My Optima when dead after leaving something on for a few days. (I don't want to talk about it). The FLAPS charged it for an hour and said it was B A D. I took it home and it has about 9.3 volts. It was down to about 1.4. The battery is about 5 years old. Will it come up if left on the charger longer or has it gone to heaven?

Cheers, Elliot

load tested @ FLAPS said it's dead... it's dead

5 years


its probably close to the end if not dead already

I have the same issue with mine. I am attempting to recondition it and am having some sucess. I started by running the desulflate cycle on my battery charger several times and then repaeatly hitting it with the 25A charge (it usually faults out) but itis up to 11.8V now - was 5.6 and it continues to take a bigger amp draw each time. Perhaps I will be lucky.

M

The optima web site has special instructions for recharging, something like this:
Charge at 50 amps for 15 min, let battery cool, repeat several time. Apparently. the optimus does not recharge like the lead-acid battery

Thanks Jim. Maybe I'll try their web site before I get a new one.
Cheers, Elliot

From what I've been told they need to be shocked hard to revive them. The "average" charger won't shock hard enough.

Wierd that you posted this when you did - I have been trying to recondition my red optima for about a week now. It is charging now - finally got it to take the max charge - its sitting at a charge of 25.7A right now and has been for over 45mins. Not saying its working yet - but this is the best sign I have seen yet. It appears that my $60 charger (see below) was worth it. Time will tell.

Boy I wish I had known that a month ago. I just threw one away. I have been using them a long time and found out they don't like to set unused very long. I will definately try the shocking treatment though. I keep them all on battery tenders now.
Charliew

We recommend the following charging procedure for a 34, 34/78, 75/35, and 6v:

From the Optima page:


1) Charge the battery A MINIMUM OF 100 amps for 15 mins ( @ 14.5+ volts)
a) Let battery and charger cool for 15 mins
2) Repeat step one at least four times - after letting battery cool 15 mins after each charge
3) Charge at 2-10 amps (trickle / automatic) for 24 hours minimum
4) Test the battery
5) D31 batteries: repeat each step again

--> WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND CHARGING TWO BATTERIES AT A TIME- CONNECT THEM POSTIVE POST TO POSITIVE POST ? negative post to negative post) AND PUT THE CHARGER NEGATIVE CABLE ON ONE BATTERY AND THE POSITIVE ON THE OTHER BATTERY! (and DOUBLE CHARGING TIMES)

ALL Optima's need Charged up if they have been discharged, before testing!


We compare charging an Optima to waking a teenager up on Saturday morning, or filling an empty 55-gallon drum with water ? it?s going to take some work!

They make gud boat anchors....just like Riviera wheels and Pinto/Weber carbs.....