Optima Battery - how long do they live?

[IAmTodd]

I had a Red Top last maybe 2 years (sorry, I forget how long). Walmart replaced it for me and I got another Red Top. It didn't seem to hold a charge well either so I went with a Yellow Top and it's been great. I've been sticking with Optima because I ditched all my stock battery box hardware so it's easier for me to put another Optima under my hood rather than going with other brands. I think it's hit/miss with Optima.

Same deal here. Had a Red Top go at 2 years, Advance Auto replaced it with the same and two years later it won't hold a charge over a few days. It's either a bad battery or a drain caused by something.

 

[Rick]

I've got several which are still hanging in there. Two are 5 years old and another two are 3 years old.

 

[410Fortune]

the older OPtima red tops are great! the new ones I have NOT had ANY luck with

I had 3 or 4 red tops lose a cell on me, they would hold a charge of about 11.8V, almost enough to make your truck run right and start, it was very frustrating

I used to use Optimas in everything we had, boat, trucks, cars, etc
I had a buddy who worked there (Optima is in Denver) and I wold get refurbished units from him for CHEAP CHEAP, they all lasted forever... but then he quit and I had to get them from the store...every store bought one I had FAILED within 6 months to a year. I rebuilt the charging system in my BII twice thinking it wasnt the red tops..... it was

I now run Duralast gold batteries, so far so good and CHEAP!!!

 

[BrooklynBay]

My local Autozone doesn't stock Optima batteries anymore. They are only available if you place a special order for them. The sales person said that this decision was made for all of the Brooklyn stores because people were stealing them! I asked them how this could be possible since they can't hide it in their pocket. They said people came in with their old one, left it on the counter, then walked out with the Optima. Something doesn't sound right. They would have to be parked in the parking lot in front of the store while they were installing it, and could get caught during that time. One customer of mine wanted an Optima, and I couldn't get it there, so I installed a Duralast Gold, and it's still good. They never complained about it.

 

[Four0Sport]

when a parts store is busy it is easy for people to walk in and out with whatever they want. and with the recent payroll cuts in my division there are less employees walking around helping customers which also leads to increased theft. i catch multiple people each week trying to walk out of the store with merchandise, so anything is possible.

 

[Tbars4]

EDIT: another recent link I found concerning both the Optima and Exide batteries...
http://www.ytmag.com/ac/messages/111983.html

...as for comparative pricing of the Odyssey I checked with the Corona outlet and this is what info they gave me for the 91 X...

65-pc1750t 4yr free replacement 258.95...I asked about a group buy of 10 they dropped the price to $217...
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/battery/pc1750t.htm

...they also sell the "Abrams Tank" battery $400 for the Explorer...:biggthump

...They also informed me that Optima was bought out by Exide batteries 2 years ago and the Optima batteries may have been changed...

 

[tdavis]

A thread on pirate4x4 said that the quality of the lead used in the battery is going down, causing batteries to fail sooner..

 

[410Fortune]

all of mine that went bad lost one of the 6 cells
Consumer reports gave the Duralast gold HIGH MARKS

 

[Maniak]

Duralast Gold is what we used to run before switching to the exide orbital. I found that the Durlast would outgas and/or leak causing corrosion on the battery terminals.

since switching to the oribital I have had 0 corrosion on the battery.. and I don't put anything on them to keep off the corrosion.. Keep in mind though that I'm in AZ so the corrosion we do get is from the battery, not moisture.

~Mark

 

[Tbars4]

...The fact that Odyssey batteries are made with "flat plates made of 99.99% pure virgin lead and not lead alloy", and that they have 15% more plate area than an Optima may be why the Odyssey batteries are expensive...

...Personally after looking more into this, I might have sold myself into getting one for the X...

 

[BrooklynBay]

I think that they might be heavier since they have more lead in them.

 

[carlover]

4+ years on my yellow top and still going strong.

 

[410Fortune]

my duralast also leak a bit around the terminals, felt rings and a terminal cleaner save the day

 

[Scott B.]

I talked with a tech guy from Optima today - I learned more about batteries than I ever wanted to! And, I determined a lot of what I have heard (and read) is mis-information.

The plan is to get a battery charger in the morning - made by CTEK. One of two recommended by Optima (the other is ACI.) With that, I am going to do a dual-charge (charger, known good battery, dead battery - all hooked up in parallel.) After 1 hour, if the dead battery is hot, it is bad. (End of test.) If only warm, it is taking a charge. After two hours, disconnect and check voltage. As long as there is >10.5 volts, battery is good - continue trickle charging battery. Once charged, test as normal.

The battery will either be good and charged, or replaced with another Optima red-top.

I have faith.

 

[corkey]

i have 2 red tops i use all summer for my electric trolling motor, and than in the winter for my Ex,
they do not seem to be getting weak or not lasting as long on the trolling motor , and are 3 years old,,
i know using it for a trolling motor is not the optimal (ha ha ha) usage,
but never had a problem so far ,i have it in the Ex again, , and even left my lights on a few weeks ago in -30 c weather,, and it charged right back up,,, no prob,,
i find that if you get a gel charger (yes they are different,), it will not be a problem, as they charge differently than a regular charger,,

three years and still going strong,, coming up #4,,

 

[carlover]

I talked with a tech guy from Optima today - I learned more about batteries than I ever wanted to! And, I determined a lot of what I have heard (and read) is mis-information.

The plan is to get a battery charger in the morning - made by CTEK. One of two recommended by Optima (the other is ACI.) With that, I am going to do a dual-charge (charger, known good battery, dead battery - all hooked up in parallel.) After 1 hour, if the dead battery is hot, it is bad. (End of test.) If only warm, it is taking a charge. After two hours, disconnect and check voltage. As long as there is >10.5 volts, battery is good - continue trickle charging battery. Once charged, test as normal.

The battery will either be good and charged, or replaced with another Optima red-top.

I have faith.

I was told this the other day on another board about OPtima batteries. Glad to see its actual usefull info.

 

[ZO6_Vette]

When you buy an optima you must check the date it was manufactured on.
My first one was 3 years old when I purchased it.
The guy at the store swore up and down it was fresh but when I called Optima to find the born on date it was laying around for a few years.

 

[aldive]

I have 3 Optimas in one of the most harsh environments a battery can "live' in - a commercial boat operated in salt water in Florida.

Two of them, the starting batteries, are Red Tops and the third battery, a Yellow Top, is used for the boats electrical needs as well as the electronics ( radar, dept sounder, radios, chart plotter, etc ).

They have functioned flawlessly for many years.

I also have a Red Top in the Explorer and a Yellow Top in the Jeep.

 

[IZwack]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=687385

If it were me, I'd just buy a battery that can be replaced by the most abudant store chain. Sears has a few 1000 CCAs which fit in the Explorer. I ran the grey "SUV, Truck and Van" version and my brother had a "Gold North" in his 97 Eddie Bauer. The last one I had died just before the 3 year warranty was up -- no biggie, it was replaced (Sears are like ants here, they are all over the place). It was cranked on a few times by a 9k lbs winch to the point that one battery terminal melted and had to be ghetto repaired in the field.

If you're really worried about getting stuck due to a dead battery, run a dual setup. All batteries will die eventually. But a dual setup pretty much eliminates the chances of you being stuck because, playing the probability numbers, the chances of both batteries dying at once using a good dual battery isolator is very slim.

 

[Silver X]

My first red top lasted 9 years. Finally killed it when I left the Mustang in the trailer with the key on for over a month. Wouldn't even take a charge after that.

New red top battery is about 3 years old and works great. Starts fine even after sitting all winter....as long as nothing is left on.:shifty_ey

Explorer just has a regular replacement battery. Didn't want to spend extra money for another Optima.