cwrm4

My Optima 35 Red Top is dead (won't hold a charge, even when disconnected) after 2 years of service. This one was a warranty replacement for another Red Top, which also only lasted 2 years. Before that I had a Yellow Top, which also died after 2 years. Before that an Interstate, that lasted 5 years, but it puked some of its juice out at the end.

In fairness to Optima I only drive the car once every week or two, with occasionally a month passing, but, still, I think I should get a bit more life out of the batteries. (I do have a C-tek.)

What other alternatives are there out there for the Optima? I would like to get a battery that is "sealed", AGM or otherwise...it just feels "cleaner", at least.

SuperUser

I have an Odyssey 925 and only get to drive my 964 a few times a month. It has been rock solid for the year that I have used it.

Indycam

Have you tried to charge the old red top the new way ?
Optima put out a two battery charging suggestion ,
one full battery hooked up to the dead optima and then a charger hooked to the good battery .
http://www.optimabatteries.com/produ...agmbattery.php

Have you had your charging system checked to make sure its working as it should ?

cwrm4

Yes, I tried that a couple weeks ago. That procedure is actually for completely dead batteries...for example the C-Tek will not initiate a charge if it cannot detect any voltage from the battery. So, you have to charge it in parallel with a good battery.

Anyway, the car started right up that procedure, no problems. I had it hooked to the C-Tek for 48 hours. After I drove it, I disconnected the battery ground to verify I didn't have a randomly occurring short somewhere (even though I am only measuring 40 mA drain). I reconnected it this morning, and only got a click from the solenoid. I can only conclude that the battery has an internal short. I've been through this routine twice now since Christmas.

Laker

If money is not an issue, Odyssey. if it is, Interstate.

Indycam

If you charge it fully and let it sit on the bench , not attached to anything , battery self discharges quickly ?

cwrm4

Yes. Takes about two weeks.

IXLR8

BTW, there is no such thing as a sealed battery. Yeah, I know they advertize that, but those are "vented" as well and can leak under the right conditions.

You live in Texas, where it can get hot, very hot. Battery charge voltage is based on temperature.

Have you checked what your battery voltage is while driving the car?
Have you checked your battery voltage while charging the battery while it is parked?

It is possible that in both cases you are overcharging the battery.

And no matter what you do, a battery doesn't last as long when exposed to higher temperatures. I chose to go with a standard battery.

IXLR8

What voltage does it discharge to in 2 weeks?

Leaving the so-called "sealed" aspect aside, there really is very little reason to use an AGM battery.

AGM batteries have a few advantages; none of them of any importance to us. 1) they have very low internal resistance which provided the high CCA rating. Unless you are starting at well below sub-freezing temperatures, thats of little use. 2) they have a very low rate of self-discharge, but that only applies if you put the battery on a bench. When you have 20 mA or 40 mA devices draining your battery, the low rate of self-discharge is of little interest.

Bearclaw

Your experience with Optimas is very similar to mine. 2 died prematurely, very disappointing.
I went back to a good ol' conventional battery from the corner NAPA.
No more battery problems.

f3nr15

FWIW, I have an Optima Yellowtop in my banger Camry. It has been completely abused - used regularly for a while, then left completely discharged for months at a time, then recharged for daily driver duties, and over and over. 5 years on, it's still going!

jimq

I have a $65 Walmart battery over 5 years and still works as new.

Indycam

The optima is sealed , its next to impossible to get acid out of it or to put water into it . You can mount an optima on its side without anything leaking out .

IXLR8

Right until the pressure within the battery builds up and the valves open.

Thats why AGM and GEL batteries are called Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA).

Indycam

Have you ever got acid out of an optima ? Have you ever seen anyone get acid out of an optima that was not broken open ?