Optima

[MarsChariot]

It's all about quality control. That's why one person can have a good experience with Optima and the next 5 people have the usual bad experience. Your individual chances of a good experience are low.

 

[OptimaJim]

RRRAAAYYY2, I understand your personal research has suggested a variety of reasons why you think our batteries do not meet your expectations, but as I’ve mentioned before, we have never had an issue with inner plate connectors melting due to a manufacturing or design defect. I have come across terminal failures due to a high-resistance connection, commonly from a loose, damaged or corroded battery cable. This would be similar to what someone might see if they fired up a device with a loose connection and saw a spark, except that spark continues while you start your car. This is more common with side teriminal connections that are in bad shape or not properly-tightened. I also understand that you remember the weight of the batteries you weighed five years ago differing from the battery weight everyone else here has provided, which also reflects what I’ve previously stated about any weight difference in our batteries being negligible. We simply have not gone back and forth adding and removing weight from our batteries. I’m also sorry to hear you no longer have those batteries, as we would like to see them.

iwlbcnu, can you tell me what the parasitic draw is on your Mustang? If any of your vehicles sit for extended periods of time, regular use of a battery tender or maintainer is an excellent idea, which will help extend the life of your batteries. Typically, when batteries are discharged well into the single digits, there is a draw of some kind, which can be a bad fuse or even a glovebox light. Since the voltage of your battery is so low, you’ll probably need to recharge your battery using the parallel charging technique I previously linked to in this thread.

73azbronco, I’m sorry to hear you weren’t pleased with our battery. If your RedTop was under two years old, it should have been fully covered under warranty. We do encourage our retailers to ask questions when batteries are returned under warranty. Although quality control is important, application and usage should not be ignored either and our retailers want to help people. Even though it’s nice to get an exchange under warranty, if our retailers can offer some assistance which will prevent a problem from repeating itself, everyone is better off.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[stock1970]

all this battery talk, My thoughts are there are some good ones and bad ones just like cars, two cars off the assembly line one is a lemon and one runs forever with no problems, example I have a cheap duralast battery in my bronco from 2002 and I have let my bronco sit for months at a time and it has always cranks. Still have the battery and still no problems. If I were to get a optima I would go with the yellow, if I had money to blow I would go with the blue dual purpose.

 

[iwlbcnu]

I have recharged the batt and it will only go up to 12.10 volts. Back to unhooking the batt again
If I had a drain, how did it last 2 yrs first? This batt will turn 2 in Oct, basically matching the life cycle of the last 7 I have had.

 

[OptimaJim]

Hi iwlbcnu,

How long do you charge your battery and what amperage setting are you using? Fully-charged, RedTops should be approximately 12.6-12.8 volts and YellowTops should be about 13.0-13.2 volts. A new battery can mask the underlying issue of a parasitic draw for a period of time (even up to two years). If the voltage of a battery is not properly-maintained and it is allowed to sit in a partially-discharged state for extended periods of time, sulfation begins to diminish the capacity and performance of a battery. This video explains some basic battery diagnostics, including measuring parasitic draw- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yPlx4MBNRU

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[rtj731]

O-Jim
Just replaced Three (3) yellow tops at work, all 3 with date of 07/09 June 2009, these sit for extended time and all three were trickled charged before we started (wanted) to use the trucks, the batterys just gave up, if it had been one, oh well but three at the same time, all were purchased at the same time.
However my red top purchased in 2002 sits for several months and fires right up no issues.

 

[Steve]

Typically, when batteries are discharged well into the single digits, there is a draw of some kind, which can be a bad fuse...

Really? A bad fuse can cause a parasitic draw? I'd like to hear an explanation of how that happens. If the circuit the fuse is on has no draw, I don't believe a bad fuse will cause a draw.

 

[robofig]

O-Jim
Just replaced Three (3) yellow tops at work, all 3 with date of 07/09 June 2009, these sit for extended time and all three were trickled charged before we started (wanted) to use the trucks, the batterys just gave up, if it had been one, oh well but three at the same time, all were purchased at the same time.
However my red top purchased in 2002 sits for several months and fires right up no issues.

O-Jim,

OOOuchhh

 

[iwlbcnu]

I charged it 3 times overnight, 10ish hrs at 8 amps with an older charger. Then drove it 30ish miles with a 130amp alt. The car sees aproxx 300 miles a yr, so any probmatic drain should have drained it the first yr. It's unhooked right now, we'll see if it keeps loosing.

 

[iwlbcnu]

okay, checked yesterday, neg cable unhooked all week, down to 11.6v, recharged back to 12.5 and drove it again, sitting at 12.10 this am when i removed the cable again.

 

[OptimaJim]

Hi rtj731, I’m sorry to hear about the problems you had with your YellowTops. Was the trickle charger used while the batteries sat or just before you wanted to put them into use? What amperage and/or settings were used on the trickle charger and what was the voltage of the batteries when they gave up?

Steve, that was a good catch on the “bad fuse” comment and my mistake. I should have typed “bad relay” instead.

Iwlbcnu, what was the voltage after you charged it for 10ish hours at 8 amps? Are you able to charge your YellowTop to 13.0-13.2 volts? Thanks!

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[new to bronco]

well have had great luck with the bateries had red top in my drag car with no alt, just charged it between rounds it's 4 yrs old now and has never failed to start car even when hot laping car, also have blue top on trailer to run winch and lights for night repairs,it is hooked up to truck so truck charges it when you drive, have load many vehicles with winch and never had aproblem, will buy them again if needed.

 

[iwlbcnu]

I can only get it to 12.5 after charging and even after driving with a 3g alt.

 

[OptimaJim]

iwlbcnu, if your car sat for a month and the voltage dropped below 4 volts, it’s likely that the battery sulfated during storage. That can make it more difficult for the battery to accept a charge and may lengthen the time needed to fully-charge it. Charging at 10 amps for up to two hours can help break up this sulfation. Subsequent charging at a lower amperage may take longer, but if you give it enough time, it may get to 13.0-13.2 volts.

Although this person’s technique of hitting it with .5 amps and then 2 amps takes nearly a week, most folks are able to fully-charge their batteries over the course of a few days- http://forums.corral.net/forums/showpost.php?p=9423143&postcount=15

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[airbur]

I've had my first Optima fail on me. I installed it new in Feb. 2007 and it failed about 3 months ago so it didn't last that long. This was an D34/78 Yellow top that I used as a secondary battery. It powered my stereo system and was connected to the charging system with a battery separator. The separator would charge it periodically if the voltage dropped below a certain point. I don't know why it failed...but it's now at 10volts and won't take a charge.

After much consideration, I've decided to replace it with a 35 Redtop. I would have gone with another brand but the space and tray I built for it is very small and fits the optima perfectly.

BTW...this is in an '04 4Runner and it is used every day. I find the warranty on these batteries pathetic when Interstate offers a 70+ month.

 

[matt w]

Ya something has had to have happened, because I have one that is easily well over 10 years old! I had it in my Jeep 5-7 years and then when I sold my Jeep I put it in my Bronco going on 5 years...So it even has had "odd" charging habits and still the thing acts brand new!

 

[DirtDonk]

A 70 month warranty on a Deep-Cycle battery? Wow. The only ones I've seen from Interstate were either 6, 12, 24, 30 or 36 month warranties. Looks like things are improving is some areas at least.
Most all the other companies I've looked at (been awhile since I've compared though) were either 12, 18 or 24 only for their deep-cycle units. I guess they're pretty confident in their stuff.

Your Red Top Optima has a 72 month warranty though, so it's even better than the Interstate you're talking about. But here though, some Interstate warranties are 75 and 85 months for regular starting batteries, so they've got some advantage there too. Warranty has never been my big selling point between brands though. Within a brand, sure, but not so much for comparing brands.

Every manufacturer I've ever dealt with had plenty of variation between models and types though, so it wouldn't surprise me that's at least within the normal variations between manufacturers and models. Even Interstate can't offer the same warranty on every battery model.

And before you discard that Optima, I would stick it on a modern charger (one that has an automatic shut-off and trickle feature) and just leave it for several days.
That alone has fixed several "bad" Optimas that I know of.

Paul

 

[airbur]

A 70 month warranty on a Deep-Cycle battery? Wow. The only ones I've seen from Interstate were either 6, 12, 24, 30 or 36 month warranties. Looks like things are improving is some areas at least.
Most all the other companies I've looked at (been awhile since I've compared though) were either 12, 18 or 24 only for their deep-cycle units. I guess they're pretty confident in their stuff.

Your Red Top Optima has a 72 month warranty though, so it's even better than the Interstate you're talking about. But here though, some Interstate warranties are 75 and 85 months for regular starting batteries, so they've got some advantage there too. Warranty has never been my big selling point between brands though. Within a brand, sure, but not so much for comparing brands.

Every manufacturer I've ever dealt with had plenty of variation between models and types though, so it wouldn't surprise me that's at least within the normal variations between manufacturers and models. Even Interstate can't offer the same warranty on every battery model.

And before you discard that Optima, I would stick it on a modern charger (one that has an automatic shut-off and trickle feature) and just leave it for several days. That alone has fixed several "bad" Optimas that I know of.

Paul

Thanks for the reply Paul. I did disconnect the yellow top and put it on a trickle charger for 6 days....it didn't help. It seems that there are as many happy Optima customers as there are unhappy Optima customers and that's why I went ahead and bought a Red Top to replace it. I would think a battery should last longer than 3.5 years, especially one that's designed for audio systems and performance...but maybe that's just the Optima marketing taking it's toll. The OEM battery in my 4Runner has lasted 7 years and that's included taking up the slack for the dead Optima over the last several months.

Ah well, we'll see how it goes with the Red Top. I have one in my Bronco also and no problems so far (last 4 months at least

 

[OptimaJim]

airbur, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with your YellowTop and I'd like to help. Was this battery in your daily driver and if so, what were the circumstances surrounding your issue? Many battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a minimum voltage threshold (usually around 10.5 volts). This is a charger issue and not unique to Optima. It is possible that your YellowTop can be recharged, using this parallel charging technique.

matt w, I'm glad to hear your RedTop is performing so well for you. We're always looking for stories like yours, so feel free to share your story with us.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

 

[airbur]

airbur, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with your YellowTop and I'd like to help. Was this battery in your daily driver and if so, what were the circumstances surrounding your issue? Many battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been discharged below a minimum voltage threshold (usually around 10.5 volts). This is a charger issue and not unique to Optima. It is possible that your YellowTop can be recharged, using this parallel charging technique.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the info. I've got one of the old-style Schumacher chargers that will charge anything (no microprocessor. I put it on the 10amp setting for a few hours and the battery got hot and started to hiss at the vents. So I disconnected it for so it could cool down and then had it on the 2amp setting for around 3 days. The needle hasn't moved.

It was in my 2004 4Runner and connected to the main battery via a 200a Sure Power battery separator: http://www.surepower.com/pdf/separatorinterconnect.pdf