Optima Batteries

[northern feller]

I'm reading varying opinions regarding my problem so I am hoping someone here has an answer for me.

I have an Optima Yellow Top deep cycle in my truck. 120 minute reserve, 750-800 CCA (I can't recall, but I know it's within that range). Anyway, left my 4 Hella's on by accident one night (I don't know how because they're freaking bright!) and drained the battery.

1) Can I boost it from another vehicle? I am getting mixed opinions from other sources.
2) Does it have to be trickle charged to bring it back to 100%?

I ask question #2 because I already boosted it once, took it for a 2 hour drive and left it for a couple days to come back to it and find it dead again. The lights were not on this time. Throughout my drive, I kept the truck out of overdrive in order to keep the engine working a little faster and that alty spinning and the belt nice and tight.

Thanks,

Tim

[steelcityslicker]

I don't know if you've already read this brother but it may help. Coincidentally, I was just reading up on yellow tops.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_ ... attery.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I hope this helps.
Dave

[Pezzy]

Hmm... but wouldn't your alternator recharge it? I assume there is no safety like on a charger??


My Yellow Top died like that... I went out in the morning, and it was DEAD. Got a boost, drove around, went to go get tires swapped, parked at the tire place to talk to the guy, 15 mins later, go to move the truck in, and DEAD again. They boost it with a truck, drive it in, had it on a charger the entire time, and then couldn't start it again. (Of course they didn't try boosting it with another truck again... instead the momo's let me sit in the parking lot for 3 hours, waiting for Simon to get off work... I couldnt go anywhere, the windows were left open.) Simon was able to boost it with his truck again, but it never held a charge again.

In it's history, I may have drained the battery 2-3 times.

[Morpheus]

A drained battery should never be charged by running the vehicle. The alternator only provides minimal "top-up" charging for a battery.

A battery that is dead flat need 6-8 hours of low amp charging to bring it up to 100%

running your truck for several hours will just waste fuel, and put excess strain on your alternator.

After a 8 hour charge, the battery should be load tested to ensure it holds a load properly.

[Rev]

I did not know that. What if you drive at highway speed for 8 hours?

[northern feller]

I know there is an rpm range in which your alternator will work harder to charge your battery. For instance, if left idling your alternator only provides trace charging. It is much better at highway speeds. For 8 hours, I don't know. I believe in what Morpheus is suggesting. At a certain level the alternator can no longer provide the charge you require to return to 100%.

[sandor]

I don't know if you've already read this brother but it may help. Coincidentally, I was just reading up on yellow tops.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_ ... attery.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I hope this helps.
Dave

Good reads...

[Nd4SpdSe]

Honestly, I haven't had much luck with my yellow tops. I bought 2 for the Mx-3. Since I retired the car, I traded one to my friend, and the other I'm planning on putting on the truck at some point....but I'm skeptical. The one I traded for my buddy, ended up dying and couldn't take a charge. Got it replaced no problem. My other yellow top, same problem, it doesn't want to charge up. I've had horrible luck or issues with those 2. Funny thing is, the only charger that charges is them is my dad's ancient Motormaster charger. I spend good money for a top of the line charger from CT and it doesn't want to charge it, despite it having a Deep Cycle, AGM AND Gel Cell options. My buddy on his, he got a newer charger, the Nascar labelled one from CT, and again, it doesn't want to charge them either. Maybe it's the chargers, but honestly, it shouldn't be...

I will eventually put it in the truck (and i should get it replaced before the 2yr warranty expires), it will only be as a secondary, and a Red Top as a primary (I had great experience with the Red tops). I just feel like if I kill my battery somewhere, I'm screwed.

[Feds]

So you guys don't just buy $25 batteries from the scrap yard every 3-4 years?

[northern feller]

So you guys don't just buy $25 batteries from the scrap yard every 3-4 years?

hehe, yes. I have two of those as well in the garage.

[95 PATH]

I know when i had my red top it died on me a few times and when i used my mechanics floor charger on slow trickle it still didn't hold a charge i had to send it back to Interstate and they charged it there and sent it back. The Interstate rep said that they can only handle bring drained a few times till they will no longer hold a charge.

[HotWod]

Then why the hell are these things so effin expensive?

[Nd4SpdSe]

Man I've drained my red tops so many times from shows and winter storage that I wasn't surprised at how bad they were at the end. But after 4 years, they replaced them no problem, and I even got a few bucks back since they had to credit me on the old ones and resell the new ones to me, but the tax rate has dropped from 15% to 13%, so I got that difference since they price didn't change.

[steelcityslicker]

One of these bad boys is on my list for sure. I think I'll wait though until I'm running some things off it like a heavy duty alternator, extra lights, winch, etc. The shortcut I posted earlier is short but i think it answers a lot of the concerns some people have had. Traditional methods of charging a regular car battery just won't work on a deeply discharged Optima type battery. However, the methods they outline in that link for recharging Optima batteries seem very simple.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_ ... attery.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[great dane]

you need to put it on a slow charge for a long period of time to presserve the Bat life. If you have a prob. with it take it back and use the pro rated warrenty on it! All batteries need to be slow charged to bring them back to life. That being said the Bat will never be as good once it has gone completly dead.

[Nd4SpdSe]

My Xterra's battery decided to die on me while in for service. Boosted it but it didn't want to hold a charge. I put in my yellow top and it worked great, but it was charging at 17-18v!

[HotWod]

It was charging that high? Alternator reg. could be gone, its cooking your battery if its charging that high.

[Nd4SpdSe]

Threw in a loaner "almost new" Interstate and it's charging fine

[AlexJet]

Optima Deep Cycle batteries can be fully charged on the charging station. The best use of Optima batteries will be Red Top for Main/Start battery and Yellow Top as a second Accessory battery. Run all your accessories from 2nd battery and this will keep your starting battery anaffected.
I have my OEM battery as a starting (still good, so why to change it) and Yellow Top for accessories such lights, winch, etc. When I turn the key off second one disconnects and accessories don't drain main battery, when the key is on, accessories one is charging. Plus in cold winters as soon as I get the ignition I have juice from 2 batteries to start the truck.

[steelcityslicker]

Alex, how come I'm not surprised you are running two batteries? Not because you are a Toyota guy but because you have 10 forward facing lights and a winch!!!!!