Optima Batteries-Good or Bad

5030 · Aug 12, 2003

Shady:

This is way off the thread, but I'd think you would like my friends Massey pulling tractor. It's a Massey V8 with water injection. He told me he passed a school bus on a 2 lane road at 60 with it. I bet the driver of the bus- [censored] his pants!!!

timb · Aug 13, 2003

Daryl,

A little late to pile on but I've been running a red top in my Jeep for 4 years now. It sit's outside at all times - and on plenty of single-digit and sub-zero snowy mornings the Optima started it like it was 72 and sunny.

Even without the rest of the positive aspects I'm sold and plan on changing to Optima's anytime and anywhere they'll fit when I need a new battery. (Watching my FIL's JD garden tractor battery slop all over the sheet metal reinforces this.)

Neophyte, Zuiko - I considered the yellow tops but never got a definitive answer as to whether there was a down side in "ordinary" vehicle use. Anyone know?

Tim

5030 · Aug 13, 2003

Tim:

I see that Optima dosen't make small batteries like lawnmower or snowmobile applications. That's too bad. The battery in my wifes electric start Arctic Cat has to be replaced every year and the battery in my lawnmower goes the same route. I have tried taking them out of the machines and putting them on the bench, but they still puke on a regular basis. I know that a flooded cell battery will sulphate with non-use, but seasonal equipment sits in the "off season". I'd be better off if the same battery fit the lawnmower and the sled, then it would get almost continous use.

Tim:

I thought I might add this:
Mike, a moderator on this site, has a NH Boomer. He had the battery slop problem. I believe he changed to another battery but I believe it wasn't an Optima as I think it didn't fit. I remember he said the acid gas had eaten his (hood latch?). I'll ask him.

timb · Aug 13, 2003

Daryl,

Yeah - the Optimas are fairly compact but there are cases where they don't fit. I'm wasn't sure of the exact group # of the battery in my FIL's JD 265 or my JD 318 but they looked roughly like an old traditional group 24. (i.e. big) I'm pretty sure in those cases an Optima will fit - but I've never pulled out the tape measure yet.

The JD Parts site lists different part numbers for each battery but lists both the 265 and 318 as using a "22F" (9.4x6.8x8.3 LxWxH) and the basic red tops are close (maybe a little long). Ought to be one that fits there but these are certainly bigger than a "motorcycle" battery style.

I think the Optima's would be ideal for a CUT - a shame they don't fit in all cases (I remember the Boomer thread).

Tim

Hambone · Aug 13, 2003

I also had heard they are good and put one in the dragster this weekend. I had a Genisis sealed and worked good till it shorted. I used the yellow top.

zuiko · Aug 13, 2003

cbh,

You are right about over-charging and over-discharging being really bad for batteries. Overcharging is mainly what gave NiCad's their bad name. A NiCad can last a very long time with no capacity loss if charged with a decent charger, but there are a lot of junk chargers out there that keep charging after the battery is full.

MikePA · Aug 13, 2003

Mike, a moderator on this site, has a NH Boomer. He had the battery slop problem. I believe he changed to another battery but I believe it wasn't an Optima as I think it didn't fit. I remember he said the acid gas had eaten his (hood latch?). I'll ask him. 
Here's a link to the thread with the details.

At the time, Optima didn't make a battery that would fit my TC25D. They do now.

centex · Aug 15, 2003

I have bought three Optima battries in the last three years and all have been bad. The last one was yesterday. It was bad off the shelf. Another almost exploded in the car. The third will not hold a charge after one year. I will not try another one.

AndyMA · Aug 15, 2003

Don

I see your an EE as I am. I'm curious what was wrong with your batteries. One I can see but 3 seems like quite a lot when the comments in this forum except yours seem to be 100% positive and the ones I have used have preformed great. I have also been told that the Army is using them in many of their vehicles without problems. Is it possible that you bought batteries that were not stored correctly? It seems like that might be the case if you picked one up recently and it was dead.

Andy

5030 · Aug 17, 2003

Andy:

I hope I didn't buy a lemon too. I just put the Group 31 Blue top in my lance's battery compartment. It's pretty heavy. It's rated at 900 cca. The flooded cell I took out was rated at 650 cca.

I'll keep my fingers crossed. What really sold me was the fact that I have a buddy who shot a hole in his Optima by accident. He is still using it in his welder and that was 3 years ago!!

Gary_in_Indiana · Aug 18, 2003

There was a thread I started quite a while ago when I was trying to decide what kind of battery I needed for my trailer wherein someone touted Optima batteries. I was interested enough to call the local Optima distributor since my regular battery supplier doesn't handle them. I told the Optima distributor who I was and that, while I was a truck dealer, I was interested in one of these for my tilt bed trailer and possibly another one later for my tractor.

He gave me a price on one but cautioned me that he thought I was wasting the extra money buying one over a more conventional battery. I went with a conventional deep cycle/starting battery and have been very, very pleased with it.

Understand here that I'm not saying Optima's are good or bad. I'm only telling you what I was told. They didn't say they were bad, either. They merely told me they thought they were overpriced and that they thought I'd be happier with something else.

WVBill · Aug 18, 2003

We've had the same problem with Fed-ex ground - they can't seem to remember how to get to our place. Each of three deliveries now, they've sent us a card asking us to CALL THEM and give them directions. The last time I called, as soon as they heard my voice they said "Oh! we remember now!". During this same period, Fed-Ex Air and UPS have delivered with no problem.

Fed-Ex ground is franchisees who may have nothing more than a magnetic stick-on Fed-Ex sign for their minivan. The Post Office is more reliable around here.

slowrev · Aug 18, 2003

were these 3 batteries all in the same vehicle ? If so it might be the vehicle.

timb · Aug 18, 2003

Don,

I too would like to know what happened to your Optima's.

I have personal experience with only one, no one else I know has ever bothered. But mine's been fine (actually ordered it throught Summit Racing) and I've never heard a discouraging word on Optima's (outside of price) anywhere.

I hope your experience was an unfortunate fluke - since otherwise I've had the Optima's on the short list of preferred upgrades.

Tim

GreenMtnMan · Aug 18, 2003

I'm curious about the comment that

"another almost exploded in the car" 

How does a battery "almost" explode? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Docsknotinn · Aug 18, 2003

Easy, Its an Iraqi Knock off. lol, just kidding of course !

slowrev · Aug 18, 2003

One time I had a battery almost explode. Was driving thru Kansas in my old Van and kept noticing my AMP gauge keeping creeping up, well it was 4:00 AM so I started looking for a place to stop. Found an exit and a K-Mart with Auto service. Stopped in the parking lot, by this time the AMP gauge was reading almost 60 Amps. !!! Opened the hood and the battery was smoking and extremely hot. I am sure one small spark and it would have gone up. Slept in the van until K-Mart opened the next morning, got a battery and went on my way. I guess the battery developed a short.

GreenMtnMan · Aug 18, 2003

I'm not sure if that's an almost explosion or an almost meltdown /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

dmftoy1 · Aug 18, 2003

( One time I had a battery almost explode. Was driving thru Kansas in my old Van and kept noticing my AMP gauge keeping creeping up, well it was 4:00 AM so I started looking for a place to stop. Found an exit and a K-Mart with Auto service. Stopped in the parking lot, by this time the AMP gauge was reading almost 60 Amps. !!! Opened the hood and the battery was smoking and extremely hot. I am sure one small spark and it would have gone up. Slept in the van until K-Mart opened the next morning, got a battery and went on my way. I guess the battery developed a short.
)

If your Ammeter was showing 60 amps, that's not the batteries fault that's a failure of the regulator in your alternator and the alternator overcharging the battery. (You were boiling the acid in the battery). The battery can't "increase" it's power output, it actually decreases with usage. (at least it can't increase it's output significantly . not sure what effect ambient heat/cold have on it)

Just my .02

Regards,
Dave

5030 · Aug 18, 2003

Actually, I read directions before I use something, that's a concept isn't it.

Before I put the Optima in the battery compartment of the Lance I read the directions and it stated the if you improperly charged the battery, it would get hot and gas off. The charger in my cmaper is designed for deep cycle batteries and taper charges them. I installed the battery and checked it after about an hour and it was all right.

The papragraph about improper charging procedures was full of cautions about possible hazards. I wonder if maybe the charging system that the fellow posted with the negative comment is overcharging the battery or putting too many amps into the battery causing it to heat up and gas off ?