How to recharge an Optima battery?

[Mickey_Fx]

Let's see, this battery tech was developed by Gates Energy Products back in the 80's. I was an early customer, actually the Co I worked for was but I was the eng doing the qualifications. OH, gel cell and AGM batteries are NOT the same in some important areas.

The original tech was called starved electrolyte but in recent yrs been called AGM. No need for special charging schemes. These batteries have a low self discharge rate ~1%/mo/remaining capacity. Lead acid batteries DON'T like to be left in a partial/full discharged condition. That will cut their life in short order. The sulfation of the plates will harden if left in that condition and it's hard to reverse once this has happened. One possibility to help recover is to install a battery desulfator. They do a fare job of bring a sulfated battery back to life.

Have any idea how long the switch was left in the ON position? Are you sure ALL connection are clean and tight. When the equip is running, what voltage do you see at the battery? Should be in the range of 14.25V. You can get a good voltage reading off the battery after no current has flowed in/out for 6 hrs. Fully charged 12V nom battery should read close to 12.7V. By 12V battery is half discharged and goes down from there.

Seeing you tried jumpering a different battery to the set-up and a no go. That is telling me there are problems other than the battery, connections or something else. You need to trace that down and fix first. Battery may still be a goner if it has been in a discharged condition for months.

 

[john_bud]

If you have lights, but ignition kills it dead dead dead, that is about 90% certain a connection problem. Clean and tighten the cables at the battery, ground, starter, relay and inspect for corrosion damage.

I had a similar issue, and found a ground connection loose. Now I have a spare battery.

jb

 

[AlanB]

If you have lights, but ignition kills it dead dead dead, that is about 90% certain a connection problem. Clean and tighten the cables at the battery, ground, starter, relay and inspect for corrosion damage.

I had a similar issue, and found a ground connection loose. Now I have a spare battery.

jb

Second or third this wherever I am in line, or you have 2 problems.

I would be looking hard for a bad connection though.

I think you also said you jumped it and it did not help, that definetely sounds like a connection.

 

[Richard]

I dropped battery off this morning at Autozone. She put it on their checker and it passed the initial 5 minute exam their machine does. It then went into charge mode and she said could take an hour or more.

She also said, it could fail at anytime depending on what was going on.

The battery was bought new last July.

It failed their test as defective. So, it's covered under a warranty and I suspect I'll get 10% back

I'll probably put it towards a yellow top. I ALSO bought a disconnect switch. If you harken back to the Frankenstein movies, or perhaps someone in the electric chair... you have the two sets of contacts and the person moves the lever from up to down to connect them...

It's something much like one of those however, it's obviously much smaller. It fits on top of the negative post of battery and opens the ground circuit when you lift the lever.

Up to me then to remember to do that!

Will know in several hours when I get home, if all I needed was new battery (aside from possible charging issues). Now that I know for sure my old battery is defective, it takes SOME of the frustration out of the equation.

 

[Richard]

Well, doesn't that beat all...

Stopped by to talk about the results of the defective battery. Talked about a yellow top. Guy said I should look at BLUE top if I didn't mind the money. Said it was marine grade AND was "dual purpose" for cranking and deep cycle (or what ever it's called)

how much?

(clickty clickty click on his calculator)

Net difference after tax, about $76.00

HUH?

I got a 100% refund on my defective battery.... 100% !!!! no pro-rated no nothing but full refund.

Put it into Brutus and it fired up in its typical 3/4 revolution. (fast starting machine when you can get it to crank over)

I'm a happy camper

 

[jake98]

Yippy yai yippi ai cayay. Things do sometimes go your way. Gotta love it.
(almost better than if it didn't go wrong, right?)

 

[jinman]

Stopped by to talk about the results of the defective battery. Talked about a yellow top. Guy said I should look at BLUE top if I didn't mind the money. Said it was marine grade AND was "dual purpose" for cranking and deep cycle (or what ever it's called)

Richard, that's great news about Autozone giving you full credit. Stories like yours are why I always start at Autozone when looking for auto parts and accessories.

I'm not sure the blue-top Optima is the very best choice, but it certainly is better than the red-top for your application. Here is a link to Optima's site where they describe the battery types and primary uses.

Optima Products

 

[WilliamBos]

Richard, an Optima battery is a "SLA" which stands for Sealed Lead Acid. It is no different from a normal lead-acid battery. It is NOT a gel-cel battery. The biggest problem as I see it is that you have completely discharged a battery that is not a deep cycle battery. The Optima yellow-tops are deep cycle (read "much more expensive"). Your red-top is just for starting like a car battery and is probably "toast" since it has been completely discharged.

As JB suggested, you should read the voltage on the battery, but don't be surprised if it doesn't take a "surface" charge and read 13.8 volts until you put a load on it. Any significant load will make it go to zero or very near zero.

I think you need a new Optima or other deep cycle battery or a disconnect like John Bud suggested. I'll bet your current Red-top Optima is no good.

Without starting a war, what is the advantage to an optima, especially the yellow tops over a regular lead battery?

 

[Richard]

Without starting a war

Who's going to want to respond with that precondition?

 

[jinman]

Without starting a war, what is the advantage to an optima, especially the yellow tops over a regular lead battery?

No need to raise the war budget. I'll let Optima describe their own product.

The Optima Edge

I'll also say that my main application for my Optima is my tractor that had a regular lead-acid battery that seeped acid and acid vapors. Those vapors got drawn through my radiator and rusted the whole battery shelf. That caused a lot of damage to my tractor (pictures on request). I had to replace the radiator and HST cooler lines under warranty. The Optima ended that problem: no leakage, no damage, perfect starting. I'm a happy Optima camper.