A safe battery for a C3
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 1,750
Likes: 268
From: Central Wisconsin
A safe battery for a C3
I was watching a Jay Lenos garage video and he mentioned how he likes to use an Optima battery in his Vette. He says it doesn’t put out the dangerous gasses that conventional batteries do. We literally have ours sitting right behind the drivers seat.
I never gave the subject much thought. What do you all think?
I never gave the subject much thought. What do you all think?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,096
Likes: 213
From: The Buckle of the Bible Belt. Joplin Mo
Optima is a great brand. They are dry cell batteries and so can be mounted any way you like. I have had the yellow top in a jeep. Yellow is the deep cycle if you want to run a powerful alternator for lot of accessories. Had the red top in a streetcar. Red is high output 800 cca. I don't have a boat so never tried the blue top for marine applications.
I would like to try the Lithium-Ion battery. High output at a fraction of the weight.
I would like to try the Lithium-Ion battery. High output at a fraction of the weight.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,270
Likes: 375
From: Randolph nj
I have had my yellow top for 14 years .. I have never lost a charge .. they say if it ever goes dead you have to put another battery in series to get a small charge then let it charge by itself until fully charged
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,248
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From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C3 of the Year Finalist- Modified
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Cruise-In VIII Veteran
All of the sealed battery's, like absorbed glass matt and other maintenance free battery's are not vented. The only ones with fumes are the old fashioned wet battery's. Which is why the battery compartment on our C3's has those seals on the lid that the other compartments don't have. The old fashioned wet battery's also have a vent tube on most of them to be run through the floor of the compartment.
Any good sealed type battery regardless of brand will be more than fine. And any wet type battery with vent tube properly installed and seals on compartment door in good condition will also be fine.
And yes I like Jay Leno too, but he's not a God!
Any good sealed type battery regardless of brand will be more than fine. And any wet type battery with vent tube properly installed and seals on compartment door in good condition will also be fine.
And yes I like Jay Leno too, but he's not a God!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,011
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From: Omaha NE
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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48 years, 10 months with a normal battery.
No problem..
..
No problem..
..
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 741
Likes: 46
From: Hebron IN
If something goes wrong, this happens:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...r-battery.html
This is the AGM battery in my Cayenne, which is under the driver's seat. You can see the vent tube attached on the left. There is a vent hole on each side of the battery, you connect the hose to whichever side your car uses and then seal the unused side with the supplied plastic plug. The plug is attached to the red POS post cover, you just snap it off.
My 928s battery is in the trunk and has the same setup.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia
2025 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
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Cruise-In VIII Veteran
There are no vent holes on a maintenance free battery. Period.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 741
Likes: 46
From: Hebron IN
So are you saying the photo I just posted of the AGM maintenance free battery with the vent tube is fake?
Does Optima install fake vents on their batteries too?
Does Optima install fake vents on their batteries too?
Last edited by vairxpert; Mar 5, 2025 at 09:01 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,312
Likes: 697
Vent or no vent I think it depends on the application. I did a LS swap into a 99 BMW E36. Great swap. The battery was in a "well" behind the right rear wheel well. The stock battery had a vent tube that ran to outside the car. I believe the parts suppliers build the replacement batteries to match the OEM stuff.
I've used Optima red tops over the years but they have gotten silly expensive Switched to Interstate sealed batteries.
I've used Optima red tops over the years but they have gotten silly expensive Switched to Interstate sealed batteries.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Danville Illinois
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
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Ive got 50 years in our 75 with conventional battery's no problems.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2017
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From: Cool Northern Michigan
No one has mentioned the REAL issue with wet batteries. And that is explosions.
Fortunately, they are more likely to explode only when charging. That is when gases are released from the cell caps on top.
A spark, while charging those old-style units could be disastrous.
That is why we have been told to never store (charge) wet batteries near a furnace or water heater in a basement or anywhere that has an open flame or spark.
If you have never witnessed a wet battery explode, it's a scary event with chunks of hard plastic thrown and acid everywhere.
Just think. That "bomb" is just inches away from your ***. With nothing but seat fabric, vinyl, chunk of carpet, fiberglass to shield you from . . . . . .
Excuse me. I have to go make a steel battery box . . . . .
Fortunately, they are more likely to explode only when charging. That is when gases are released from the cell caps on top.
A spark, while charging those old-style units could be disastrous.
That is why we have been told to never store (charge) wet batteries near a furnace or water heater in a basement or anywhere that has an open flame or spark.
If you have never witnessed a wet battery explode, it's a scary event with chunks of hard plastic thrown and acid everywhere.
Just think. That "bomb" is just inches away from your ***. With nothing but seat fabric, vinyl, chunk of carpet, fiberglass to shield you from . . . . . .
Excuse me. I have to go make a steel battery box . . . . .
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Omaha NE
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I saw him send a dead battery to the heavens once when he hooked up the starting unit in the back of a '62 Scout backwards..
