OK, Anybody know how an Optima battery acts when it's at end of it's life. I have a red top in my truck and have no idea how old it is. PO was not so kind to mark the punch outs on the label. It has an Interstate label on it and I'm pretty sure it's at least 3 years old and it has been fine as long as I've had the truck, but recently I haven't been driving it much while working on it and I've found it to be near dead after a week or so with no use. Put on the charger and it will come up to full charge and be OK for a week or so...then go down to a level that will barely crank the engine. This is the first Optima I've ever had, but my experience with conventional batteries tells me that when a battery won't charge, it's shot ...typically a dead cell. The Optima charges, shows about 13V on the VOM, but looses charge in a relative short period of time with no use. I've checked to make sure there is no drain on it and found none, and even gone so far as to disconnect the small wire that feeds everything ( fusable link wire )in the electrical system leaving just the starter cable in place. Is there some other marking on the battery that will show it's age? I know that other makers have a code on the battery that shows date of manufacture, regardless of the date on the consumer label. It would make me feel a lot more positive if I know the thing is 5 or 6 years old and keep me from going on an electical system witch-hunt looking for a possible drain source. Also, I've done a search on Optimas here, and read that they are not now as good as as their reputation has been. I like the idea of a gel-cell type battery for a 4x4, but not so sure I want to get another Optima. No winch, BTW...just stock FJ40 electricals. Any suggestions?
Optima red top questions...
- Thread starter lobo loco
- Start date
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I had a couple and it sounds like it is going bad. I just got a yellow top for my 40 but it was out of convenience. I was going with an Odyssey bat. but traded a new yellow top and $800 for an old truck.
Try a simple battery cutoff switch, or D/C the battery....you may have a small current drain.
GL
GL
You say you have checked to make sure "there is no drain on it" so what are you reading in milliamperes from your battery post to your grounding on your frame (ground battery wire)? Have you checked your voltage when putting the battery under a load (starting the truck)? Hope this helps.
Run the battery over to AutoZone (or whatever chain auto parts store you have) and they will check it for free. Takes about 5 minutes. Then you'll know one way or the other.
Had the same problem with my optima. Called the guys at optima and they told me to hook the charger to a regular, non dry cell, battery than with jumper cables hook up the optima to that battery. Optima's require a specialty charger, as most "automatic" chargers cant read the optima's charge level correctly. The original "wet" battery will fool the charger giving your optima a full charge. Good luck. Mark
I'm kind-of in the same boat as Pinhead, in that my Optima is well over 7 years old. It still charges just fine, but it's also just a matter of time before it is going to need to be replaced. When I do replace it I plan on going with the Yellow top.
