Self Jump Daily With Optima Yellow Top

[eddies]

I'm having a problem with a battery drain (or so I thought) in my red top optima (starter) battery. Every time I come to use the truck (use it once a week or so) I have to self jump off the two battery marine switch.

I have a two-battery system that is soleniod isolated. The second battery for camp lights and extra power for the winch is a yellow top optima.

I've separated the starter, fog lights, battery cable to the marine switch for the two battery system, main and am1 leads to the positive side of starter battery. When each of these are checked individually with an ameter to the positive battery terminal, there is no current draw to the battery.

I've replaced the starter battery once already. Fortunately Costco took it back with no receipt and replaced it with a new battery even though it was over a year old. Before replacing the battery again, I thought I'd post to see if anyone has had similar issues, running these two batteries in combination or issues with the red tops in general.

I read the post about Optima's position running these two batteries in parallel. I have a relay on the ignition side that pulls in the solenoid when the truck is started so both batteries are charged in parallel.

Anyone have any thoughts about this problem?

 

[CJF]

Get it tested.

 

[wrongway around]

swap the starter bat. with the other one first up

 

[Dave 2000]

First confirm you do not have a drain anywhere, after using the car disconnect the cables and leave it untill you need it again (perhaps two or three days?) If you reconnect and it does not start then the battery is probably toast.

Next there ARE issues charging two different types of battery in parallel, if you need to buy another then replace the red with another yellow, now you have two batteries which will charge correctly.

regards

Dave

 

[george_tlc]

I've run an optima and deep cycle costco battery in a parallel (engine running) setup. There's really not much of an issue running dis-similar batteries in parallel while charging. I've had that kind of system running for >10 years and I only have to replace batteries every 4 - 5 years.

So, in your case you either have a duff main battery or more likely some extra drain when the vehicle is off. If you have a clamp on DC current meter you can see if there's any draw happening with the engine and all acc off. Otherwise you could undo the battery (ground or +ve, which ever is easier) and then put a multimeter on the amp range in series and see what the "ignitiion off" current draw is. If all is ok, current draw when everything is off should be well under 0.1A - more likely less than 0.01A (basically radio memory, alarm system etc).

On some vehicles (not sure about the 80), a stuffed diode or diodes in the alternator can cause current drain when the vehicle is not running. If you have an aftermarket alarm, maybe it has gone 'stupid'.

cheers,
george.