Battery Question
Pro
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 735
Likes: 7
From: Bucks County Pa
It Is Lead Acid
Just to clarify a major misconception floating around that no one should ever by a standard lead acid battery because it will leak and ruin thousands of dollars of equipment......
Timeline: 1997-2000: The AC Delco lead-acid batteries that were installed during this time period did have a tendancy to leak at the positive terminal. The likely cause was excessive stress at the side-mounted post - probably from either over-torqing the cable screw/clamp or a no-slack cable that was constantly pulling on the post.
Timeline 2001-2003: AC Delco switched to its newly-designed AGM (Glass Mat) battery, which, like the Optima Red top could not take deep drains and/or insufficient charges due to short drives. Like the Optima, many batteries died apremature death due to the above-stated reasons. However, those who drove far and often enough (like myself) enjoyed up to 7 years of battery life.
Timeline 2004-present: Scrapping the AGM battery, AC Delco made darn sure that their next generation lead acid battery case was redesigned and strengthened significantly at the terminals. Although top-post batteries were installed in new C5s, the side post version benefited from the same much-improved design.
Result: The 2004 and newer AC Delco Professional batteries have NO history of leaking and now carry a 50-month free-replacemnet warranty, which is better than any other battery out there, bar none. The remaining 3 years (total of 7 years) are pro-rated.
Somehow, people STILL believe that anything other than an AGM battery WILL leak eventually. This is like saying that unless you drive on runflats, your tires WILL fail and leak air enough so that you will have a flat, probably within a short period of time.
Folks, the big threat is gone! There may be a .0001% chance of a new, non-AGM battery leaking, but that means that you really shouldn't worry about it. I just bought a new AC Delco Professional battery and I have NO doubt that it will remain leak-free for as long as it remains in my C5.
Hopefully, I have cleared up some of the mistaken comments that are noted quite often around here.
Dave
Timeline: 1997-2000: The AC Delco lead-acid batteries that were installed during this time period did have a tendancy to leak at the positive terminal. The likely cause was excessive stress at the side-mounted post - probably from either over-torqing the cable screw/clamp or a no-slack cable that was constantly pulling on the post.
Timeline 2001-2003: AC Delco switched to its newly-designed AGM (Glass Mat) battery, which, like the Optima Red top could not take deep drains and/or insufficient charges due to short drives. Like the Optima, many batteries died apremature death due to the above-stated reasons. However, those who drove far and often enough (like myself) enjoyed up to 7 years of battery life.
Timeline 2004-present: Scrapping the AGM battery, AC Delco made darn sure that their next generation lead acid battery case was redesigned and strengthened significantly at the terminals. Although top-post batteries were installed in new C5s, the side post version benefited from the same much-improved design.
Result: The 2004 and newer AC Delco Professional batteries have NO history of leaking and now carry a 50-month free-replacemnet warranty, which is better than any other battery out there, bar none. The remaining 3 years (total of 7 years) are pro-rated.
Somehow, people STILL believe that anything other than an AGM battery WILL leak eventually. This is like saying that unless you drive on runflats, your tires WILL fail and leak air enough so that you will have a flat, probably within a short period of time.
Folks, the big threat is gone! There may be a .0001% chance of a new, non-AGM battery leaking, but that means that you really shouldn't worry about it. I just bought a new AC Delco Professional battery and I have NO doubt that it will remain leak-free for as long as it remains in my C5.
Hopefully, I have cleared up some of the mistaken comments that are noted quite often around here.
Dave
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Inside the unique shell of the OPTIMA® battery is a radically superior internal design. The structure of conventional batteries — lead plates hanging in pools of acid — requires those lead plates to provide their own structural support. To accomplish this, the lead is diluted with high percentages of inert stiffening metals that rob those conventional batteries of performance.
The unique engineering concept of the OPTIMA battery uses long thin layers of lead wound into tight spiral cells. Because they're tightly supported on all sides by high strength cylindrical cell casings, the lead ribbons of the OPTIMA aren't required to provide structural strength, so they can be made from high-purity, high-performance lead. This translates into dramatically lower internal resistance and higher output at temperature extremes. OPTIMA batteries can be fully recharged in about an hour, twice as fast as conventional batteries. They also can sit unused four times longer than other batteries, losing less than half a volt in over 6 months of nonuse.-- OP NOTE(This does not mean uncharged, or being constantly drained as our cars do every day of sitting un driven).
An absorbent glass mat, alternating with the layers of lead, holds electrolyte in contact with the OPTIMA'S greater lead surface area. This laminated construction provides far more active surface area in the OPTIMA. It also supports a thicker layer of plate paste, for prolonged service life — typically half again to twice the life of conventional batteries. This technology is called "AGM" for "Absorbed Glass Mat" and it is a major advance in battery design
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The difference from other Lead Acid car batteries, as the statement reads is that it is packaged so as to minimalize the leak potential, and sulphation problem, but what it doesn't say is that like every other battery it must be kept at it's intended state of charge to give the service designed into it. From my experience , and I have used and still have both Optima and Delco, either will last as long as the manufacturer designed it to as long as you keep it at it's full charge. And the new pro Delco's are more powerful, designed to minimalize leak potential, and don't succomb to undercharging as badly as optima.
And the argument goes on. Putting my flame retardent suit on.
Luck To All.
Last edited by bestvettever; Mar 29, 2008 at 01:13 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
I certainly agree, but to easily distinguish the two types, I chose to call non-AGM batteries, "Lead Acid". As far as I can tell, there really isn't a drastic difference between the AC Delco AGM and the Optima. Both crash and burn if not constantly kept charged above a certain level. "Lead Acid" batteries, like the new AC Delco Professional, are more robust in this regard. Plus, if you look at the geometry of the ACD batteries that are specified for the C5, you'll see that it fits in such a way that the battery is very secure. A "lip" at the bottom of the battery slides into a built-in slot in the battery tray and the wedged hold down clamp in the front, actually does two things - holds the front of the battery down and keeps the rear lip inside the tray slot. That battery "aint" goin nowhere!
Pics:
New AC Delco Professional battery - top
Front of same
Installed and ready for another 7 years!
Pics:
New AC Delco Professional battery - top
Front of same
Installed and ready for another 7 years!
Last edited by Dave68; Mar 29, 2008 at 03:30 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 896
Likes: 1
From: Ewing NJ
Just this week my ORIGINAL '(98) AC Delco finally gave up. After reading MANY threads throughout the years, I've come to the conclusion any decent battery will work. Heck, I paid $63.00 for one at Costco this week. I'm sure it'll work just fine. 
BUT, to each their own.
And as far as discharge when the Vette is setting.....a friend of mine has a new BMW M5 (and this is a $90,000 car!) and he can't let it set for more than 2-3 days without the battery completely discharging. BMW says that's just the way they are. Most new cars will have a slight drain on the battery when not in use. Just hook 'em up to a Battery Tender when not in use.
BUT, to each their own.
And as far as discharge when the Vette is setting.....a friend of mine has a new BMW M5 (and this is a $90,000 car!) and he can't let it set for more than 2-3 days without the battery completely discharging. BMW says that's just the way they are. Most new cars will have a slight drain on the battery when not in use. Just hook 'em up to a Battery Tender when not in use.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 200
Likes: 0
For those of us with GMPP extended warranties, it would seem to make the most sense to replace the battery with another GM Delco. Even if it were to leak, I would think GM would have to cover any and all damages. It would seem to me that trying to get GM to cover damages caused by an after market battery would just compound the problem.
Last edited by mag red vette; Mar 31, 2008 at 01:37 AM. Reason: improper spacing
