Battery Issue
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,920
Likes: 1
From: Camelot of the Mid West
Battery Issue
Last winter I did not drive my 1999 so in March when it would not start, I replaced the original battery with an Optima Red Top.
This winter, I have only driven the car occassionaly. Last started it about a month ago and let it run for about 20 minutes in the garage. At that time it started right up. Car is kept in the garage where even when the temp oputside has gotten below zero at times, in the garage it rarely goes below about 50
Saturday when I went to start it, stone dead. Absoultely no power at all. Not even enough to unlock doors or trunk. No sounds at all.
I throw a 10AMP charger on for over 12 hours and still nothing.
Would this have been enough to totally drain the battery that it will not even take a charge or should I be looking at other possible causes.
I find it hard to believe that the Optima battery would be so dead that it will not take a charge.
Thanks
This winter, I have only driven the car occassionaly. Last started it about a month ago and let it run for about 20 minutes in the garage. At that time it started right up. Car is kept in the garage where even when the temp oputside has gotten below zero at times, in the garage it rarely goes below about 50
Saturday when I went to start it, stone dead. Absoultely no power at all. Not even enough to unlock doors or trunk. No sounds at all.
I throw a 10AMP charger on for over 12 hours and still nothing.
Would this have been enough to totally drain the battery that it will not even take a charge or should I be looking at other possible causes.
I find it hard to believe that the Optima battery would be so dead that it will not take a charge.
Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
This winter, I have only driven the car occassionaly. Last started it about a month ago and let it run for about 20 minutes in the garage. At that time it started right up. Car is kept in the garage where even when the temp oputside has gotten below zero at times, in the garage it rarely goes below about 50
Regarding the battery, I'd take it back to where it was purchased and receive a replacement. While you're at it, you might want to pick up a battery tender as well.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Waldorf MD
Our issues are similar
I to am guilty of the occasional driving with about 2 yrs on my red top. I also am guilty of the 20 min warm up in the garage. And just today after running it yesterday while I cleaned the car to drive today it wouldn't start, but the difference is mines still can be jumped and will run. My battery tender plus will be here Friday. Good luck my friend.
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The battery should be under a warranty so see if they will replace it. And I agree that keeping it hooked up to a battery tender would be a good thing to do - that's how I do it on my car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,001
Likes: 2
From: Auburn Michigan
Stay away from the Optima line of batteries. Their quality has gone downhill. If you are going to spend that type of money get a Diehard platnium. Consumer Reports just tested car batteries this month.
The Diehard was #1 and the Napa I put in this spring was #5.
I went with the Napa cause it was $100.00 cheaper and tested out great.
The Diehard was #1 and the Napa I put in this spring was #5.
I went with the Napa cause it was $100.00 cheaper and tested out great.
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Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: . New York
Optima's are not built to be run down and then recharged, they just dont do that well (ask me how I know 
).
I have one in there now, on a Ctek 3300 and no problems at all, but when/if it goes I will be going with a DieHard (just to not worry when I go away on vacation and dont have the charger with me or a place to plug it in).
).I have one in there now, on a Ctek 3300 and no problems at all, but when/if it goes I will be going with a DieHard (just to not worry when I go away on vacation and dont have the charger with me or a place to plug it in).
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Safety Car
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From: This is not a Song, It's an Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues; Sixto Diaz Rodriguez
It's in warranty, return it for a new one, no charge, and get yourself a battery tender. 
A couple of months back my RedTop started a small leak, it was almost two years old, Advanced Auto did a R/R, new battery, free of charge.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Not on either liberal coast.
No red top failures here in about twenty years of personal use. I was using them before the general public could even buy them.
My longest lasting red top was seven years regularly maintained on a BATTERY TENDER PLUS. When I sold that car, I gave the float charger to the buyer. Two years later he was still using the same battery. There's five years on my wife's daily driver Trailblazer red top. There's three years plus on the red top in my Z16 with a BATTERY TENDER PLUS.
They're fine if your car is a daily driver where it gets charged completely. Or, if kept fully charged on a float maintenance type charger during prolonged periods of hibernation.
Some prefer the BATTERY TENDER PLUS (by DELTRON CORP.) while others prefer the more high tech CTEK.
My longest lasting red top was seven years regularly maintained on a BATTERY TENDER PLUS. When I sold that car, I gave the float charger to the buyer. Two years later he was still using the same battery. There's five years on my wife's daily driver Trailblazer red top. There's three years plus on the red top in my Z16 with a BATTERY TENDER PLUS.
They're fine if your car is a daily driver where it gets charged completely. Or, if kept fully charged on a float maintenance type charger during prolonged periods of hibernation.
Some prefer the BATTERY TENDER PLUS (by DELTRON CORP.) while others prefer the more high tech CTEK.
Last edited by hotwheels57; Oct 22, 2009 at 12:55 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,001
Likes: 2
From: Auburn Michigan
No red top failures here in about twenty years of personal use. I was using them before the general public could even buy them.
My longest lasting red top was seven years regularly maintained on a BATTERY TENDER PLUS. When I sold that car, I gave the float charger to the buyer. Two years later he was still using the same battery. There's five years on my wife's daily driver Trailblazer red top. There's three years plus on the red top in my Z16 with a BATTERY TENDER PLUS.
They're fine if your car is a daily driver where it gets charged completely. Or, if kept fully charged on a float maintenance type charger during prolonged periods of hibernation.
Some prefer the BATTERY TENDER PLUS (by DELTRON CORP.) while others prefer the more high tech CTEK.
My longest lasting red top was seven years regularly maintained on a BATTERY TENDER PLUS. When I sold that car, I gave the float charger to the buyer. Two years later he was still using the same battery. There's five years on my wife's daily driver Trailblazer red top. There's three years plus on the red top in my Z16 with a BATTERY TENDER PLUS.
They're fine if your car is a daily driver where it gets charged completely. Or, if kept fully charged on a float maintenance type charger during prolonged periods of hibernation.
Some prefer the BATTERY TENDER PLUS (by DELTRON CORP.) while others prefer the more high tech CTEK.
I think vibration might have done them in but I thought gel was better suited for that kind of abuse.
Oh well I will stick to napa's till they cut corners and quality goes down hill. Seem like a cycle for big business
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 153
Likes: 0
From: Waldorf MD
Red top pooped out
Because of my neglect as i've learned in this posting I had to buy another battery. After charging my battery and driving the vette to work two days straight the red top failed me. The battery free red top replacement from Auto Zone is only for the first year. After that they prorate your battery. I upgraded to yellow top. I hope this will give me long battery life.
Oh' my battery tender plus arrived today.
Oh' my battery tender plus arrived today.
