Second Optima Battery Went Bad!!!
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 14,553
Likes: 1,547
From: Supporting the Corvette Community at Abel Chevrolet in Rio Vista, CA 707-374-6317 Ext.123
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by 01vetter
Try an Exide Orbital. Same price, more durable.
A lot of places they are even cheaper. Optimas are absolute CRAP! I have used the Orbitals on many occasions and they are much better and they don't give you any crap over warranty like Optima does.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,979
Likes: 5
From: San Diego, CA "leaf" "tee" "e"
I guess I'm the lucky one. I've had my Optima Redtop for over 3 years. It's been in single digit winters, and sitting out in the desert sun in over 110 degree summers....and my C5 is black to boot! I've also left my car sitting for almost two weeks at a time. All I can think is that maybe I got lucky, or I bought mine before their quality took a dive. If every Redtop was like mine, I'd recommend it every time.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Originally Posted by Bill Curlee
I removed a perfectly good AC Delco battery from my 02 Z06 and installed an OPTIMA.
Six monts later, I went on travel and flew into VA and as soon as I landed and picked up my rental car, the Cell phone rings. It's the wife: 
Z06 is dead and wont start! 
I'm figureing; it cant be the battery!?!? She jumped the car, took it to the dealer (car still under warranty) and they laughed!!! Your OPTIMA is dead lady!!! They charged her $45 for the bad battery diagnostic (cause it wasnt the AC Delco battery that caused the car to fail.
)
She took it back to Autozone and they gave her a new one. Its been good for almost 3 years now. Yea they do fail.
Will I buy another one when that one bites the dust?? Hopefully there will be other better options by that time!
BC
Six monts later, I went on travel and flew into VA and as soon as I landed and picked up my rental car, the Cell phone rings. It's the wife: Z06 is dead and wont start! I'm figureing; it cant be the battery!?!? She jumped the car, took it to the dealer (car still under warranty) and they laughed!!! Your OPTIMA is dead lady!!! They charged her $45 for the bad battery diagnostic (cause it wasnt the AC Delco battery that caused the car to fail.
)She took it back to Autozone and they gave her a new one. Its been good for almost 3 years now.
Yea they do fail.Will I buy another one when that one bites the dust?? Hopefully there will be other better options by that time!
BC
Seriously, the Red and Yellow tops are no better than a Walmart battery, except for their less-likelyhood to leak. That being said, I must also say that my OEM ACDelco AGM battery will be 5 years old next month and still fires Maggie up like the day she was new.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 4,961
Likes: 2
From: Vette-hid.com Lost in DFW texas
Cruise-In V Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
I'm running a yellow top battery for a little over two years.
I do not store my car but i have two amps and play my radio for 4-6 hours without car running at car events and no problems so far.
I do not store my car but i have two amps and play my radio for 4-6 hours without car running at car events and no problems so far.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The OEM battery in my 97 F-150 is still going strong and I got the truck in late 96!!!: Lets see,,,,its 10 years old!!!! Yea,,yea,, I know,,,It will be dead tomorrow!!!!
The OEM battery in my 98 lasted through 2003 and when I took it out it was still good. I kept getting thrashed by forum members because of the potential for a leak!!!!! Ya know,,,it never leaked, not even a drop!
I swapped it out for an AC Delco AGM battery.
Bill Curlee
Lets see,,,,its 10 years old!!!! Yea,,yea,, I know,,,It will be dead tomorrow!!!! The OEM battery in my 98 lasted through 2003 and when I took it out it was still good. I kept getting thrashed by forum members because of the potential for a leak!!!!! Ya know,,,it never leaked, not even a drop!
I swapped it out for an AC Delco AGM battery.
Bill Curlee
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Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 3,604
Likes: 395
From: Austin, TX
Originally Posted by bamcoc5
This is my second Optima battery to go bad on me. The charge went low during storage (battery disconnecterd).
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
Quote:
Originally Posted by 01vetter
Try an Exide Orbital. Same price, more durable. Unquote
Got mine (they are an AGM battery) at SAM'S Club, about $95. Three years plus and no problems. Great warranty too.
Originally Posted by 01vetter
Try an Exide Orbital. Same price, more durable. Unquote
Got mine (they are an AGM battery) at SAM'S Club, about $95. Three years plus and no problems. Great warranty too.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Originally Posted by bamcoc5
This is my second Optima battery to go bad on me. The charge went low during storage (battery disconnecterd).
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
Am I missing something, why would a battery cause white smoke and a rotten egg smell. Sounds more like converter issues.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 12,346
Likes: 5
From: Mustang OK
Originally Posted by vettenuts
Am I missing something, why would a battery cause white smoke and a rotten egg smell. Sounds more like converter issues.
The Sulfation Process
Some Technical Details on Lead Acid Batteries - The Chemistry of Sulfation, and Why Pulsing Helps
Last edited by GrayC5; Jun 12, 2006 at 01:45 AM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 548
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by connecticut
the USAF has a government contract w/ Optima, i've seen them by the hundreds over the past decade, used in all AGE eqipment(aerospace ground equipment); seen a few in some POV's as well
AGE mechanic here.
They are used in all of the AGE equipment even the -86. They are nice batteries but not as durable.
Low maintenance, no leakers but we seem to replace them more frequently because they will not take a charge.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
Likes: 192
From: At the beach in little Rhody
Originally Posted by GrayC5
Caused by the sulfation process. The rotten egg smell is that of the sulfur. When being charged, heavily sulfated batteries can become quite hot producing smoke and vapor. Too, the vapor contains hydrogen and oxygen gases which can be very explosive if exposed to a spark or other ignition source. There have been at least two reports here in the past of batteries exploding under the same conditions as described above. Both to the best of my memory were Optima Red Tops. Luckily no one was injured in either case. Best to shut off the car or the charge source and stay a safe distance away from these batteries until they have completely vented and cooled down. The following links contain more info on the sulfation process:
The Sulfation Process
Some Technical Details on Lead Acid Batteries - The Chemistry of Sulfation, and Why Pulsing Helps
The Sulfation Process
Some Technical Details on Lead Acid Batteries - The Chemistry of Sulfation, and Why Pulsing Helps
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 87,325
Likes: 1,588
From: Western NY
I put a red top in my 2001 when it was a year old, as I didn't want to chance the acid spillage problem. It works fine ALL SUMMER, but if I don't charge it every 2-3 weeks during the winter, when the car is stored, it WILL lose charge.
That's been it's MO since I put it in, 4 years ago....
That's been it's MO since I put it in, 4 years ago....
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Originally Posted by leadfoot4
I put a red top in my 2001 when it was a year old, as I didn't want to chance the acid spillage problem. It works fine ALL SUMMER, but if I don't charge it every 2-3 weeks during the winter, when the car is stored, it WILL lose charge.
That's been it's MO since I put it in, 4 years ago....
That's been it's MO since I put it in, 4 years ago....