Red top poo poo'd? Help
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 34,551
Likes: 505
From: Auburn Hills MI
Red top poo poo'd? Help
I went to start my C5 for the spring 2 weeks ago and nothing.
Figured no big deal. I put it on the charger, nothing. Even on START mode it barely ran the lights and I could not get it to crank.
Put cables on it and started right up. I only drive it about 5 minutes and let it idle to come up to temp. Shut it off and would not start again but I know that was no where near enough time.
Yesterday I jump it and go on a 45 minute drive to check things out.
Today, nothing, not even a blip from anything.
I don't really trust the battery testers, I've had one tell me I'm good and not been good.
Sound like a bad battery? It showed charging when driving but eventually settled into the normal range.
Thanks
Figured no big deal. I put it on the charger, nothing. Even on START mode it barely ran the lights and I could not get it to crank.
Put cables on it and started right up. I only drive it about 5 minutes and let it idle to come up to temp. Shut it off and would not start again but I know that was no where near enough time.
Yesterday I jump it and go on a 45 minute drive to check things out.
Today, nothing, not even a blip from anything.
I don't really trust the battery testers, I've had one tell me I'm good and not been good.
Sound like a bad battery? It showed charging when driving but eventually settled into the normal range.
Thanks
Racer
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio Texas
Sounds like a bad battery. When testing batteries, it is impaortant to test not only the "at rest" voltage, but also the load voltage. You can have a battery show close to 12 V just sitting there with a voltmeter between the two terminals, but then have the voltage drop to a few volts when you put a load on it (go to start, for example). In this case, the battery is bad; most likely form a bad cell inside of it.
Racer
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 415
Likes: 0
From: Fairfax, VA 22032
I'm no fan of Red Tops. Mine died within a year. Never wouldn't start, but headlights wouldn't pop up sometimes, radio would show wierd stuff under load, ABS DIC codes, lights would REALLY dim when applying brakes. Switched out for the old Interstate, all problems solved.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 371
Likes: 38
From: Madison Alabama
Originally Posted by NoOne
I went to start my C5 for the spring 2 weeks ago and nothing.
Figured no big deal. I put it on the charger, nothing. Even on START mode it barely ran the lights and I could not get it to crank.
Put cables on it and started right up. I only drive it about 5 minutes and let it idle to come up to temp. Shut it off and would not start again but I know that was no where near enough time.
Yesterday I jump it and go on a 45 minute drive to check things out.
Today, nothing, not even a blip from anything.
I don't really trust the battery testers, I've had one tell me I'm good and not been good.
Sound like a bad battery? It showed charging when driving but eventually settled into the normal range.
Thanks
Figured no big deal. I put it on the charger, nothing. Even on START mode it barely ran the lights and I could not get it to crank.
Put cables on it and started right up. I only drive it about 5 minutes and let it idle to come up to temp. Shut it off and would not start again but I know that was no where near enough time.
Yesterday I jump it and go on a 45 minute drive to check things out.
Today, nothing, not even a blip from anything.
I don't really trust the battery testers, I've had one tell me I'm good and not been good.
Sound like a bad battery? It showed charging when driving but eventually settled into the normal range.
Thanks
Just get a "Red Top" and drive on. I've had two. Yeah, my first "Red Top" died, but with a 10 year warranty who cares. I took it back they gave me a new one (no charge). . . problem solved. And they don't leak. .
Cecil
German-American Corvette Club
Baden-Wurttemberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: TN
Ive killed 3 red tops from my 300zx sitting for a few weeks. The gel cell batteries do not lend themselves to sitting since a slow discharge will kill em. Replace and move on.
Originally Posted by davisce
Dude,
Just get a "Red Top" and drive on. I've had two. Yeah, my first "Red Top" died, but with a 10 year warranty who cares. I took it back they gave me a new one (no charge). . . problem solved. And they don't leak. .
Cecil
German-American Corvette Club
Baden-Wurttemberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Just get a "Red Top" and drive on. I've had two. Yeah, my first "Red Top" died, but with a 10 year warranty who cares. I took it back they gave me a new one (no charge). . . problem solved. And they don't leak. .
Cecil
German-American Corvette Club
Baden-Wurttemberg
Heidelberg, Germany
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Originally Posted by 97C5torch
Ive killed 3 red tops from my 300zx sitting for a few weeks. The gel cell batteries do not lend themselves to sitting since a slow discharge will kill em. Replace and move on.
It may be an Optima only problem... and not a spiral wound design problem.
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Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
Originally Posted by Mike Mercury
I don't believe that Optimas are true gel cells....(snip)....
I believe Mike is correct.I often see the Optima Red Top and Yellow Top and now the Exide Select Orbital® and Exide Select Orbital® XCD batteries referred to here on the Forum as gel cell batteries. However, according to their respective web sites they are all Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries and there is a difference:
"All you ever wanted to know about AGM and Gel Cell batteries"
I too have not seen people experiencing any problems with the Exide Select Orbital series of batteries like those that are being reported here with the Optimas, especially the Red Top.
Last edited by GrayC5; Jun 2, 2006 at 10:06 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 3,123
Likes: 3
From: Orland Park Illinois
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Another Optima battery "bites the dust." This is almost a daily happening w/ forum members using these crappy batteries. What is so unbelieveable is Corvette owners STILL buy these things knowing they are prone to premature failure. I wouldn't have one if ya gave it to me for free.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,275
Likes: 4
From: Vancouver WA
Sounds like with the Red Tops, you just need to keep it on a smart charger when it's parked, and the problems would go away.
I just replaced my perfectly good working OEM batter from my 99 last year because of it's age, and just went with another GM Delco battery. Even though I know it has had a history of leakage problems, I am just hoping that the new battiers don't do that anymore. Also the leakage could be from over-tightening the post, or the batter moving around. I think if this one ever leaks, then I will just go to a Top Post battery.
I just replaced my perfectly good working OEM batter from my 99 last year because of it's age, and just went with another GM Delco battery. Even though I know it has had a history of leakage problems, I am just hoping that the new battiers don't do that anymore. Also the leakage could be from over-tightening the post, or the batter moving around. I think if this one ever leaks, then I will just go to a Top Post battery.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 54,204
Likes: 180
From: S.W. Ohio. . . . . . NRA Life Member
Originally Posted by BiggieBoy
Another Optima battery "bites the dust." This is almost a daily happening w/ forum members using these crappy batteries. What is so unbelieveable is Corvette owners STILL buy these things knowing they are prone to premature failure. I wouldn't have one if ya gave it to me for free.
Advanced
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 69
Likes: 0
From: Out in the Woods VIRGINIA
optima batteries
Originally Posted by BiggieBoy
Another Optima battery "bites the dust." This is almost a daily happening w/ forum members using these crappy batteries. What is so unbelieveable is Corvette owners STILL buy these things knowing they are prone to premature failure. I wouldn't have one if ya gave it to me for free.
Never owned one either ..but you would think these guys would get the picture .I laugh when I hear guys saying well maybe you need to keep it hooked up to a tender I have been driving cars for 33years and never had to keep a charger on a car battery ,motorcycle yes. We can put a man on the moon but can't make a good motorcycle battery but that's another story...
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
From: Peru IL
But...
Originally Posted by Mike Mercury
I don't believe that Optimas are true gel cells. But nonetheless; there have been no similar problems reported for the Exide Orbital... which is the same exact technology as the Optima.
It may be an Optima only problem... and not a spiral wound design problem.
It may be an Optima only problem... and not a spiral wound design problem.
Randy
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 2,246
Likes: 66
From: Middletown CT
I've had a yellow top, for about three years now, with no problems. I went with that instead of the red top, because my car sometimes sits for an extended period of time, without a battery maintainer connected. This spring I ran the battery down to almost nothing (my fault) and it charged back up and has been fine ever since. I'm just curious to know if the problems are specific to the red tops, or have people had problems with the yellow tops as well.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,484
Likes: 20
From: FLORIDA
I've had a Red Top in mine for 2 years after my OEM died.
No problems here.
Just a note: The alternators in new cars are not made to fully recharge a dead battery, they are just suposed to keep them charged.
A fully discharged battery should always be recharged with a battery charger before using.
I believe that the guys having all the trouble either have a parasite draw on the battery or you are getting ones that have set on the shelf for a long time in the stores that don't sell many or rotate there stock.
Mine came from a distributor and I knew it was fresh. I do keep a float charger on it in the winter months when I go to FL.
No problems here.
Just a note: The alternators in new cars are not made to fully recharge a dead battery, they are just suposed to keep them charged.
A fully discharged battery should always be recharged with a battery charger before using.
I believe that the guys having all the trouble either have a parasite draw on the battery or you are getting ones that have set on the shelf for a long time in the stores that don't sell many or rotate there stock.
Mine came from a distributor and I knew it was fresh. I do keep a float charger on it in the winter months when I go to FL.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 6,366
Likes: 249
From: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
I've been using the same Optima red top now for about seven years with no problems and I don't use a tender on it even if sits for a couple of weeks. The new Optimas now come with a 3-year free replacement and 84 month pro-rate warranty.