Optima Batteries

scale · 04-16-2006, 10:16 PM

I have a optima in my car (as i know alot of you do...thats why im posting here).

It charges but it only gets to about 11 volts. I have left it on the charger for about 24 hours and all it does is gets hot.....really hot while on the charger. I dont think this is normal. Shouldnt it read just over 12 volts when fully charged? This thing is almost brand new. It has been in the car all winter but it should still charge fine.

Any thoughts? Maybe it needs to have the warranty card pulled and brought back at this point.

Coupe50h · 04-17-2006, 03:16 AM

Yea I would have the parts store test/charge it, I would drop it off cuz it can take like 45 minutes.
I have the red top and love it, my old advance auto silver battery was a piece of sh1t, they tested it once, said it was good, but it turned out to be bad, it got real hot just by cranking on it, finally i destroyed it good enough for their tester to say it was bad, used my warranty for credit on my optima.

PKRWUD · 04-22-2006, 11:43 AM

Is it possible that the voltmeter you are using is inaccurate? Have you checked the battery with a second DMM?

If you're sure the voltage is low, take it back where you bought it, and let them figure it out.

FWIW, I've been using an Orbital battery for a while now, and am really impressed with it. It's a few bucks more, but it beat Optima in every test, so I figured why not? So far, so good. I had both of the batteries in my truck die within 6 weeks of each other late last year. I bought the Orbital to replace the first battery, and planned on getting another, but I still have just the one in there now, but it's doing as good a job or better than the two batteries did. lol. Anyway, food for thought.

Take care,
~Chris

Gearhead999 · 04-22-2006, 05:15 PM

Battery should read 12.5 volts fully charged. If your tester is accurate, sounds like the battery is bad.

I personally like Motorcraft batteries. As you know there are only 3 or 4 battery manufactores in the USA. They make all the makes we know and love.

chuck88 · 04-22-2006, 05:36 PM

Its sounds like the battery has a bad cell. Bring it back. Does the battery have a rotten egg smell? Is on section of the battery hotter then the rest? If you answered yes to any of these questions you havbe a bad cell.

PS: I repair fork lift batteries for a living.

04-16-2006, 10:16 PM	#1
scale Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: minneapolis, mn Posts: 158	Optima Batteries I have a optima in my car (as i know alot of you do...thats why im posting here). It charges but it only gets to about 11 volts. I have left it on the charger for about 24 hours and all it does is gets hot.....really hot while on the charger. I dont think this is normal. Shouldnt it read just over 12 volts when fully charged? This thing is almost brand new. It has been in the car all winter but it should still charge fine. Any thoughts? Maybe it needs to have the warranty card pulled and brought back at this point. __________________ 1991 LX coupe,AOD, red, 80k, K&N, MAC cat back, MAC off-road X, Autometer Gauges, BBK Ceramic unequals, fully polished upper intake, fuel rails, and egr, working on installing.....MM full length subs, H&R sport springs, MM Lower control arms, MM caster camber plates, bilstein shocks, struts.

04-17-2006, 03:16 AM	#2
Coupe50h Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: SanAntonio, Tx Posts: 957	Re: Optima Batteries Yea I would have the parts store test/charge it, I would drop it off cuz it can take like 45 minutes. I have the red top and love it, my old advance auto silver battery was a piece of sh1t, they tested it once, said it was good, but it turned out to be bad, it got real hot just by cranking on it, finally i destroyed it good enough for their tester to say it was bad, used my warranty for credit on my optima. __________________ X-Texas highway patrol ssp 1990 coupe - exploder Gt-40 iron heads, Explorer intake, 19 lber's. E-cam. crane 1.7 rollers. 190fp. 75mm maf. 65mm tb, tubular subframe connectors, mac cai, Asp crank pulley, T-5, king cobra clutch, flowtech 1-5/8 unequals, mac X-pipe Frpp driveshaft, lakewood Lca's. race weight 3,160 12.69 @ 107.35, 1.71 60' 26x8.5 drag's 3.90 gear 13.20 @ 106.91 - 235/60/15 firestones 2.3 60' 3.27 gear

04-22-2006, 11:43 AM	#3
PKRWUD Junior Member Join Date: Mar 1999 Location: Ventura, California Posts: 8,981	Re: Optima Batteries Is it possible that the voltmeter you are using is inaccurate? Have you checked the battery with a second DMM? If you're sure the voltage is low, take it back where you bought it, and let them figure it out. FWIW, I've been using an Orbital battery for a while now, and am really impressed with it. It's a few bucks more, but it beat Optima in every test, so I figured why not? So far, so good. I had both of the batteries in my truck die within 6 weeks of each other late last year. I bought the Orbital to replace the first battery, and planned on getting another, but I still have just the one in there now, but it's doing as good a job or better than the two batteries did. lol. Anyway, food for thought. Take care, ~Chris __________________ Webmaster: Rice Haters Club Jim Porter Racing Peckerwoods Pit Stop Support Your Local RED & WHITE!

04-22-2006, 05:15 PM	#4
Gearhead999 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 1998 Location: Oviedo, FL Posts: 992	Re: Optima Batteries Battery should read 12.5 volts fully charged. If your tester is accurate, sounds like the battery is bad. I personally like Motorcraft batteries. As you know there are only 3 or 4 battery manufactores in the USA. They make all the makes we know and love. __________________ "Support our Troops" Dave 1968 Cougar 2004 Thunderbird 2007 F150 Harley-Davidson, SuperCrew 1986 LTD 1997 Ranger 1992 Honda Civic

04-22-2006, 05:36 PM	#5
chuck88 Registered Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: Wood Ridge NJ USA Posts: 341	Re: Optima Batteries Its sounds like the battery has a bad cell. Bring it back. Does the battery have a rotten egg smell? Is on section of the battery hotter then the rest? If you answered yes to any of these questions you havbe a bad cell. PS: I repair fork lift batteries for a living. __________________ So what if its "midlife crisis". Wife, 2 kids, busy job, "fixer upper" house, and I still have time for the Mustang!!! I Love my kids!!!

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