solved.

IceShark

UD is right about those darn door switches so check them out also.

But, yes, a glove box light will drain you after 60 days of being on 24/7. That bulb probably draws 5 or 10 watts, I don't know offhand. Assume 5 watts so .42 amps per hour. With 1440 hours in 60 days you are screwed. Most of these batteries only have 60 or 70 amp hours in them.

Ag951

Would that leave a noticeable light on?
I looked in the windows in a pitch black garage and saw no lights on in the car.

UDPride

No you will NOT see a light on in your car if its the door jam toggle. Thats why its hard to diagnose. It took me about six months to track my battery drain booger down before I checked the last place I would have guessed. I thought it was my amp or something on my stereo and I wasted a lot of time messing with my audio stuff which ended up being fine.

RussRPJ

You mean your clock actually works? Those LCD things look like an afterthought to me. Wow, I didn't even know there's a glovebox light in these cars. Only had the car since January, never noted a place for a bulb in there.

951Tom

With everything off, I get a draw of 0.024 amps. The longest I've let it sit was for 6 weeks and it started. It turned over just a little bit slower, but it started up fine. I have a aftermarket alarm that was kept on the whole time.

Moe

I have a draw (968)I haven't found yet, gonna check the door switch. I installed an Optima redtop because I have an 8yr. old redtop mounted sideways in my 911, I've let the car sit many times, so long the battery would be completely dead, charge for an hour and everything would be fine. As long as I start her up every couple weeks, the battery is fine. I also have a 2yr. old redtop in my 85 F-150, no problems, no corriosion, dangest battery I've ever seen.

Ag951

Well, I jumped it today, and it started just fine. And then as I was about to disconnect the negative clamp from my strut brace, I noticed a liquid dripping from where the fuel lines connect to the fuel rail. Needless to say I immediately pulled the key out.
So now it can start, but if it does, it might burst into flames.

Water944t

Not only can the clock work, it is a fairly easy repair if yours isnt working. Take off the trim, the clock is held onto it by several small screws. Remove from trim, and then find the bulb holder on the back, unscrew, remove old bulb (these are the same bulbs as found in the ashtray light and elsewhere in the car) then replace with same size bulb, being cautious to align the wires well. Reassemble.

Mine has been repaired for about a year now, and I am happy with the results.

Total cost, less than $2.

And I dont seem to have a glovebox light either, and I have had my dash apart more than once. Maybe it was an option, or on later models?

smokey

I think the battery drained due to the normal draw of the alarm, CD, etc. An interior light left on will drain the battery in four or five days. A draw of .024 amps will be .576 ampere-hours per day, or about 35 ampere-hours over two months. Your draw with the CD changer, etc., may be twice that. OPTIMA recommends on their website that if a car sits "for weeks at a time wit the alarm connected", that the redtop not be used, but the yellow top be used instead. I have had the battery drain in winter storage, so now I always disconnect the battery.