murf
Lifer
Red top Optima 34r problems in my 40. Been through 3 in 2.5 years. Kept acting like elecrical issue or drain. I even bought a trickle charger. If i left anything on like the radio or lights for more than 5 minutes, it would require a jump start then act ok later. A coworker had same issues with red tops in his rigs. Napa says they don't even test them, just exchange due to so many issues. I find this identical complaint on the first post when I google red top problems: ( if you're running a red top read the entire entry below)
I just got my car back after having an electrical drain issue for over 2 months. I bought an Optima Red top34R battery last February after swapping out my first one under their 3 year warranty when it stopped charging after a year of use. I just got my '06 QP back from my local shop after losing it for almost a month. After all the hours spent trying to find the drain in the car, first by the audio shop that installed the entire kenwood Car portal system (Jim in Seattle did touchscreen overlay part and shipped it back), and then secondly by my local Repair shop only to find out the battery was the culprit again.
It seems from what I have read in forums for other cars after a quick google search of "optima batteryissues", there seems to be a common problem with the Optima red topbatteries draining on cars either not used daily or with high electrical draws from cars like ours with tons of electronics or aftermarket items.
I often will use my car every other day and this seems to be just enough to make the Optima batterygo bad in less than a year like it happened to me already twice. I also have the aftermarket radio on an Audison amp with a subwoofer. According to the FAQ on Optima website, cars with more than 250watts of audio or cars that sit SHOULD NOT use a red top. Instead they recommend the Yellow top. Even cars with everyday use with large electrical draws should use Yellow tops too. The even go so far to say the warranty will void using Red top in these situations.
Aside from passing on info on correct application of Red and Yellow tops, I wanted to mention that when it went bad, it didn't just stop charging. The way it acted was like the car had an electrical drain and was very misleading. I would leave the car on my ctek charger set on charging cycle for Optima type batter until it went through all 4 stages and said full. The car would be fine for a few days then would die all the way down to nothing. The strange part is that sometimes it would be dead one day later, sometimes it would sit two days and be fine but be dead the 4th day after using it the night before.
The last paragraph pretty much sums it up and the resulting mindless frustration, just like my experience! I paid the $20 difference and got the yellow top. In the three weeks I've had it, its has spun my starter faster and stronger than the red top ever did and so far is stout. I heard that the red top is made by a different manufacturer than it used to be and not the same place that still makes the yellow and blue tops.
So, I suggest going yellow , not red, if going Optima. My coworker swapped all three of his rigs 6 months ago after the same BS and went from constant issues to none .
Thought id share for what its worth
I just got my car back after having an electrical drain issue for over 2 months. I bought an Optima Red top34R battery last February after swapping out my first one under their 3 year warranty when it stopped charging after a year of use. I just got my '06 QP back from my local shop after losing it for almost a month. After all the hours spent trying to find the drain in the car, first by the audio shop that installed the entire kenwood Car portal system (Jim in Seattle did touchscreen overlay part and shipped it back), and then secondly by my local Repair shop only to find out the battery was the culprit again.
It seems from what I have read in forums for other cars after a quick google search of "optima batteryissues", there seems to be a common problem with the Optima red topbatteries draining on cars either not used daily or with high electrical draws from cars like ours with tons of electronics or aftermarket items.
I often will use my car every other day and this seems to be just enough to make the Optima batterygo bad in less than a year like it happened to me already twice. I also have the aftermarket radio on an Audison amp with a subwoofer. According to the FAQ on Optima website, cars with more than 250watts of audio or cars that sit SHOULD NOT use a red top. Instead they recommend the Yellow top. Even cars with everyday use with large electrical draws should use Yellow tops too. The even go so far to say the warranty will void using Red top in these situations.
Aside from passing on info on correct application of Red and Yellow tops, I wanted to mention that when it went bad, it didn't just stop charging. The way it acted was like the car had an electrical drain and was very misleading. I would leave the car on my ctek charger set on charging cycle for Optima type batter until it went through all 4 stages and said full. The car would be fine for a few days then would die all the way down to nothing. The strange part is that sometimes it would be dead one day later, sometimes it would sit two days and be fine but be dead the 4th day after using it the night before.
The last paragraph pretty much sums it up and the resulting mindless frustration, just like my experience! I paid the $20 difference and got the yellow top. In the three weeks I've had it, its has spun my starter faster and stronger than the red top ever did and so far is stout. I heard that the red top is made by a different manufacturer than it used to be and not the same place that still makes the yellow and blue tops.
So, I suggest going yellow , not red, if going Optima. My coworker swapped all three of his rigs 6 months ago after the same BS and went from constant issues to none .
Thought id share for what its worth
...I understand about designed failure, but it's like we can't stand things to last anymore- no one is making anything to last anymore, and we keep supporting their efforts by giving them our money for fads and sub-par production in the name of bling and volume...we deserve red tops and politicians...after all, we keep going back for more...
