Trickle Charging Battery-Optima
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 373
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From: Grace Valley: A small, peaceful & beautiful valley in the Volunteer State
Trickle Charging Battery-Optima
Any downside to using a trickle charge on a regular basis? Sometimes I go 3 or 4 days without driving my C5--home office, bad weather and/or need for a kid seat in the other vehicle. I routinely put my hood up after driving and have a quick connect/disconnect for my WalMart charger attached to my Optima Red Top. Can you overdo it? 
Last edited by HeyVern; Mar 13, 2006 at 07:20 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 49
From: Franklin IN
Originally Posted by HeyVern
Any downside to using a trickle charge on a regular basis? Sometimes I go 3 or 4 days without driving my C5--home office, bad weather and/or need for a kid seat in the other vehicle. I routinely put my hood up after driving and have a quick connect/disconnect for my WalMart charger attached to my Optima Red Top. Can you overdo it?
Pro
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 556
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From: Jacksonville FL
St. Jude Donor '06-'09
If you drive the car every 3-5 days you shouldnt need to do anything. This forum is full of people that park thier cars for months over the winter months and dont have any problems.
If your battery charger doesnt cycle on and off (prbably doesnt if its a moderatly priced 2 amp charger) I wouldnt use it.
Are you having battery problems, is something draining it?
Your red -top shouldnt need anything but a drive now and then
If your battery charger doesnt cycle on and off (prbably doesnt if its a moderatly priced 2 amp charger) I wouldnt use it.
Are you having battery problems, is something draining it?
Your red -top shouldnt need anything but a drive now and then
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: The warm part of Anger Island
St. Jude Donor '09
Go with the battery tender if you must charge when not driving. The Optimas are designed to hold up really well if you don't have anything draining them. Like said in a previous post, driving every 3-5 days shouldn't hurt. Mine sat for almsot a month during the Christmas/New Year timeframe and started right up.
I let one sit in my 88 GTA for almost 8 months while in boot camp and OCS. Guess what..it started the car right up with no problems.
I let one sit in my 88 GTA for almost 8 months while in boot camp and OCS. Guess what..it started the car right up with no problems.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 188
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From: Atascadero California
two things will kill a battery quicker than anything... one is repeated deep discharging... the other is overcharging.
If your battery is not getting weak in between drives, leave it alone. You are likely to do more harm by trying to "top off" the charge than the slight discharge the battery will undergo with a few days or even weeks of non-use.
AGM battteries are even more sensitive than regular ones to overcharging. The plates are so tight that the heat overcharging creates will damage them in short order. This is one reason you should NEVER use a high output charger on an AGM battery.
If your battery is not getting weak in between drives, leave it alone. You are likely to do more harm by trying to "top off" the charge than the slight discharge the battery will undergo with a few days or even weeks of non-use.
AGM battteries are even more sensitive than regular ones to overcharging. The plates are so tight that the heat overcharging creates will damage them in short order. This is one reason you should NEVER use a high output charger on an AGM battery.
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I've had a Battery Tender hooked up to mine during the past two winter seasons - not one problem.
