Optima batteries ???

[QC]

The Optima batteries are not Gel, they are AGM's. AGM stands for "absorbed glass mat". The electrolye is in fiberglass looking mat that is between the plates. In Gel batteries something is added to the electrolye that makes it the consistancy of Jello.Gel batteries are great for deep cycles but they are not the best starting batteries. AGM's are great starting batteries, but aren't the best for deep cycle applications. If you look at the specs on the Optima starting batteries and deep cycles they are almost the same, the difference is the posts.

[robroy]

What makes them worth two-three times more than other batteries wih the same power rating???

Hey KaptnKA S!

I think the main points have been covered (physical durability, no rust problems, zero maintenance, can be completely drained and re-charged without capacity loss, long lasting), so I'll just add my own personal anecdote.

6-7 years ago I installed a "red top" Optima in my Chevy C20 454 pickup. Over those years, I'd sometimes leave the truck sitting for a year or more at a time, doing nothing, and the battery would run down gradually just from unwanted accessories eating electricity. Then I'd charge it up and all was well again.

Just three months ago, the electronic ignition module on that truck went out and I was stranded. Naturally I tried to start the engine again a million times before trying to diagnose what had failed, since it was dark and I couldn't see much. And you know what? That 6-7 year old Optima battery cranked the engine over FAST for ... MINUTES! (Not that I ran the starter constantly, but it cranked in bursts that added up to minutes.) It felt like I just couldn't run that thing dry--I was really amazed with the way that battery wouldn't stop!

It's still installed in the truck today and works 100% perfectly, every time. I doubt I could get that kind of performance out of a regular car battery, considering the life it has had over the past 6-7 years. And gone are the funky rust problems around the battery box.

Robroy

[57fordf100]

hey guys i have a red top optima battery that i got from my pops he has a 57 pontiac chiefton it was sitting in the car for a long while and im guess that from all the electrical work that was being done on the car the battery slowly drained and is drained to the point were not even the lights wanna turn on i took it to a autozone to try and get it charged up and they said it didnt hold a charge is there anything i can do to try and have it hold a charge or is the battery done for i was thinking of doing the old turn the truck on with a good battery and then switching it with the red top optima battery and see if the brand new alternator i have would charge up the battery what do you guys reccomend i do any help would be great thanks guys

[SteveC]

a lot of time those autozone guys will tell you that a battery is bad to get you to buy a new one from them

[robroy]

Hi 57fordf100!

I've observed that many battery starters have a difficult time beginning to charge drained Optima batteries. I don't know why. I've also observed that with enough attempts, they'll ultimately kick in and start charging them--or maybe I've just gotten lucky sometimes.

It's hard to say whether the auto parts guys really meant that it won't hold a charge--meaning that it seems to charge but falls down right away all on its own--or if they meant that it won't begin to charge.

Robroy

[SteveC]

robroy has a good point

[kaptnkaos]

I'm pretty sure I read that you need a different kind of battery charger for Optimas or any gel or EGM battery. A regular charger won't work for some reason.

[57fordf100]

would you guys recommend me starting up the truck and once on switch my battery with the optima red cap and leave it on for a while and see if the optima red cap will hold a charge

[57fordf100]

ok guys so i tried it with no luck i had it on there for about 20 minuts and nothing not even the radio turns on i called the optima hotline and they said the only way to get it to charge is to get a regular car battery run jumper cables from the regular battery to the optima battery and connect the charger to the regular battery sounds weird but they said thats the only way the optima battery will start charging

[flyboy2610]

ok guys so i tried it with no luck i had it on there for about 20 minuts and nothing not even the radio turns on i called the optima hotline and they said the only way to get it to charge is to get a regular car battery run jumper cables from the regular battery to the optima battery and connect the charger to the regular battery sounds weird but they said thats the only way the optima battery will start charging

Give it a try! Good luck!

[71 LONG BED]

Don't know if someone said it yet, but you can mount them upside down or sideways...maybe that's why they cost more.

[70_F100]

ok guys so i tried it with no luck i had it on there for about 20 minuts and nothing not even the radio turns on i called the optima hotline and they said the only way to get it to charge is to get a regular car battery run jumper cables from the regular battery to the optima battery and connect the charger to the regular battery sounds weird but they said thats the only way the optima battery will start charging

Lots of times I've had to do this for any type of battery that is COMPLETELY dead.

Apparently the charger won't recognize the fact that there is a battery connected to it.

Back in the day (LOL), we used to call it "feathering" the charger.

Once it starts charging, everything is lovely...

[heep70]

I have ran mine completely dead three times now. Dead enough that it won't take a charge. I have a 75 amp charger, I used that to get it to start charging. I have a buddy that will zap his with a old stick welder at 75 amps for a few minutes. Sound crazy but it works. The Optimas do go dead and it is usually a bad cell. While charging it check each cell to see if it gets warm. If so, more then likely that cell is bad.

[Thunderfoot]

While charging it check each cell to see if it gets warm. If so, more then likely that cell is bad.

I would think the cells charging would get warm and the one not charging wouldn't do the Optima's not warm up during charging?

I have a NAPA one that is like the Optima that I got for a project and let it set (never used it) and it is dead... I have a friend that took his Optima to the battery store (Interstate battery) and they got it back to life, they said you have to jump them with lots of amps to get them to start taking a charge again... I need to try charging my again with my big charger and try hitting the "jump start" on it where it puts out a bunch of amps and see if it will take off. I might have to see if I'm brave enough to try the welder thing if that don't work

[QC]

The worst thing you can do to any battery is to let it sit discharged. The AGM batteries are more tolerant of this than wet batteries, but it still a good idea to charge them as soon as possible if they get discharged. A wet battery shouldn't be left sitting below 12.4 volts. The spiral cell batteries are hard to get started if they get drained way down. The safest way is probably to hook it up wth jumper cables to a good battery and let it sit for an hour or so. If you have a wheel charger that puts out 30 amps it will get them started, but don't leave it on at that high amps to long.
AGM and gel batteries can be charged with a 10-12 amp automatic charger. A lot of the newer ones have an AGM setting, if it doesn't set the charger on "regular" , not deep cycle, even if your battey is a deep cycle. The only difference charging AGM's and GEL's is the the shouldn't be charged above 14.3 volts, the "deep cycle" setting will take them up to 15v+. The vents on these batteries are very small and charging at high voltage could build up enough heat to make them explode.
A deeply discharged battery takes HOURS to be completely recharged. They will have voltage after an hour or two, but it is only a surface charge that will go away in a day or two.