Optima Redtops

[Lone Ranger]

Is it just me or is anyone else noticing that they're not as powerful as the older ones?

Maybe I just got a couple from a bad batch but I have two 800cca redtops I bought this spring/early summer from Sport Trucks (4 moths ago IIRC) for a dual battery setup in my '93 Ranger, one got used briefly then got parked on the bench for a bit cause I can only fit one in my '09 Ranger. It went flat inside of a couple of months just sitting there, where as the other spare batteries beside it were fine (grabbed it to jump a car, 8.35 volts).

The other has been used DD in my '09, and I hardly trust it parking it for the night. If I just shut everything down and fire it up in the morning its fine, but if I leave the stereo on for any length of time and then park it the battery won't start the truck in the morning. There's no parasitic drains on the system, everything axillary is thru relays and designed to shut off when the key's off (OBA, inverter, ect). For now its no major concern but a mild PITA cause I have the camper mounted on the truck, and I have a 12 amp battery charger and 2000w gen'y in there to charge it, plus the spare battery in the camper (not connected to the main battery yet). I've had to use it twice so far when camping, once completely my fault cause I left the cooler plugged in and once I don't know why.

I'm goinna give Sport Trucks a shout to see if they've had any issues with a particular batch of them, just got back from camping this morning and haven't had a chance yet. Just asking around to see if anyone else has had any problems with them. Cheers

[Kinslayer]

I do know that costco has been selling cheap models with red, yellow and blue tops, but beyond the color they have nothing in common with the good ones that you can get at 'normal' resellers.. Perhaps they are originally from there..?

[Lone Ranger]

Nope, Sport Trucks doesn't sell the seconds, thats why I bought these ones - I hate battery issues. My last few were the 720cca ones from Walmart and I never had any issues with them at all (should technically be junk compared to these really..), usually got a steady 4-5 years of neglect and abuse. LR

[Mike Wild]

I've heard that too, wallmart and costco ones are cheapies. Both my yellows and my blue came from Lordco & I've never had any probs with them. Mind you, I paid a fairly hefty price over what wallmart & costco were selling theirs for

[Lone Ranger]

Just got off the phone with Mike, was told that they definitely don't like sitting and thats the problem. Maybe the heavier plates in them? Just trying to figure the issue out because if its something I'm doing then I'm going to scrap them and go with something different, maybe a blue or yellow top. I was told on no uncertain terms don't use a deep cycle in a DD unless I'm draining it down (which I do occasionally, it sits for days on end at work and I do run the stereo when camping). I have also considered going back to the 720s cause I never had problems with them. Thoughts? LR

[Kinslayer]

It says right on optimas website that they are designed to sit and hold a charge enough to start a truck over several months.. also that they are dual purpose deep cycles, they are fine for cranking as well as deep cycle duties.. ALL models, red, blue..yellow


actually in retrospect, the red top isn't a deep cycle battery, at all.

[Lone Ranger]

Yup, thats what I thought. Its kinda funny, I've actually been really nice to these ones compared to my old ones... maybe thats what I'm doing wrong! LR

[Kinslayer]

From the website:
http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_support/faqs.php
If you ever get confused on the color tops just remember: if it has a dark gray case then it is a starting battery; if it has a light gray case then it is a deep cycle (dual purpose) battery.

[Kinslayer]

Here's some interesting info you might want to try (perhaps you drained it too much and it's sulphated up)

If an OPTIMA is deeply discharged (below 10.5 volts) most basic chargers will not supply a charge. Also keep in mind an OPTIMA will not recharge properly if treated as a regular flooded or gel battery. To charge the battery, you can wire a second fully charged automotive battery (12+V) to the discharged AGM in parallel (+ to + and – to –). Then hook up the charger to either battery, setting the charger at 10 amps. Leave for two hours, monitoring frequently. During this process if the discharged battery gets very hot or if it is venting (hissing sound from vents) then stop this process immediately. When the discharged battery reaches 10.5 volts or more, remove the standard battery and continue charging the AGM until fully charged.

For normal charging a relatively low current, such as one or two amps can work well, but when the battery has been deeply discharged, some sulfation of the battery plates may have occurred. If you charge at 10 amps, the higher current will help to break up this sulfation.

If you have an automatic charger, let it run until the charger indicates charging is complete. If you have a manual charger, you can get a rough estimate of the charging time in hours of a completely discharged battery (11.2V) by multiplying the capacity (amp hours or Ah) of the battery by 1.2. If your battery is not completely discharged the time would be less.

In most cases these steps will recover the AGM battery. It’s okay for the AGM battery to get slightly warm during the charging process. If it’s hot to the touch it means there’s a short and the process should be discontinued.

[Lone Ranger]

To charge the battery, you can wire a second fully charged automotive battery (12+V) to the discharged AGM in parallel (+ to + and – to –). Then hook up the charger to either battery, setting the charger at 10 amps. Leave for two hours, monitoring frequently. When the discharged battery reaches 10.5 volts or more, remove the standard battery and continue charging the AGM until fully charged.

I did this yesterday morning when I drained it flat from the 12 v cooler (hey, at least the beer stayed cold all night!). I took the camper battery out and and hooked it to the redtop via a set of 2 ga jumper cables, let the charger sit on the camper battery at on the 12 amp setting (was reading 7 amps output) while I made morning coffee and had breaky, then charged the redtop for about an hour after that (putting out 7 - 9 amps, then I pulled it once it dropped to about 2 or 3 amps - near full charged). It started fine then.

I didn't do it so much for the fact of helping the redtop, but more because the camper battery needed a charge too... Guess it wasn't a bad thing though. LR

[Wil]

I've had no bad luck with the two red tops I've bought in the last 8yrs. The current one I have is about 2yrs old and the truck sits for weeks at a time. I've read quite a bit on the net of people complaining about them but I haven't had any real problems. I've been told that you cannot charge them with a regular battery charger.

[Lone Ranger]

We have several cars around the property with miscellaneous worn out batteries, so I'm thinking long and hard of swapping the redtops in to them and getting a yellow top for the Ranger and swapping out the AGM in the camper for a blue top. I'm starting to make some calls around, any suggestions for best prices right now? LR

[Lone Ranger]

I've had no bad luck with the two red tops I've bought in the last 8yrs. The current one I have is about 2yrs old and the truck sits for weeks at a time. I've read quite a bit on the net of people complaining about them but I haven't had any real problems. I've been told that you cannot charge them with a regular battery charger.

I know, the previous several I've owned have been nothing but good to me thats why I'm so disappointed with these two. It just seems like they're dying way too easily.

I only have an older CT 2/12/70 amp battery charger but I tend to charge them on the 2 amp deep cycle setting instead of the regular setting if I can help it. They cost a ton of money, so I'm obviously not trying to kill them intentionally.. LR

[Mike Wild]

I have the D31M Blue top which I use for my boat as well as a stand alone for the camper. I hook up a 1500W inverter to it and run all sorts of things off it like an ice maker, blender, laptop with sub & speakers (yeah I know, we really like to rough it) The Ice maker was the heaviest draw and would drain the battery in 3 - 4 hours. But having the stereo hooked up alone, it was good to go for a few days. Mind you I have a marine grade battery charger for it and usually top it up while camping.

I think I paid close to 4 bills for it, but it's been awesome. It weighs a frikking ton though! :D

My yellow tops D34 I think were $175 or something like that, out camping I usually have the stereo in the truck playing all day or night and it's never gone completely dead to the point were I couldn't start the truck.

[Kinslayer]

http://bb.bc4x4.com/showthread.php?t=146425


oh nevermind you already posted heh

[Damaged]

I've got a Redtop I bought from Costco that's at least 5 years old. Spent the first 2 years sitting in the garage and the next 3 in intermittent use with no issues. I've also got a newer (about 3 years old) Blue top again with no issues.

My understanding from Optima is that the only difference between the Yellow Top & the Blue top is that the Blue top is designed for marine use and has different posts (i.e. threaded scew type)

[Kinslayer]

My understanding from Optima is that the only difference between the Yellow Top & the Blue top is that the Blue top is designed for marine use and has different posts (i.e. threaded scew type)

That's what the website says.. personally i'd take a blue top for my regular wheeling rig, those extra posts would rock.

[Lone Ranger]

I picked up a yellow top at Lordco last night, $229 (car show deal or something). I'm pretty shocked at how much they've gone up in price.

It had the standard top posts and of course the GM style 3/8" sideposts which I'll use for the winch. I'd really like to go duals again but there's just nowhere I can realistically mount a second, being that there's belly bars and air bags on the frame, a camper on the back, and there's absolutely no space anywhere in the cab for a battery. Like I said, I got a second AGM Exide battery in the camper, and a gen'y/charge as a backup so it'll be no worry. LR

[Kinslayer]

I picked up a yellow top at Lordco last night, $229 (car show deal or something). I'm pretty shocked at how much they've gone up in price.

It had the standard top posts and of course the GM style 3/8" sideposts which I'll use for the winch. I'd really like to go duals again but there's just nowhere I can realistically mount a second, being that there's belly bars and air bags on the frame, a camper on the back, and there's absolutely no space anywhere in the cab for a battery. Like I said, I got a second AGM Exide battery in the camper, and a gen'y/charge as a backup so it'll be no worry. LR

Hey, I heard from 'they' that the gm style posts don't have as large internal connector as the top posts and shouldn't be used for a winch..

Now i've no fockin idea as i've never seen the inside of an optima but..?

[Lone Ranger]

For the once or twice (if that) a year I use my winch, I'm pretty sure they'll be fine. I actually have enough old/spare Optimas kicking around collecting dust I should cut one apart and take a look some time.. LR