Optima Red Top

[PortFJ62]

This weekend Both batteries within a day of each other went out on me. This is the 3rd time in one year I have had to replace these things(6 of them). Luckily GI Joes tested them each time and said they were bad. They have replaced about 800.00 in batteries to me. Being about 180.00 per. The first time it was my fault. Has anyone else had trouble with these reds?

Oh and hey clint(dirtgypsy), Ill be waiting for a smart ass answer from you

 

[John Galt]

This weekend Both batteries within a day of each other went out on me. This is the 3rd time in one year I have had to replace these things(6 of them). Luckily GI Joes tested them each time and said they were bad. They have replaced about 800.00 in batteries to me. Being about 180.00 per. The first time it was my fault. Has anyone else had trouble with these reds?

Lots of us have discovered that the Red Tops are overrated, expensive crap.
Use the search function to see many discussions about better battery options.

 

[jvazquez53]

The problem is the battery... Optima, I'll never buy another. Other that they look cool, they are a piece of junk. The most I got from one of them was 18 months, and that's in Puerto Rico weather, I can't imagine that battery when I lived in Anchorage! Save your $$, go to Sam's or Costco ($60.00 + -) and buy one from them, you won't regret it.

 

[Dirtgypsy]

I got your smart ass answer right here:

Before you go jumping on the "ih8optima" bandwagon give the people here some credit and see if we can trouble shoot your issue.

1. the first set died because your dogs somehow turned on your inverter and killed both your batteries

2. The second set died shortly after that for some unknown reason

3. the third set died after moab and after the electricl fans shorted on your rig.

4. I bought the exact same batteries, at the same time, and from the same supplier and have not had an issue with them.

So, this is a WAG, but you my friend have an electrical short killing your batteries.

You need to go back to the 1st issue and trace from there.

It is nice to have GI Joes on your side but I am sure after 2 sets they are probably going to decline your next return.

So ask some of the gurus here for some electrical advice and we can figure it out from there or take it somewhere and have it gone over.

Just my 2 cents as I am sure you are tired of asking me for help and after killing your spark plug wires on the last fix probably tired of fixing my fixes.

Clint

 

[jvazquez53]

My Optima was not even in my Cruiser, it was in my wife's new minivan. I installed it thinking that she would be safe on the road, that battery left her stranded in the middle of nowhere, twice. BTW both times the batteries were replaced, the batteries were the problem; nothing wrong with the charging system or wiring. The gurus can tell me how good are the Optimas, or if the charging system is bad or not, but my opinion about them will not change. I know there are some high end batteries other that the Optima, I have not tried them, so I cannot make a judgment about those.


PS Sorry if anyone Optima fans are out there.

 

[klinetime574]

I have had an Optima in my Cruiser since 2004 and it is still functional. I have Subs and a Power Inverter installed.

Just my 2 cents

 

[cruiser88]

The new Red tops blow...I have now now as a paper weight.

 

[Lost]

i have a yellow top, 2 years no problems...

 

[Cruzerman]

My experience (and many other too) has been that Optimas used to be great and now suck. Don't know what happened and exactly when, but something seemed to have changed.

 

[Hank]

I have a six year old yellow top that has been in no less than 8 off highway vehicles, three on road vehicles and served an entire summer running a winch on a trailer with no charging for weeks. Still works as intended. Conversely I have had two red tops die in short order recently. A thread on battery health might be a good idea here.

I agree with the above though, something is wrong with your system.

Other tech, I'm running the Carquest version of a gel cell yellow top in my FJ62. I'm very pleased with it.

 

[Waggoner5]

I have gone through many red tops over the years in both my wagons. Once they were discharged once, it seemed that they would never come back up to full charge and eventually, they would not come back at all. That all stopped when I went to the yellow tops. They are better at recovery and seem to last much longer with lots of electronics. Matts' truck has a lot of electronics running most of the time along with high wattage lighting etc. I think the red tops are the wrong battery for sure. A pair of yellow tops or regular wet group 31 marine batteries may be the answer.

 

[NocalFJ60]

You shouldn't have to be changing them out that much. They are not the best battery but it sounds like you have another problem. What voltage do you get on them while the cruiser is running?

 

[Dirtgypsy]

I have gone through many red tops over the years in both my wagons. Once they were discharged once, it seemed that they would never come back up to full charge and eventually, they would not come back at all. That all stopped when I went to the yellow tops. They are better at recovery and seem to last much longer with lots of electronics. Matts' truck has a lot of electronics running most of the time along with high wattage lighting etc. I think the red tops are the wrong battery for sure. A pair of yellow tops or regular wet group 31 marine batteries may be the answer.

Thanks for posting up Gary. I know you have been invaluable in helping to keep Matt from losing his mind with this truck. I would like some more insight as to what you feel is a lot of "electronics running"? The only thing I can think of is the constant "on" of the on board air system. I also realize that the motor has a constant electronics engine managment system but enough to kill a dual battery set up? As far as lights he never uses them. He did use his winch about 3 weeks ago but my concern is that I have a similar dual battery set up and winched 10 trucks out compared to his 2, i have inverters, stereo etc etc and I have yet to kill a red top. All be it that I am not running a 502 EFI rig but still this seems a bit excessive to me.

I don't think Michelle would stick around if Matt went out and bought $500 in batteries just to have them die in short order. So before he does I still feel that he needs to go over the system and make sure he has no shorts before forking out mo money for batteries.

Still just my 2 cents but having been under the hood of this truck more times than mine in the past year my gut is telling me he has a short or I am just not understanding the fact that this truck sucks the life out of batteries just sitting there.

Clint

 

[NocalFJ60]

What do the people that check the batteries tell you are wrong with them when you have brought them back in the past? shorted plates?

 

[Waggoner5]

Matts' truck doesn't have an excessive amount of amp draw, it just that with everything working and on it is considerably more than average. The fan motor current alone is 30A. The engine electrical is minimal maybe 15 amps total including the fuel pump. By the time he is driving down the road with just the stereo running, he is at roughly 65 amp draw on the system and if its at night, in the rain, you can add another 30 amps for headlights and wiper motor. That's a huge amount of current. If you throw some winching in there you can easily kill even yellow tops unless there is significant charge time. While using the winch on that truck I would kill any electronics that you don't need. The onboard air is about 20 amps and only runs when you need it so that should not be an issue.

I guess the bottom line is if the truck is killing batteries on a regular basis, I would first have the alternator output tested. Those smaller CS style alternators can show 13 volts running, but only put out a small amount of amperage so the gauge can deceive you. You can also test the amperage draw at rest with a simple amp gauge. The gauge that I use allows me to unhook the battery, wire 1 side of the gauge to BAT+ and the other to the truck side BAT cable. This makes all current go through the gauge showing the exact current draw, whether running or at rest. If you guys want to tackle a test like this, call me and we can go through it together.
G

 

[lowtideride]

My last Optima Red Top lasted me 7 years. Still have it sitting around as I just changed it out thinking it was time for a new one.

The old red top that lasted 7 plus years SAID MADE IN COLORADO the new red top I bought SAID MADE IN MEXICO. I think that's the problem, out sourcing. Sick of it every way shape and form, I will pay more money for something that will last twice as long and built right.

 

[cruiser88]

My last Optima Red Top lasted me 7 years. Still have it sitting around as I just changed it out thinking it was time for a new one.

The old red top that lasted 7 plus years SAID MADE IN COLORADO the new red top I bought SAID MADE IN MEXICO. I think that's the problem, out sourcing. Sick of it every way shape and form, I will pay more money for something that will last twice as long and built right.

Correct....right on

 

[Aseif007]

Just went through this tonight. My dad's FZJ wouldn't start. He had a red top that was 8 years old so that was not unresonable. I brought my 5 month old yellow top out of my 60 to get him home. Wouldn't start it. Got the car home and I was sure it was the starter because it was clicking. Well, I bought a $95 battery and it started right up. Old optimas are good, new ones are hit or miss. The red top I have in my Tacoma has been solid for the year I have had it in there. Go figure. I will not buy a red top for any of my vehicles anymore.

 

[jvazquez53]

My last Optima Red Top lasted me 7 years. Still have it sitting around as I just changed it out thinking it was time for a new one.

The old red top that lasted 7 plus years SAID MADE IN COLORADO the new red top I bought SAID MADE IN MEXICO. I think that's the problem, out sourcing. Sick of it every way shape and form, I will pay more money for something that will last twice as long and built right.

Like I said earlier in this post I still don't like Optimas (red), but maybe as mentioned by Lowtideride the problem could the source were they are coming from these days. Who knows what kind of quality controls they have down there. Besides, My Optima Red Top was in daily driver, it was never drained, the charging system was in perfect conditions, as matter of fact the van was still under warranty.



PS. I still stay away from them (at least the red top). Maybe... one day I'll try the blue or the yellow...maybe.

 

[Pluton]

I have gone through many red tops over the years in both my wagons. Once they were discharged once, it seemed that they would never come back up to full charge and eventually, they would not come back at all.

Red top optima is not made or recommended for deep cycle use; draining a 'starting' battery flat once damages it, draining it flat several times pretty much kills it. Wrong application. Get a deep cycle type. Cheers.