1. How long should an Optima Red-Top last?

2. After
and-- how much time before I get stuck somewhere with a dead battery?

Or is it something else?

 

I've let a car sit for a few months with an Optima red top and it has held its charge just fine. But USUALLY, if I know a car isn't going to be driven for that long I'll hook the Battery Tender up.

 

The car has been fine without a tender when I've let it sit; now after about five days, the above happens.

Just wondering if it is what I suspect, and whether it's time for a new battery.

Hate getting stuck in the winter time, but also hate spending the cash before I need to.

 

It sounds like it is losing charge.
It could be/ the battery or a curent drain.
how old is the battery and does it have a history of losing charge, going dead

 

+/- Six years. Never happened before.

I think I answered my own question, but should I wait until it gets more serious, or do it now?

 

I would not wait.
My AC Delco OEM battery was 7 years old when I replaced it. It was still starting the car without fail, but if I left the radar detector on for a weekend, the battery's cranking power weakened somewhat. I replaced it with a new $99, 7YR AC Delco Professional battery with 50-month free-replacement warranty.

My Mazda's $40 Walmart battery was still cranking after 5 and a half years, but I don't want to see how long it'll last, so I recently picked up their $72.00, 9 year battery (the $45 battery numbers don't include my Mazda any more). I expect it to last 6+ years - not bad for the price.

 

Are the A/C Delcos leak proof now?

That's why I replaced my OEM Delco in 2002 with the optima -- too many fried PCMs.

Looking into another Red Top, or an Orbital.

What are the current preferences (I remember people had problems with Optimas a while back)?

On the other hand, my Red Top has been reliable.

Same CCA, Exides seem to be cheaper.

 

The only problematic (leaking) AC Delcos were sold during the 1997 - 2000 time span. From 2001-2003, GM installed AGM batteries in all C5s. These were at least as good as the Red Tops, but like the Red Tops, they didn't like to sit for more than a couple of weeks without having a battery maintainer hooked up. If you kept them charged (as I did), many of them lasted over 7 years.
Because many Corvette owners do not drive their cars often, and because of the potential warranty repercussions, GM and AC Delco went back to non-AGM batteries, only this time, their much-beefier cases were made by a different manufacturer (I believe, Johnson Controls). This newly-designed battery has been out now for over 4 years and I have yet to see mention of any leaking problems in ANY vehicle into which this battery was installed. Hence, there is really no reason to worry about battery leaks any more so that you worry about getting on a passenger jet to fly cross-country.

Certainly, one of the best bang-for-the-buck batteries out there is the Walmart 9-year battery for $69 (with trade-in of old battery). I like the OEM look and the perfect fit of the AC Delco Professional battery.

Now if you HAVE to have an AGM and you don't mind spending a fortune AND increasing your vehicle weight by about 10 lbs, the Sears Platinum AGM is (according to extensive CR-testing) the best AGM on the planet. But hey, at $180+, it should be!

 

If your battery voltage is running 14.8 volts while the engine is running you have a problem with the regulator in the alternator.

Battery voltage should run between 13.7 Volts to 14.2 Volts anything over that and you will cook your battery anything under that and not enough charge. To check grab a hamd held volt meter/multimeter and put across the battery terminal while engine is running if not in the range i mentioned have your alternator repaired or replaced as this will cause you all sorts or problems and will distroy any new battery you put in the car. With engine off your battery should read around 14 Volts.

 

Guys --

Thanks for all the replies.

Heading out to do a little trouble shooting -- regulator and all.

 

Road Test Update:

Voltage before engine start: 11.1

Voltage immediately after start: 14.7

Voltage after 10 minutes of driving: 14.3

Parked for about an hour, voltage before start: 11.3

Voltage immediately after start: 13.8

Drive for 10 minutes. Voltage at shutdown: 11.7

No codes.

I think I better get a battery.

 

Think you also better replace the alternator regulator to stop you destroying the new battery.

 

My Red Top is just reaching 6 years from manufacture and about 5.5 from when I put it in. I just ordered a spare 34/78 just in case that I keep on standby in case of any potential issues.

 

Just ordered a new matching Red Top 34/78 -- I figure six plus years on a battery is doing just fine.

VET-005 --

As much as I appreciate your advice, I would take it if I had a battery that was only three-four years old. But a very wise mechanic taught me two rules of automotive repair that I try to follow religiously:So I'm going to roll the dice on this one, and assume that it's a seven year old battery causing the problem -- nothing more.

I'll let you know if I and Bill Bourke were wrong, and you were right.

 

The only way to accurately figure out if you have a bad battery or an EXCESSIVE Current draw problem (OR BOTH) is to have the battery tested and conduct a system current draw test using a DC Current meter. Most all digital volt meters have a 0-10 amp current measuring capacity.

My red top is going on 6 years old. Still starts the car fine and, I reciently let it sit idle for 35 days (WITH OUT A Battery tender) and she fired right up when I got back from Guam..

If your BCM/PCM sleep current draw exceeds 20 milliamps, you have problems! Connect an amp meter between the negative battery cable and neg battery terminal. Once it is connected, let it set until current draw reading steadys out on the lowest current reading after 10-12 min. It usually drops down from the initial connection at 6-8 amps then down to 1-2 amps and them down to 20ish milliamps or less.

I have a red top now and cant see spending another $130 - $180 for a new red top when a $65 wallmart battery will do just as good for just as long!



BC

 

Yep!

 

That's fine change your battery as it probably is stuffed anyway as its not holding correct charge, but the voltage fluctuation is not caused by the battery when the car is running. The battery's sole purpose is to provide enough voltage to run the ECU and BCM system and to have enough cold cranking amps to start the car. If the alternator is doing what its supposed to be doing that is charging between 13.7 and 14.2 volts (normal oem operating range) you would not be recieving a reading of 14.8 volts ever. Ask any auto electrician or technical guy and they will tell you that your alternator is overcharging and is drying out your battery cells (cooking it), so like i said before i would have your alternator checked or repaired as if it continues to charge at 14.8 volts that new battery is not going to last to long.

 

Sash --

Here's a link specifically relating to the Optima Red Top battery -- which is the one that I have: Link

Here's what it says, in part:My DIC indication (which I realize is not the same as a voltmeter, which I don't have) never reached 15 volts (14.8 max), and dropped to 13.7 after about a 5-10 minute drive.

I believe that the Optima Red Top is a spiral design, not the normal flat plates, and that the C5 alternator voltage is controlled by the PCM, and not a regulator.

Also, here is a web site that has this graph specifically for Optima batteries:




LinkI'm now worried that I may need to replace not just the alternator, if it's putting out 14.7 - 14.8 on a discharged battery, but also the PCM, which gets very, very expensive. I certainly don't want to screw up a new $150 battery.

Maybe I should just install a new alternator and PCM while I'm working on the car, along with a new battery. That would cover all the bases.

 

One problem that causes erratic charging voltages is poor connections at the back of the alternator OR on the starter solenoid. The very first thing that I would do is inspect the starter solenoid wiring and make sure that the connections are clean and tight.

 

Thanks, Bill. I'll check that too. Should I just replace the solenoid -- they're pretty cheap?