Dead Optima??

[SicMonte]

the other day my car would not start...turn over..no teven the light worked. Took out my yellow top optima and checked the volts. Nada...zip..zero!! Charged it up and it read 11.4 without the charger on. Put it back in the car and nothing...not even one crank. I jumped it with my other car and it ran good. Tester said it was at 13.85 volts at idle...seemed ok. Ran it around town for 45 minutes to charge it up...turned it off and immediatlly turned it back on...NOTHING!! Dead again.

Is there a special way to charge these things...or do I have to return it...I got it back in april.

[Apogee]

If you've got a trickle charger, you might try that...but for a new battery like that, it sounds like it could be a goner. Take it to where you bought it and give it to them to charge and perform a load test, it it even makes it that far. Depending on where you bought it, they may just hand you a new one.

The newer Optimas made over the past few years just don't seem to hold up to deep cycling and general abuse like the old ones did. I've converted from Optimas to the DEKA Intimidator and/or Hawker Odyssey batteries and won't be going back. Much better batteries in my opinion and cost competitive. The Hawker is heavier than the equivalent DEKA batteries (more lead is good), but cost more as well. The DEKA is probably the best bang for the buck on the market right now.

[Overkill]

My experience with Optimas is that they are not up to the hype. I've had several because I thought maybe I was just getting a bad one, but every one that I have had hasn't lasted very long at all. Charging system was putting out correctly and I even switched from a one wire setup on the alternator to a three wire setup to try and make sure that it was charging correctly. I had to go and buy a couple of regular acid batteries once I got to Detroit for the Dream Cruise this year because both of my Optimas crapped out after loading the car on the trailer and hauling it the ~7 hours up there. I have used a trickle charger and they still have left me standing with jumper cables when I was away from the house...

[SicMonte]

yeah...i have tried many time to get this POS to charge...but no luck.

[CRead01]

I had same thing. mine was a little older but I am begining to think not worth the money.

[NovaPwr]

I remember reading in this forum there was a proper way to charge one of these batteries. Memory fails me but maybe a search would find it.

In Optimas defense my yellow top has been going strong for 5 years. Sits without any kind of charge from November through late April every winter and fires right up each spring. So far it has been the best battery I have ever owned.

[ProdigyCustoms]

The yellow top is a deep cycle battery. Deep cyle batteries are designed to be charged and discharged. We do not have any problems chargeing yellow tops. Now red tops, they are a PIA to charge. Sounds like you have a broken battery. I would just return it, they are realy good about their warrentee

[SicMonte]

cool..thanks for the help guys. Im going to return it on monday. I got it from an interstate dealer and the cost through my shop was only like 145...so I am going to try to swap it out for a new one.

What was this special way of charging it??

[Twin_Turbo]

Those optima batteries are the most expensive pieces of junk out there, I've had bad luck with them and the warranty sucks (here in the Netherlands). The place where I bought them said I must have a junk battery charger but I don't, I have a microprocessor controlled Ferve GELIQ charger, specifically designed for Gel/SLA/Dryfit batteries and the battery was stored in a dry and room temp. climate and after some time it wouldn't keep a charge. When hooked up to the charger the damn thing started hissing out of the pressure relief valve. I at first thought the charger was kaput and destroyed the battery but a couple of years later the charger is still working fine. I hope you get a better warranty solution than I did, I had a 175 Euro piece of junk (that's about $240) :(

[OHCbird]

the 13.85 is coming from your alternator- not the Optima. It's dead. If you have a good charger that shows the volts, a dead Optima will bounce up to 15.5-16+ volts instead of the normal 14-ish; that's your sign there is a fractured cell or matt/matt interference (it's dead).

I just replaced my 3rd Optima for about the same reason. I think I'll be looking for an alternative.

[ZZ4Blazer]

Nothign but bad luck with them from me as well. Had atleast 3 of them. One even spewed battery acid all over the back of my truck(relocated) That was fun to clean up.

[Twin_Turbo]

I've got an old interstate mega-tron battery, it's been sitting in a bag (used it for my remote starter) during freezing winters, has been abused w/ the remote starter and all and it's now 5 years later and it's still alive and kicking. No more optimas for me, even if they look pretty it's not worth the $200+

[ZZ4Blazer]

I've had great luck with the interstates. The one in my work van has been in there for years. I had one in my beater parts hauler truck too, which would get used maybe every few months whenever I needed to haul something large. The best that I've used so far.

[SicMonte]

hmm...so should I even try to get anew one...or swap it for an interstate?

poll time??

[68sixspeed]

I've gone back to interstate after my 3rd optima quit - about 2 years apart, the first two were covered as warrantee, this last one the dealer took back and gave me an interstate. Even when new the optima couldn't make it through setting valves without needing help from a charger. I then tried it in my vette and it couldn't sit for 10 days to 2 weeks without being dead from the computer's draw. Optima=Pieces of junk IMO, I'll never buy another.

[redsand]

My redtop was flaking out. Tried trickle change would not keep its' charge. Took it back they tested it and they said it was defective. They gave me a new one. New one works great so far.

[SicMonte]

just got the new one today but the guy didnt give me a new reciept...hmmm. I need to go back and make it all official!!

[Rolling_Thunder]

Screw Optima batteries... I've been left at the side of the road numerous times by them... including 1/2 way to Las Vegas... good thing it was a 4-speed car...

[chicane67]

Redtops dont like to be cycled... period.

Since understanding that... I have never run anything other than a Yellowtop. I have had a Yellowtop in my truck for going on 10 years... nuf said.

[MonzaRacer]

ROFLMAO.
for one the red and yellow tops are not deep cycle batteries the Blues tops are.
I have a BLEM Optima from local Interstate shop I bought like back in 02 or 03.
Sat out in drive next to 79 Camaro I was gonna install my 402 bbc in and when I got rid of the Camaro for my 77Monza I put it in my truck.
Well the delaer told me thatthey order end runs put in blue top cases so they could sell them to dirt trackers and drag racers.
$75 and it works fine.
And to tell you the truth if it wasnt for my Optima Iwould have been stranded last weekend.
I was driving to Grandmas for Thanksgiving with her and mom and family and I panic stopped and the truck dies,,,dead.
Well open hood as everything was dead and sure enough the fuse link to the battery is blown apart and the power wire, being too long had been rubbed through by my braided ground strap and took out the second one on me so I find the short and wrap a rag around it as I dont have any tape with me, and twist the wires back together and go on my way.
Well restarted the truck, drove to dinner then to grandmas where they made hard candy, then to moms new house , then back home, then to work and back home on friday and then to archery range on saturday and then to work on monday,,,all with charge wire broke and not on alternator.
soI drove around 200 to 250 miles nad started the truckat least 10 -15 times and ran stereo with amp, blower motor and head lights and it still started.
I guarantee you the interstate I used to run would have never lasted that long.
Dont get me wrong Interstates are awesome batteries but some even have issues with those.
I prefer to use batteries made by Johnson Controls as they seem to hold up better, the ones i see every day that suck, (n)Everstarts (delco knock off desgns),Exide,Deka,Turbo Starts, AC Delco/Delphi,Yuasa.Justto name a few.
Wish all a good luck with your cars.
Lee