Optima Battery Problem

I don't know if this is the right place for this...but I thought someone might be able to help me with this. I have a 2002 Camaro SS LE and a few years ago (probably 3) I decided to put a red top optima battery in it. I wanted the best battery I could get. I don't drive my car everyday, I take it out a couple times a week and for the last several months it seems that the battery is slowly getting weaker. Today, I wasn't sure if the car was going to start. I know 3 years old isn't new by any means...but I would expect it to last longer than that. Do these batteries have a history of problems or am I just unlucky?

Also, I had a yellow top optima in my '69 Camaro and it didn't seem to hold a charge well from day one.

I've been using Optima batteries for the last ten years or more. I'm on my second Optima in my Firebird, and I've owned the car since it was new in '98. Generally, I've had good luck using Optima batteries. After the original battery in my Firebird broke at the terminal and leaked acid in the area directly underneath the tray I've exclusively used Optimas.
I installed a 78 series Optima in my old truck and I let it sit for a few months. The battery was only a year old. It ran down to ~5VDC. I charged it back up after a couple of charging sessions and got it back to 12.2VDC. When I put it back in my truck I disconnected the positive cable because I knew the truck was going to sit for a while longer non-op. I would put a battery tender on the battery if you know the car is going to be stored for a while.

I agree on the battery tender idea. If the car sits, the battery will die. Optima or not. I have a red top Optima in mine. Installed it a few months after I bought my car 3+ years ago. Still going strong as I daily my car.

I hear this from time to time.
People willing top pop the extra coin for a battery that looks like a six pack.
They are not worth the coin.
Go get a nice fitted interstate and save the extra coin for some real six packs.

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Originally Posted by Nowhereman

I hear this from time to time.
People willing top pop the extra coin for a battery that looks like a six pack.
They are not worth the coin.
Go get a nice fitted interstate and save the extra coin for some real six packs.

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I work in the battery business and wouldn't touch an optima unless it was used in a daily driven vehicle.
When any battery sits it slowly losses charge, in a 3 month period it can be down as much as 25%.
When an Optima gets below 10.5 volts it can only be charged when piggy backed with another battery until it reaches over 10.5 volts. At that time the other battery can be removed and the Optima charged directly from the charger.

BTW a battry needs to be over 12.60 in voltage to be considered fully charged.

Optima's are great batteries IMO, they will only last if, "IF" you maintain them correctly... put a tender on them (or any battery) when they sit for awhile and it will most likely live its life to the max.

I have had 3 optima batteries and they were all junk, battery tender or not I don't waste the money any more. One red top, two yellow top, almost $500 worth of nothing. I just get the everstart one's from walmart now, I could buy 10 batteries for what I spent on 3.

Not a fan of them at all. I work at a parts store at night and people always bring them back within a few months complaining of various problems

Optima batteries 10 years ago were a quality product, theyre garbage now.

I would invest in a new battery and a tender. You can make a cheap battery last longer than a Optima with proper care.

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Originally Posted by trplxl2

I have had 3 optima batteries and they were all junk, battery tender or not I don't waste the money any more. One red top, two yellow top, almost $500 worth of nothing. I just get the everstart one's from walmart now, I could buy 10 batteries for what I spent on 3.

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many people who buy batteries do not know how to maintain them properly...(not saying you dont know how) but i bought my optima used one year old because the buyer said it was bad we swapped it out and i charged her up... let it sit for 2-3 months then threw it in my camaro and ran it all this year with zero problems... when i put my car away for winter i took the battery out asap and threw it on a tender and i am 100% confident i will get the use out of it next year again....

from me working at advance when these batteries come in as "bad" the first questions i ask is "do you drive the vehicle daily?" and "what do you do when it sits for a period of time?"... the responses i get is they drive it 1-4 times a month and that they just disconnect it during winter or leave it connected all year... right away i pretty much tell them it was their fault not the batteries fault why it is bad because these batteries are very picky on how they are maintained...

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Originally Posted by Mr_Rich

I've been using Optima batteries for the last ten years or more. I'm on my second Optima in my Firebird, and I've owned the car since it was new in '98. Generally, I've had good luck using Optima batteries. After the original battery in my Firebird broke at the terminal and leaked acid in the area directly underneath the tray I've exclusively used Optimas.
I installed a 78 series Optima in my old truck and I let it sit for a few months. The battery was only a year old. It ran down to ~5VDC. I charged it back up after a couple of charging sessions and got it back to 12.2VDC. When I put it back in my truck I disconnected the positive cable because I knew the truck was going to sit for a while longer non-op. I would put a battery tender on the battery if you know the car is going to be stored for a while.

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i totally agree with you on this one...

Well, I don't put my WS6 on a tender; my bikes I do but not the WS6.
The WS6 has an Interstate in it.
My factory battery lasted 7 years and I just decided to change it.
The Interstate has 5 on it now and it is going strong as ever.
Just clean the terminals once a year on a good battery and it will be good.
Can't say that about the 6pack Optimas.

Hi CamaroDMD,
Newer cars have a lot of battery parisitic drain these days with all the new computers, etc. It sounds to me like your battery is getting weak over a period of time when the car sits and then just a quick drive or two a week. My guess is you are not getting it properly charged with the short time you are driving it every week. Once a battery is discharged, it needs to be recharged properly with a battery charger, don't rely on the alternator to get it back to proper charge. A maintenance charger is a great option if you are going to let the car sit. Just be sure to buy one that has AGM settings. These have micro-processors built in and maintain the different batteries you might have in your garage. I have a 08 vette in my garage that sits sometimes for months without starting and this is the best solution I have found to keep the battery at the proper level. Most newer chargers have adapters you can hard wire to your battery so it is a simple plug and play and makes sure all stays as it should.

Mr. Rich, your RedTop will not be fully-charged until it reads about 12.6-12.8 volts. (about 13.0-13.2 volts for YellowTops). 9T8WS6, most battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been deeply discharged below 10.5 volts, Optima or otherwise.

trplxl2, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with your batteries. Can you tell me more about the problems surrounding the three issues you had?

T/A98, My00Z28's experience with people returning deeply-discharged batteries, mistakenly thinking they were bad, is far more common than we'd like it to be. In fact, many of the “bad” batteries returned to us under warranty are just as he describes- deeply-discharged and perfectly fine, when properly-recharged. This is a problem industry-wide and other manufacturers have actually added language to their warranties that specifically voids batteries discharged below specific voltage levels. We didn't do that with our warranty, but we did make this YouTube video, which explains how to recover deeply-discharged batteries- . Since you mentioned you are a retailer of our products, we do offer an online training program for our retail partners. If you are interested in participating, please send me a PM and I'll provide you with a link.

Nowhereman, you are absolutely correct about not needing to clean the terminals of Optima batteries once a year, because our batteries are sealed and will not have corrosion build-up around the terminals.

I hope this helps,
Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.

Hi CamaroDMD,
Newer cars have a lot of battery parisitic drain these days with all the new computers, etc. It sounds to me like your battery is getting weak over a period of time when the car sits and then just a quick drive or two a week. My guess is you are not getting it properly charged with the short time you are driving it every week. Once a battery is discharged, it needs to be recharged properly with a battery charger, don't rely on the alternator to get it back to proper charge. A maintenance charger is a great option if you are going to let the car sit. Just be sure to buy one that has AGM settings. These have micro-processors built in and maintain the different batteries you might have in your garage. I have a 08 vette in my garage that sits sometimes for months without starting and this is the best solution I have found to keep the battery at the proper level. Most newer chargers have adapters you can hard wire to your battery so it is a simple plug and play and makes sure all stays as it should.

Mr. Rich, your RedTop will not be fully-charged until it reads about 12.6-12.8 volts. (about 13.0-13.2 volts for YellowTops). 9T8WS6, most battery chargers will not recognize or charge any battery that has been deeply discharged below 10.5 volts, Optima or otherwise.

trplxl2, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with your batteries. Can you tell me more about the problems surrounding the three issues you had?

T/A98, My00Z28's experience with people returning deeply-discharged batteries, mistakenly thinking they were bad, is far more common than we'd like it to be. In fact, many of the “bad” batteries returned to us under warranty are just as he describes- deeply-discharged and perfectly fine, when properly-recharged. This is a problem industry-wide and other manufacturers have actually added language to their warranties that specifically voids batteries discharged below specific voltage levels. We didn't do that with our warranty, but we did make this YouTube video, which explains how to recover deeply-discharged batteries Since you mentioned you are a retailer of our products, we do offer an online training program for our retail partners. If you are interested in participating, please send me a PM and I'll provide you with a link.

Nowhereman, you are absolutely correct about not needing to clean the terminals of Optima batteries once a year, because our batteries are sealed and will not have corrosion build-up around the terminals.

I hope this helps,
Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.

Nowhereman, you are absolutely correct about not needing to clean the terminals of Optima batteries once a year, because our batteries are sealed and will not have corrosion build-up around the terminals.

I hope this helps,
Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc."Not Really true................. At least in my case. Although in my case my Optima red top was hooked up and never removed for "years",No need to as it has been working fine. Its the old gen battery bought back in 2006. I believe the only reason I had problems with it was obviously because of letting it sit w/o a battery tender ( and I know better too! Bad bad me lol.) Any how after I charged it up and went to restart it using the "start engine/high amp output on the battery the engine fired up but "the first time the car chugged a tad but I was able to run it up and down the road and went on to drive it a few miles,then brought it home.Again ( life happened) and it sat a while. I would charge it up every so often but the next time I tried to start it it wouldn't turn over but would make a lot of weird noises. I did get a few solenoid "clicks and dash lights etc but the bad/mysterious thing would be a loud distorted "humming/buzz through the speakers stereo/speakers (stereo was NOT on)and NO engine crank! The key fob worked but I would only get a faint sick slow sounding "beep beep" from the alarm system and some clickety clicks AFTER the alarm was set? I the unhooked the Battery and low and behold there was a little bit of the old green corrosion between the "positive" terminal? So even with the Optima there WAS corrosion, yet very minimal I have to admit. Unfortunately I haven't re installed the battery yet,but have cleaned the terminals, I think I may have seen some green corrosion in the pos.cable too? I will keep you guys informed as to what happens after I fully inspect the pos. cable to make sure corrosion has not ran down the cable. Also I plan on getting a new battery..any suggestions? Thanks Guys!