Optima Batteries No Good????
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I am having the same problem. I cannot let my car sit for more then 5 days the battery goes dead. Maybe we have a short curcuit in our electrical systems.
Does the onboard computer continually draw electricitiy?
How do I check for an electrical short?
Any comments from the fourm group would be helpful.
Does the onboard computer continually draw electricitiy?
How do I check for an electrical short?
Any comments from the fourm group would be helpful.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,995
Likes: 61
From: Fort Wayne IN
I have to try to clarify a few misconceptions here!
1- Most if not All late model cars have microprocessors (computers,ECU's, PCM's, what ever you want to call them) that draw current after the car is shut down. For the most part, it is a very small current draw measured in milliamperes. My 02 ZO6 draws 20 milliamps when the BCM is in the sleep mode. Every car with PCM that manages a security system will cause the battery to run down after a long period of storage. PERIOD!
There are TWO ways that you can deal with this:
a. Fully charge and then Disconnect the battery for the period of time that the car is in storage. It WILL NOT damage the car or hurt the battery! PERIOD!
b. Charge the battery every so often OR leave it on a battery tender DESIGNED to charge the battery when it needs charging! If you leave a $10 battery charger on your battery for 3-4 months, your likely to find a bubbling lump of plastic where your battery use to be!
2- Yes,,,there was a period of time when OPTIMA had a bad run of batteries. I had one. My FIRST OPTIMA lasted 3 weeks and went dead! They have an OUTSTANDING Warranty! If you buy one and have issues with it, just get it replaced! My replacement OPTIMA has worked flawlessly for just about 3 years now!
My car is a daily driver.
3- Sears, Walmart, SAMs, NAPA, Kragen, Auto zone, Advance, Pep boys etc...and even GM, Ford and Chrysler, all have their label on a battery!
Hell,,,I think there are only a hand full of battery manufactures that make batteries. OPTIMA, Orbital and a few other one of a kind private manufactures make a specialty battery different from all the rest! I think OPTIMA was bought out by Johnson Controls (could be wrong on that one)
Then you need to figure out if you want a Gel battery, AGM battery or a standard lead acid battery
Oh, by the way,,,an OPTIMA Battery is also a lead acid battery. It's just contained in a spiral wound mat , ( absorbed glass mat ) in individual cells.
Long story short, get a battery that is the correct size for you C5 and it should last 3-5 years with out a problem!
4 Should your battery discharge after it sits for a week or two??? NO!
If your having this problem " If the battery is not charged on a regular basis, like every 3 days
It won't start the car. "
Something is seriously wrong with your car or the battery that is in the car!
I live in the North East and my C5 has sit out in the 10 deg cold for weeks at a clip when the weather is really nasty (snow/ice on the ground) and I have never had a problem starting! The OEM battery in my 98 Coupe lasted 5 years before it started showing it's age. It would still start the car fine but the battery output would drop down to 9 VDC for a fraction of a second upon cold starts and caused numerous DTC history codes. Still started the car fine even after sitting for weeks at a time.
If your having problems with your battery going dead in a short period of storage, conduct a current draw test and figure out what the current draw is when the BCM goes into sleep mode. Batteries can and do short internally! Your car will NOT show an excessive current draw but will still go flat quickly!
If you disconnect the battery from the car and it still discharges, it has an internal short (bad cell/s).
Have the battery FULLY tested by a COMPETENT Facility with the right equipment! It needs to be tested under load and for RESERVE CAPACITY! The employees at the local "everything for cars mart" don't always know exactly what there doing and do a lot of back yard guessing as to what they think is wrong with your car!
Get a professional opinion on the condition of the charging system and battery from a COMPETENT Starter/Alternator repair facility. It will save you a LOT of time and CASH!
5 When you purchase a battery, CHECK THE MANUFACTURE DATE OF THAT BATTERY your about to put in your car! If its been sitting on the shelf for 2-3 years,,,, ,,,your already asking for trouble! Get a fresh battery manufactured within a few months of your purchase date!
The date code on the batteries are usually on dot stickers on the side. If it has a code of say D-2, that means it was made or actually distributed in April of 2002, or it could have been 1992 if it was a very old battery. The letter is the month, and the number is the year.
6 If you have a PRISTINE LOW mileage Garage Kept Car and it still have the OEM Delco Side post battery,,,,Get that sucker OUT OF THERE and replace it with a different battery!!! You will "eventually " have the side post leak and spill acid on the PCM and wiring harness.
Most dealers want $2000-$5000 (NO BS) to completely fix an acid spillage problem!!!!! They will want to replace the battery, the COMPLETE under hood wiring harness, TAC module and PCM. They also clean and repaint the frame in the damaged area.
7 The average run of the mill lead acid battery from one of the local discount stores cost between $50-$70. The last time I purchased my OPTIMA from Auto zone 3 years ago, it was $112. That was a SALE PRICE!
Optima is a pretty battery and it has lasted me 3 years and it is still kicking. Like it was previously stated, the heavy duty Ford Motor Co battery in my 97 F150 truck has never been replaced and I have run it down to ZIP POINT SH1$ two times and it just keeps on kicking!! It sits for weeks at a time and never gets charged!! I treat it like a Red Headed Step Child!!
I think my next battery for the C5 will be a Walmart Special!
I'll save the extra cash for something that will make the car faster. Nothing against OPTIMA but the extra cost doesn't really get you anything extra!
Here are some battery construction FACTS to mull over:
Lead acid batteries are manufactured in three technologies: flooded cell, gel cell, and starved electrolyte (Absorbed Glass Mat).
Flooded cells are the old style, and can have varying plate area, plate thickness and many other features which make them suitable for different services.
Gel cells have silica added to the electrolyte to gel it, providing many advantages and some disadvantages.
AGM batteries have fiberglass mat between the plates sufficient to absorb all of the electrolyte like a sponge.
Flooded cells have a high tolerance of mistreatment (because you can add back the water you boiled out) but sulfate easily. They also have a high self discharge rate, about 5-10% per month. If the plates are thick enough and there is enough reservoir below the plates for detritus, they can last a long time. The so-called maintenance free batteries just have a little more electrolyte and the caps sealed on
Gel cells can be shipped, tipped on their side (but not upside down), have a lower self discharge rate (about 1-3% a month) and tolerate longer periods of deep discharge with less sulfation. However they are sensitive to vibration (knocks the gel away from the plates) and are very sensitive to charge voltage. If charged at too high a voltage, the gel dries out and there is no way to replace it. They do not out gas unless abused and will not corrode ever thing around them.
AGM cells can be shipped, tipped on there side, have a low self discharge rate. They tolerate higher charging voltage but can still dry out if abused. The better ones can be charged and discharged very rapidly, for example a 100 AH battery can be charged at 100 Amps, as long as the voltage is controlled. They tolerate vibration (important in vehicle use) and do not out gas or corrode their surroundings.
The Optima is a spiral wound AGM battery, which is why it has the funny six-pack shape. The two lead plates and glass mat between them are rolled up like toilet paper, makes it more tolerant of physical abuse. Its a good battery, but you can still kill it with traditional methods - primarily leaving it discharged or partially charged for any length of time.
My 3 cents! Hope it helps.
Bill C
1- Most if not All late model cars have microprocessors (computers,ECU's, PCM's, what ever you want to call them) that draw current after the car is shut down. For the most part, it is a very small current draw measured in milliamperes. My 02 ZO6 draws 20 milliamps when the BCM is in the sleep mode. Every car with PCM that manages a security system will cause the battery to run down after a long period of storage. PERIOD!
There are TWO ways that you can deal with this:
a. Fully charge and then Disconnect the battery for the period of time that the car is in storage. It WILL NOT damage the car or hurt the battery! PERIOD!
b. Charge the battery every so often OR leave it on a battery tender DESIGNED to charge the battery when it needs charging! If you leave a $10 battery charger on your battery for 3-4 months, your likely to find a bubbling lump of plastic where your battery use to be!
2- Yes,,,there was a period of time when OPTIMA had a bad run of batteries. I had one. My FIRST OPTIMA lasted 3 weeks and went dead! They have an OUTSTANDING Warranty! If you buy one and have issues with it, just get it replaced! My replacement OPTIMA has worked flawlessly for just about 3 years now!
My car is a daily driver.3- Sears, Walmart, SAMs, NAPA, Kragen, Auto zone, Advance, Pep boys etc...and even GM, Ford and Chrysler, all have their label on a battery!
Hell,,,I think there are only a hand full of battery manufactures that make batteries. OPTIMA, Orbital and a few other one of a kind private manufactures make a specialty battery different from all the rest! I think OPTIMA was bought out by Johnson Controls (could be wrong on that one)Then you need to figure out if you want a Gel battery, AGM battery or a standard lead acid battery
Oh, by the way,,,an OPTIMA Battery is also a lead acid battery. It's just contained in a spiral wound mat , ( absorbed glass mat ) in individual cells. Long story short, get a battery that is the correct size for you C5 and it should last 3-5 years with out a problem!
4 Should your battery discharge after it sits for a week or two??? NO!
If your having this problem " If the battery is not charged on a regular basis, like every 3 daysIt won't start the car. "
Something is seriously wrong with your car or the battery that is in the car!
I live in the North East and my C5 has sit out in the 10 deg cold for weeks at a clip when the weather is really nasty (snow/ice on the ground) and I have never had a problem starting! The OEM battery in my 98 Coupe lasted 5 years before it started showing it's age. It would still start the car fine but the battery output would drop down to 9 VDC for a fraction of a second upon cold starts and caused numerous DTC history codes. Still started the car fine even after sitting for weeks at a time.
If your having problems with your battery going dead in a short period of storage, conduct a current draw test and figure out what the current draw is when the BCM goes into sleep mode. Batteries can and do short internally! Your car will NOT show an excessive current draw but will still go flat quickly!
If you disconnect the battery from the car and it still discharges, it has an internal short (bad cell/s).
Have the battery FULLY tested by a COMPETENT Facility with the right equipment! It needs to be tested under load and for RESERVE CAPACITY! The employees at the local "everything for cars mart" don't always know exactly what there doing and do a lot of back yard guessing as to what they think is wrong with your car!
Get a professional opinion on the condition of the charging system and battery from a COMPETENT Starter/Alternator repair facility. It will save you a LOT of time and CASH!
5 When you purchase a battery, CHECK THE MANUFACTURE DATE OF THAT BATTERY your about to put in your car! If its been sitting on the shelf for 2-3 years,,,,
,,,your already asking for trouble! Get a fresh battery manufactured within a few months of your purchase date!The date code on the batteries are usually on dot stickers on the side. If it has a code of say D-2, that means it was made or actually distributed in April of 2002, or it could have been 1992 if it was a very old battery. The letter is the month, and the number is the year.
6 If you have a PRISTINE LOW mileage Garage Kept Car and it still have the OEM Delco Side post battery,,,,Get that sucker OUT OF THERE and replace it with a different battery!!! You will "eventually " have the side post leak and spill acid on the PCM and wiring harness.
Most dealers want $2000-$5000 (NO BS) to completely fix an acid spillage problem!!!!! They will want to replace the battery, the COMPLETE under hood wiring harness, TAC module and PCM. They also clean and repaint the frame in the damaged area.
7 The average run of the mill lead acid battery from one of the local discount stores cost between $50-$70. The last time I purchased my OPTIMA from Auto zone 3 years ago, it was $112. That was a SALE PRICE!
Optima is a pretty battery and it has lasted me 3 years and it is still kicking. Like it was previously stated, the heavy duty Ford Motor Co battery in my 97 F150 truck has never been replaced and I have run it down to ZIP POINT SH1$ two times and it just keeps on kicking!!
It sits for weeks at a time and never gets charged!! I treat it like a Red Headed Step Child!! I think my next battery for the C5 will be a Walmart Special!
I'll save the extra cash for something that will make the car faster. Nothing against OPTIMA but the extra cost doesn't really get you anything extra! Here are some battery construction FACTS to mull over:
Lead acid batteries are manufactured in three technologies: flooded cell, gel cell, and starved electrolyte (Absorbed Glass Mat).
Flooded cells are the old style, and can have varying plate area, plate thickness and many other features which make them suitable for different services.
Gel cells have silica added to the electrolyte to gel it, providing many advantages and some disadvantages.
AGM batteries have fiberglass mat between the plates sufficient to absorb all of the electrolyte like a sponge.
Flooded cells have a high tolerance of mistreatment (because you can add back the water you boiled out) but sulfate easily. They also have a high self discharge rate, about 5-10% per month. If the plates are thick enough and there is enough reservoir below the plates for detritus, they can last a long time. The so-called maintenance free batteries just have a little more electrolyte and the caps sealed on
Gel cells can be shipped, tipped on their side (but not upside down), have a lower self discharge rate (about 1-3% a month) and tolerate longer periods of deep discharge with less sulfation. However they are sensitive to vibration (knocks the gel away from the plates) and are very sensitive to charge voltage. If charged at too high a voltage, the gel dries out and there is no way to replace it. They do not out gas unless abused and will not corrode ever thing around them.
AGM cells can be shipped, tipped on there side, have a low self discharge rate. They tolerate higher charging voltage but can still dry out if abused. The better ones can be charged and discharged very rapidly, for example a 100 AH battery can be charged at 100 Amps, as long as the voltage is controlled. They tolerate vibration (important in vehicle use) and do not out gas or corrode their surroundings.
The Optima is a spiral wound AGM battery, which is why it has the funny six-pack shape. The two lead plates and glass mat between them are rolled up like toilet paper, makes it more tolerant of physical abuse. Its a good battery, but you can still kill it with traditional methods - primarily leaving it discharged or partially charged for any length of time.
My 3 cents! Hope it helps.
Bill C
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 12,742
Likes: 43
From: Color my life with the chaos of trouble.
I've had no problems with my optima red top. I'm in the Navy and it sits for weeks at a time when I go out to sea and has NEVER failed to start the car when I got back home.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
From: Eastampton New Jersey
No problems yet with my red top that I bought used from a friend 3 years ago. It's in my T/A that I hardly drive once every 2 weeks. It starts up every time without any problems. I don't use any chargers or tenders and the car sits outside.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,596
Likes: 37
From: Orange County CA
I just bought my second Red top. The first one I have had cor about 5 years and is going strong. The Die Hard Gold in my vette just spilled acid all over my wires and computer...So I replaced that one with a new red top. The new red tops are definately a different shape then the originals...but it seems to be working fine..
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
6 If you have a PRISTINE LOW mileage Garage Kept Car and it still have the OEM Delco Side post battery,,,,Get that sucker OUT OF THERE and replace it with a different battery!!! You will "eventually " have the side post leak and spill acid on the PCM and wiring harness.
Bill C
Bill C
The AC Delco Professional series batteries that were made during the last couple of years are of a much improved design - stronger case and terminal junctions. To back up this new robust design, AC Delco provides a 50 month free-replacement warranty - BEST in the industry. At $90, this battery represents a very good value and I will not hesitate to buy one when my AGM finally quits.
Dave
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 2,651
Likes: 6
From: redlands,ca.-usa
In the October '06 issue of Consumer Reports (the same issue with the road test of the new Z06 ) it rates the Duralast (Autozone) and the Everstart (Walmart) as the CR Best Buys. The Everstart finished in the top five in every catagory (out of 62 batteries, 5 catagories).
The top picks if you live in a cold climate were:
1. Everstart
2. AC Delco
3. Napa
The top picks if you live in a warm climate were:
1. Napa
2. Duralast
3. AC Delco
Something most people don't know is, almost all replacement batteries are made by just three companies: Exide, Johnson Controls, and East Penn. which build them to retailers specs.
Only two batteries rated Excellent in the Life Test catagory.
1. Napa 84 Select 8465
2. Duralast 65-DL
Also, all batteries are labeled with a shipping date code. It will be a letter and a number. For example C6 (
) would be March of '06
) it rates the Duralast (Autozone) and the Everstart (Walmart) as the CR Best Buys. The Everstart finished in the top five in every catagory (out of 62 batteries, 5 catagories). The top picks if you live in a cold climate were:
1. Everstart
2. AC Delco
3. Napa
The top picks if you live in a warm climate were:
1. Napa
2. Duralast
3. AC Delco
Something most people don't know is, almost all replacement batteries are made by just three companies: Exide, Johnson Controls, and East Penn. which build them to retailers specs.
Only two batteries rated Excellent in the Life Test catagory.
1. Napa 84 Select 8465
2. Duralast 65-DL
Also, all batteries are labeled with a shipping date code. It will be a letter and a number. For example C6 (
) would be March of '06Parts is Parts--just change the label.
http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/batbrand.htm
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 36,836
Likes: 244
From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 844
Likes: 11
From: Il
Got the Optima because of the potential leak problem on the PCM. My Original Delco was still good but coming to the end. Got the Optima March 06. Since then it went dead once after sitting a month or so. Have the tender on it now. Not a big deal if it takes a crap, just get a new one. $100 bucks every four isn't going to break me.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,167
Likes: 11
From: Powell TN
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Johnson Controls Inc. [Sears' DieHard, Auto Zone's Duralast, Wal-Mart's EverStart, Motorcraft, Optima, etc.]
