 Bad Optima battery?, Anyone had trouble with a 1 year old? |
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| Jamie |
 Apr 24 2006, 08:26 PM
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#1
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Senior Member  Group: Members Posts: 1,037 Joined: 13-October 04 From: Georgetown,KY Member No.: 2,939 Region Association: South East States 
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I installed an Optima in "Dad's Mistress"(73 original 1.7L)last summer, and now it won't hold enough charge to start when it sits for more than a week. I reinstalled the old battery and it works like a champ when it sits for 4 weeks, so it must be the battery. I don't have any way to load test the Optima, so back to the dealer after I look for the warrantee. Any advice?
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Replies(1 - 9)
| smooth_eddy |
Apr 24 2006, 08:36 PM
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#2
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 535 Joined: 13-November 04 From: Seattle Member No.: 3,102 |
Try cleaning up your terminals. What is your charging voltage read with a digital meter? I had similar problems till I installed a mini starter. No more starting problems now. Eddy
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| turboman808 |
Apr 24 2006, 11:09 PM
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#3
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 2,718 Joined: 31-January 06 From: North Jersey Member No.: 5,505 Region Association: North East States |
Alot of the honda guys are having trouble with the yellow tops. Seems the red tops are no problem. I just ordered a stinger battery. Never heard of them but are said to be good.
Opps sorry bought an oddesy |
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| wbergtho |
Apr 24 2006, 11:39 PM
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#4
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1,314 Joined: 28-April 03 From: Roberts, WI Member No.: 623 |
I had a Optima battery (red top) go bad after about 6 months and returned it for a new one. I don't think they are the "latest greatest technology". They Fu__ up just as much as a Sear's Die Hard.
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| markb |
Apr 24 2006, 11:41 PM
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#5
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914less :( Group: Members Posts: 5,449 Joined: 22-January 03 From: Nipomo, CA Member No.: 180 Region Association: Central California
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Optimas need a very low, slow, recharge. Try charging it with a trckle charger & see if that works.
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| Britain Smith |
Apr 24 2006, 11:43 PM
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#6
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Nano Member Group: Members Posts: 2,354 Joined: 27-February 03 From: Hillsboro, OR Member No.: 364 |
Optimas are crap these days...made in China. Get an excide oddessey battery...much better!
-Britain |
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| rick 918-S |
Apr 24 2006, 11:45 PM
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#7
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Hey nice rack! -Celette Group: Members Posts: 20,506 Joined: 30-December 02 From: Now in Superior WI Member No.: 43 Region Association: Northstar Region 
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dead after 3 months
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| Hoss |
Apr 24 2006, 11:53 PM
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 113 Joined: 24-January 06 From: Del Mar, CA Member No.: 5,465 |
Yes, I have had similar problems with two red top Optimas back to back. They worked like a champ for about 9-12 months, and had to take both back for a new one. This last one is less than 3 months old so I do not know if it will have the same pathology.
I had to buy a Vector battery charger and monitor the charges with a DVM. I only charge it up at a 2 amp current setting. A faster rate than that and it does not hold a charge well. I also have a blue top that is about 6 months old that is behaving so far, but it is too early to tell if it will have any better legs. Keep your original receipt and just keep taking it back. |
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| dwillouby |
Apr 25 2006, 06:25 AM
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 393 Joined: 27-December 02 From: Mt Washington, KY Member No.: 29 Region Association: None
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When I built my car I had a yellow top installed. On the second test drive the car died. It had lost all electrical power. Could not jump start it with another car or push start it. I discovered the battery had an internal short killing everything. disconnected it and push started the car and got home using the alt. power. Now I have a blue top and it has worked so far about a year.
David |
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| anthony |
Apr 25 2006, 09:27 AM
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#10
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2270 club Group: Benefactors Posts: 3,107 Joined: 1-February 03 From: SF Bay Area, CA Member No.: 218  |
My first Optima red top lasted two years. It was partly my fault because I later found out that the voltage regulator was flakey and I was constantly under charging it. The replacement red top has been great.
Also what I do now is disconnect the battery when the car is not in use over the winter. Slowly draining the battery with the clock isn't good for it. You can also use a battery maintainer if it isn't a daily driver and you don't want to disconnect the battery. One final note. When Optimas get low they need to be shocked back to life with a high amp charge. This link is recommending four 100amp 15 minute charges plus trickle charging: http://www.batteriesareus.com/index.php?ma...ages&pages_id=2 |
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