Optima RedTop Trouble

[CTX-SLPR]

Howdy,

Well I got all the wiring sorted out and key on brings power to what it should... however when I crank it, the starter struggles and I don't have enough juice.

I've got an Optima RedTop that's probably 2007 vintage or so. It's been great in the past but now it takes a charge from the charger just fine but put a load on it and it doesn't deliver. No load voltmeter says I've got over 12V after sitting overnight but the starter bogs something fierce when I try to crank it over. I'm willing to bet the ICM isn't working right either with the voltage drop.

I'll check the cabling tomorrow or Friday for corrosion and loose connections but I'm leaning towards battery the way the charger over currents and shuts off if I try to start it on the charger.

I found a new one on Craigslist so if it's still available I'll snag it but otherwise, what can I do to try to bring this thing back?

[dieselgeek]

The charger shutting down is pretty normal when cranking, the issue is that the optima batteries are capable of drawing (and supplying) more current than normal batteries. They're good at frying alternators too if you don't have the rest of the system sorted out. If it's holding voltage after charging, I'd prioritize looking at other things before dismissing the battery. Do you have a normal car battery you can test in its place? might point you in the right direction without too much effort.

[squirrel]

has this battery been sitting idle for a long time? or in constant use? Optimas are better at sitting unused than other batteries, but still....6 years old is "replace it without asking questions" age around my place.

[NewEnglandRaceFan]

uggg, why people buy these things.
have you put the voltage meter on the battery and watched it while cranking?? bet it drops like a rock,
go to a local auto HIFI install place and ask them for the diode that is used to discharge a 1 farad cap. (they'll know what it is)
and then put the diode between the +&- connected to each, this will slowly discharge the battery, then with a TRICKLE CHARGER and nothing else, recharge the battery.. This may bring it back.. these batteries do not like a fast charge of any type, if you run them down cranking an engine and the alt recharges it, it will charge it to fast and kill it, and most tims take the alt with it, as the battery will draw silly amount of amps trying to recharge and why a trickle charger that is limited at output is the only way to charge these, even a batterybuddy that stops charging when fully charged isn't a bad idea.. Great battery for a race car for safety, but for a street car, not so much.. We warrantied 90% of those we sold.. (bet randal did the same when he worked a parts store)save your money and get a lead/acid battery if it wont come back

[Beagle]

has this battery been sitting idle for a long time? or in constant use? Optimas are better at sitting unused than other batteries, but still....6 years old is "replace it without asking questions" age around my place.

ROGER THAT.

Walmart.

Unless it's mounted sideways or something, I consider a battery to be a rental.

[CTX-SLPR]

I was in use for a year or so before I did the engine install. Since then it's been largely sitting and before the rewire it would go flat in a month from all the problems I had with the wiring. It mounted in a 6-pack battery clamp in the battery box so I have to stick to a similar style of Optima since there is no room for the conventional over the top clamp. I put it under the fender to maximize the trunk space I had left.

I've been charging it with a conventional battery charger in short bursts 3-4hrs every evening to bring it back up. Best I can tell it's holding charge even with the car connected. I'll check the wiring tonight since I'm not sure I tightened the bolts on the main ground after I resoldered the end on.

[squirrel]

Any battery that has been allowed to go flat more than once is pretty much junk, in my experience

[dieselgeek]

I know guys using optima batteries much older than 6 years. A battery is either good or bad from my experience, sounds like yours is good.

[Orange65]

I would:

check for bad connections/ wires
swap batteries to see if it is the battery
check the starter to make sure it is good.

Good luck

[Scott Liggett]

Otpimas don't like standard battery chargers in most cases. They now make their own charger that will bring back Optimas people thought were trash and needed replacing. It's about $150.

[JOES66FURY]

otpimas don't like standard battery chargers in most cases. They now make their own charger that will bring back optimas people thought were trash and needed replacing. It's about $150.

^^^ this!!!

[Deaf Bob]

Any battery that has been allowed to go flat more than once is pretty much junk, in my experience

As in mine...
All derby batteries (6)get fully charged at the end og the season and before every derby,

Son bought Optima for his 455 powered 65 Skylark.. Didn't last..

[BigAL]

I sold Optimas when they first came out, those batteries lasted 10+ years in cars that I owned, the newer ones from what I've heard suck and take a shit more frequently or at least this is the experience my buddy with the Audi shop has had with them. As for charging, the Optima Rep that we had said to refrigerate the battery for a few hours before charging, not sure if they still recommend that, but that was the procedure back in the day.

As for the OP, it sounds like the battery has a bad cell..... That's the thing about Optima's even with a bad cell they can show normal voltage readings with no load on them and they will even take a charge like there is nothing wrong, but once you put a load on them they don't perform. Though one question, what kind of Compression does the motor have?

[CTX-SLPR]

I think this is a pre Johnson Controls Optima, not sure. I got it in 2007 from a dude that had been sitting on it for a year or more then sold his Grand National. Worked great out of the shrink wrap after I ran down a normal Walmart battery.

By flat I mean barely a click on the starter solenoid, not 0V on the battery. This is a deep cycle battery as well. I charge it in short bursts because of the Optima's trouble with long charging cycles. It will get hot I've noticed. I've also found the smaller Optima charger for $109 from Summit so it's cheaper than a new Optima for sure.

I'll check the wiring. The motor is a 7.9:1 Buick V6, I don't think an OEM LT4 starter should have any trouble with it.

[squirrel]

You might have noticed that some of us treat car batteries as a throw away commodity, others treat them as household pets....