Optima batteries

[Ramsey_ElWardani]

Jim,

While we've got your attention and expertise available; could you tell us what Optima Battery combination you would recommend for a dual battery Desert Race vehicle and for a dual battery fully appointed Prerunner? The Prerunners typically have more electronics on board - dual VHF radios, stereo equipment, GPS, power windows, A/C...

I've always use two Yellow Top batteries, but wonder if that is the best way to go.

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[partybarge_pilot]

The problem with Optimas is that the individual tabs from the wraps that connect to the internal buss bar break. They will show full charge voltage but will not put out the amps needed to crank over a motor. I have cut one apart to verify this after talking to one of your reps at a show a few years back. Mounting them on thier sides really accelerates this problem.

[OptimaJim]

Ramsey_ElWardani, vehicles with significant electrical demands are better-served by YellowTops. Ideally, one would also ensure that the charging system and wiring (especially grounds) are also upgraded in vehicles with significant electrical upgrades, as they are the first line of support.

partybarge_pilot, I believe the individual tabs you are referring to are our straps, which make the connections from cell to cell within the battery. In an Optima, these straps are 99.99% pure lead, and are cast (as opposed to welded in most other batteries). A cast strap is unique to Optima, proprietary, more expensive, and more difficult to manufacture, but it is a process that gives superior performance. A larger and/or better-designed, manufactured or connected strap will allow better high current flow due to lower internal resistance, which can be reflected in the CCA rating.

These straps are actually larger than what is found in most other batteries and a lot of work has been done to ensure that an Optima's strap design allows the greatest possible power flow through the battery. The care taken in design and manufacturing, and the highest quality materials used in Optima's straps are a big part of the reason why an Optima battery's CCA rating is better than other batteries of the same weight. All of that does not mean these straps are invincible, but they are far more robust in high-vibration situations, than batteries with individually-welded connectors.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

[az_amsoil]

Jim - thanks for coming on here and answering questions. I've always run Optimas and never had issues...now my turn to ask a question. As far as vibration performance, what would be the difference between a yellow top and a blue top? My thought would be a blue would be better.

[OptimaJim]

az_amsoil, I'm happy to help. Internally, our 34M BlueTops (dark-gray cases) are identical to their Group 34 RedTop counterparts and our other BlueTops with light-gray cases are identical to their YellowTop counterparts. BlueTops do offer additional threaded top posts for marine applications, but there is no difference in vibration performance between the various batteries.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

[Kritter]

I was prerunning the 500 with a single yellow top less than a year old. at a regroup at km80 (not far into prerun) I went for a restart and it was dead as a dead gets. My LED lights on my dash wouldnt even light up.

Swapped it out for a used yellow top spare that was in the chase truck and that one had the same fate 200 miles later and I had to rejump it every time I had to shut it down. I got home and had everything checked out and everything checked out.

Original yellow top was warranteid as bad by a battery shop. Spare yellow top although not that much older only had a 1 year warranty instead of a 3 year warranty and was not warrantied even though it took a crap.

No issues with new battery since but I havent been back in the dirt since. I think the vibration from being in the stock mount with the wedge hold down killed it. I am also shocked at the price increase of the yellow top.

I will say it was a killer battery up until it crapped out. It never left me stranded or needed a jump prior to it being dead dead and not able to take a charge.

[OptimaJim]

Kris, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with our batteries. We did extend the free replacement warranty on all new YellowTops to three years, starting in February of 2009. If you think the price of YellowTops has gotten expensive recently, you should see what the price of lead has done in the last ten years!

When you had everything checked out, do you remember the voltage of your YellowTops and the output of your alternator? When any battery is deeply-discharged enough to the point where it needs a jump to start a vehicle, it is a good idea (although not always practical) to fully-charge the battery with a battery charger as soon as possible. Most alternators are designed to maintain batteries, not recharge deeply-discharged batteries. Asking an alternator to perform that task can lead to a cycle of dead batteries and jump-starts, until either the alternator or battery fails.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

[Kritter]

Kris, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with our batteries. We did extend the free replacement warranty on all new YellowTops to three years, starting in February of 2009. If you think the price of YellowTops has gotten expensive recently, you should see what the price of lead has done in the last ten years!

When you had everything checked out, do you remember the voltage of your YellowTops and the output of your alternator? When any battery is deeply-discharged enough to the point where it needs a jump to start a vehicle, it is a good idea (although not always practical) to fully-charge the battery with a battery charger as soon as possible. Most alternators are designed to maintain batteries, not recharge deeply-discharged batteries. Asking an alternator to perform that task can lead to a cycle of dead batteries and jump-starts, until either the alternator or battery fails.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

Alternator was charging between 13.8 and 14.3 per my gps volt meter. Key on, car off...LED's wouldnt even light up or any dash warning lights. The 2nd yellow top was charged several hours in san felipe the next day(Saturday) and then following morning at coyote cals(Sunday)...thats quite a bit of mileage driven in between to also add some juice eventhough alt's dont really like to charge.

No diagnosis was done until back in the states. The battery shop I use(Battery Sales Unlimited in Glendora) tried charging both and neither would hold voltage with any kind of load.

I will take a replacement yellow top if you want to send one my way.

I also dont like that the date on the repalcement battery starts at original purchase date. I bought a battery I want to last 3 years without ever having to touch a thing. My DD batteries I usually get 4 out of. If I have to touch it within that 3 years the warranty should start over.

[OptimaJim]

Kris, it sounds like your alternator was putting out good voltage and I am sorry to hear about the problem you had with your YellowTops. Batteries in daily-driven vehicles do tend to last longer, as regular use helps keeps batteries topped off. The “maintenance-free” tag many batteries reference is a bit of a misnomer, as all batteries do require some level of maintenance, even if they are sealed. Daily-driven vehicles may do this passively through regular use, while batteries that only see occasional use may need to be actively charged to maintain proper voltage levels during storage.

If any battery fails from a manufacturing defect, it is likely to do so well within the first year of use, if not the first month. Most warranties go well beyond that timeframe for marketing purposes more than concern over failure. I'm dealing with a guy on another board right now, who has gone through four batteries in six months and three of them are ours. Frankly, he would have a better chance of winning the lottery, than buying two defective batteries in a row from any reputable manufacturer, let alone four. Most battery manufacturers are willing to take the hit on warranty claims from customers who clearly have electrical or application issues not related to their battery for a period of time. However, re-setting a warranty with every exchange would essentially result in a lifetime warranty and might even encourage dishonest people to engage in unscrupulous behavior just prior to the end of their warranty period.

I don't know the timeframe for when you were having your issues, but if the older YellowTop was “not that much older” than the other, which was less than a year old, how much older was it? The reason I ask, is because prior to 2009, our YellowTops did have a one-year, pro-rated warranty in addition to one year of free replacement coverage.

Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries

[L5wolvesf]

Most alternators are designed to maintain batteries, not recharge deeply-discharged batteries. Asking an alternator to perform that task can lead to a cycle of dead batteries and jump-starts, until either the alternator or battery fails.

Hi Jim,

Since our race car spends a lot of time sitting we sometimes put the race battery (Red top) in the truck figuring that would keep it from totally discharging. Good practice or . . ?

Thank you,
Larry