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Optima batteries, 4/10/18...battery status update

I had dual interstates in the bed of my trazer. No covers on them. They sat in direct sunlight and direct snow. Even being packed in ice and snow for a winter or two. Never used a battery tender on them. I would disconnect them when not in use. But everytime I connected them back up, the truck would still start. They were 7 or 8 years old when they finally died.
 
another update:

Going into 9 years now with my two Optimas.
As usual if the vehicle sits for more than a couple weeks it gets a tender out on it.

The Yellow top has been sitting on a tender all winter, and has been UN-tendered for a week sitting in the Maiden with the battery switch off. Shows 13.4

The Redtop in the 99-2500 has been on a tender all winter with the truck unused. 2 weeks ago I unplugged it and it sat outside. Showing 12.8
 
My Redtops from Smokey are in Fat Basterd the service truck and roll the 454 over with no issues . The Other reds from the burb are sitting under my workbench . When I need a battery(s) to start a wayward project or parts rig I grab them. They still have plenty off ass to start anything down to about 15-20 degrees below that they need help .
 
76zimmer said:
another update:

Going into 9 years now with my two Optimas.
As usual if the vehicle sits for more than a couple weeks it gets a tender out on it.

The Yellow top has been sitting on a tender all winter, and has been UN-tendered for a week sitting in the Maiden with the battery switch off. Shows 13.4

The Redtop in the 99-2500 has been on a tender all winter with the truck unused. 2 weeks ago I unplugged it and it sat outside. Showing 12.8
Click to expand...

just hit 10 years on my Optimas

the red top in the 99 has been sitting outside for about 2 weeks untendered, and measures 12.68.
The yellowtop I left in the Iron Maiden untendered and left the ignition key on, running the fan on low the whole time...a month later it read 1.26. Unable to just throw a charger on it, I put a good battery (12.8) in tandem with it and did a 12 amp charge on it for a few hours....forgot about it and charged it for a couple days at that rate...when I walked into the barn I could smell an acid odor...shit, forgot about the charging. It does fine on a tender now, but if I disconnect it for a couple days it drops to 11.0 or less.
I need to investigate more charging options.. @OptimaJim
 
76zimmer said:
just hit 10 years on my Optimas

the red top in the 99 has been sitting outside for about 2 weeks untendered, and measures 12.68.
The yellowtop I left in the Iron Maiden untendered and left the ignition key on, running the fan on low the whole time...a month later it read 1.26. Unable to just throw a charger on it, I put a good battery (12.8) in tandem with it and did a 12 amp charge on it for a few hours....forgot about it and charged it for a couple days at that rate...when I walked into the barn I could smell an acid odor...shit, forgot about the charging. It does fine on a tender now, but if I disconnect it for a couple days it drops to 11.0 or less.
I need to investigate more charging options.. @OptimaJim
Click to expand...


Zim my experience has been once you cook them they are kinda done.

I try to do a 2-amp charge with a known good lead acid in tandem for charging optimas


Actually, I have found the same technique to work on any AGM batteries, no matter how dead or frozen .

about the the only way to hurt them seems to be overcharging.
 
Optima's charger is nice no worries, it will test condition, recondition, charge and maintain. We use alot of optima batteries at work, red yellow blue. That charger saved a lot of batteries we would have written off.
I bought one for myself.

Optima Digital 1200 12V Performance Battery Charger and Maintainer - 150-33508 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B009M3PQFA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SRjZEbXHPJ186

If it can't charge a battery it beeps. I normally try to add a second battery or use a normal steady rate charger for a hour or 2, then go back to the optima charger. If the battery doesn't come back after that .... Well it's toast
 
Wes Harden said:
Optima's charger is nice no worries, it will test condition, recondition, charge and maintain. We use alot of optima batteries at work, red yellow blue. That charger saved a lot of batteries we would have written off.
I bought one for myself.

Optima Digital 1200 12V Performance Battery Charger and Maintainer - 150-33508 https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B009M3PQFA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_SRjZEbXHPJ186

If it can't charge a battery it beeps. I normally try to add a second battery or use a normal steady rate charger for a hour or 2, then go back to the optima charger. If the battery doesn't come back after that .... Well it's toast
Click to expand...

I have that same charger. I bought it for the Optimas but I have gave up on them. I have a bunch of junk ones now.
 
I found if an Optima gets drained to far a few times they don't like to come back. The optima charger take the babysitting out of charging an AGM, set it an forget it.
 
I had real good luck with 2 different yellow tops 19-20 years ago. One would sit in a batt box on my dad's camper tongue all winter, get charged on a trickle in the spring and then just what ever charging the truck pulling it did the rest of the year. That's after I ragged it out for a year powering my massive stereo.
Lasted about 8-9 years on the camper till her sold it.
Other one wasn't around long but did most of its work between charges, then was sold. Ran a stereo with that one too.

Then I heard a bunch of bad about em for years. But new stereo needed power, so I bought another yellow. We'll see how this one does.
 
Last update on my Optimas…
the Yellowtop in the Maiden wouldn't make a comeback, but it was good for 9 years without issue until I foked it up. I replaced it with another Yellowtop, identical to the one I fried.
the Redtop just lost its ability to hold anything above 12.1. Barely enough to start my 99 6.0. Luckily that engine fires off almost immediate after hitting the starter, and voltage was enough to keep the computer happy. That battery was good for 11 years before it started dropping voltage.
I cant complain about either battery, Ive never had a battery go longer than these Optimas.
That being the case, I bought a Napa gold 800 cca and 120 minutes reserve for $122, with a nice discount. 84 month prorated, 2 yr free replacement.
 
76zimmer said:
I bought a Napa gold
Click to expand...
You mean the Napa Legend Premium. I am guessing you bought PN# 8434. Most GM's use this battery unless they stick with the old side post then it is PN# 8478. I see people talk about how one companies battery is better then an others then I burst their bubble, and tell them there is only two manufactures of batteries ( Exide and Johnson Control ). Every battery is one or the the other just with different stickers on them. I am sure somebody is going to take umbridge, and tell about some vauge company that makes a wonderfull battery, but their market share is minimal.
 
You’re correct, my mistake in terminology!
Its the sidepost model, as its going in my 99 with original cables. Model 8478.

3B826C49-7C37-49B1-A5E3-6A855D329001.jpeg
 
My zombies are pretty much wore out , but I keep them around when I need a set for parts rigs .

What I have gone too is X2’s from batteries plus they seem to awesome on cranking over the my Cummins trucks and the old 6.5’s
 
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