Trickle charging battery

[fireplug]

I charged my Optima Yellow top at the 2A setting last week.

The first trouble I noticed was the charging needle bouncing, I tried to make better connections but it continued. I haven't used the charger more than a couple of times so I thought maybe it was normal when a battery was right dead.

I returned a while later and the bouncing had stopped and the charging light was lit showing all was well.

I returned again hours later and judging by the needle the battery wasn't yet charged. I thought that odd and inspected the battery to hear it off gassing and it was very hot.

The truck started fine, but it's in storage so I haven't really determined if the battery was damaged at all.

Any thoughts on the off gassing or heat? Normal?

 

[GsxrMike]

I assume you connected + to + and - to -? I would take it to your favorite auto parts store and have it tested. Sounds like it shot craps. The only time i had a battery do that I had left if for a couple hours, came back to find battery acid all over my work bench.

 

[bnate]

I had a red top that was cooked by a bad internal voltage regulator in the alternator. When that happened, the Optima was cooked by a straight charge. It was hot and venting from the holes in the top of the battery. Smelled like rotten eggs, IIRC. It was too much for the battery to recover from.

 

[kablooie]

Reminds me of my "younger" years when I was working in the Walmart TLE... Someone hooked up a battery to the charger, but hooked it up + to - and - to +. When the customer came back to check on the battery, I went to unhook the charger ends and the battery blew up in my face. Thank God, Walmart required us to wear safety glasses. Needless to say, battery acid does not taste good...

 

[bigblock72]

I've had many red and yellow tops do the same thing. When they run dead they will short out internally, I'll bet your battery will run itself dead in a few days. When you try and recharge the battery it will get real hot and sometimes blow the vent right out of the case.

If you're going to store an optima for more than a month or two it's best to connect a float charger to keep it fully topped off. Optimas will not last once they have been run completely dead.

 

[fireplug]

Optimas will not last once they have been run completely dead.

Isn't that what they are especially designed to do?

Yeah I had it hooked up correctly so no prob there.

 

[virgilh]

If you need to replace the battery i highly reccomend the orbital battery from napa it is alot cheeper and can be warranted by any napa store anywhere with no questions asked