Optima Battery - how long do they live?

[BrooklynBay]

I once purchased a defective Optima, and the store I got it from refused to help me. I told them that it was under their warranty, and they didn't want to give me another one. I went to an Autozone, and they said that they could only give me another one if I bought it from an Autozone store. A second Autozone store said the same thing to me. This was many years ago, and I still have the same bad battery sitting around. I should have contacted Optima at the time, but I didn't.

 

[Scott B.]

I charged and tested my battery today - the battery is fine. I am trickle charging it now - should be complete by morning.

I spent some time looking for a short in the truck - I think the alternator is the problem. With it, I have a 3.4 amp constant load on the battery (with the key off.) It appears to have a short. I will bring to the store to test it tomorrow.

 

[MrWizard]

How long you all get from your Optima batteries?

4 years on the first one,
8 years and still running on the second one.

Although the current one started venting a bit around the terminals - which caused a lot of excessive corrosion
on the positive terminal until I sealed the terminal with some liquid electrical tape.

Seems to be a lot of variation in the lifetime of these batteries.

I finally started using Duralast Golds on the other cars simply because the Optimas are essentially twice the price,
with no assurance they'll last twice as long.

 

[00eddie]

If you buy a optima consider buying ctek battery charger. Buy the us3300 model it has a mode just for the red top battery, if you use one of these that battery will last you a long time. Optima's aren't like most other batteries they need to be charged slowly. That charger will bring most batteries back from the dead. I've seen it, I've done it. If you have a yellow top get the next ctek higher.

 

[Scott B.]

It turns out, the alternator was the problem. I replaced it (free, under Napa's lifetime warranty!) Truck runs great!

In the process of looking for this problem, I did purchase a CTEK 3300 charger - a really nice charger. I did the 2 battery trick, then let my Optima go through the full charge cycle. It is happy now!

I think the battery went through a tough time for a while - between the failing voltage regulator and the short to ground. I hope I didn't take any years off its life.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update!

 

[98-B.A.Explorer]

i have an optima yellow top in my 98 x it was in the car when i got it but I've ran my dome lights for 2 hours strait and plugged in a 200 watt power inverter and a shop light with a 60 watt bulb for an hour with no affect always starts right up

 

[Premier]

i didnt read the whole thread, but die hard from sears makes a gelpack. and they have awesome customer service and warranty. its what i run in the s4

 

[Four0Sport]

i left my door partly open for 14 hours the other day and when i went back to start the truck it needed a jump. battery was low.. came right back up. once again im impressed with what a 4 yr old used yellowtop can do.

 

[Scott B.]

My battery is as strong as ever. I've driven the truck some, and it has sat for several days - always starts immediately, with plenty of battery power. The voltmeter stays at ~14 volts.

The problem was the alternator. I am thinking the battery masked the problem - and a weaker battery would not have worked as long or as well.

Happy with my Optima!

 

[SinCityKnights]

I have a red top bought mine at sam's club about two years ago. So far so good. I think it was worth the money.