Optima Battery Recharge?

[Mike]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if I can recharge one of the red Optima batteries? I heard that once they are dead... they are dead (ie: cannot be recharged).

Is this true? Anyone have experience with these batteries?

[280~Master]

Mine went dead and I put it on a slow charge and its fine now.

[BRE-240Z]

Mine went dead and I put it on a slow charge and its fine now.

I did the same with mine.

I read somewhere that they don't like taking a fast charge, so you won't want to be in a hurry. Something about how you should disconnect the charger immediately if the battery starts making hissing noises.....anyway, a nice slow trickle charge is the way to go.

[Mike]

I'll try the trickle charge over the weekend to see if that works.

[MikeW]

ISomething about how you should disconnect the charger immediately if the battery starts making hissing noises.....anyway, a nice slow trickle charge is the way to go.

If my battery started hissing at me I'd be somewhat inclined to start running.

[EScanlon]

If my battery started hissing at me I'd be somewhat inclined to start running.

Or you could just disconnect the charger clamps from the cat, put on your glasses and then re-connect to the battery!

But I agree, if it hisses...look out!

E

[Arne]

Mike, I'd try to hold it to 2-3 amps, no more. It will take quite a while to charge it at that rate, but you shouldn't damage it.

[Carl Beck]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if I can recharge one of the red Optima batteries? I heard that once they are dead... they are dead (ie: cannot be recharged).

Is this true? Anyone have experience with these batteries?

Hi Mike:

There is a difference between a starting battery that is "discharged" and one that is "dead". A battery that is discharged, can of course be recharged - after all, being rechargeable is one of the main functions of a starting battery.

When any battery is "DEAD" - it usually won't take a charge. Most of the time with Lead/Acid Batteries this is caused by the lead plates be sulfated. Using some modern electronically controlled chargers - lead/acid batteries can be desulfated. So batteries that were formally considered "Dead", can in fact be brought back to at least partial useful life.

NOT SO with the Optima Type...when they are actually DEAD...you throw them out and get a new one. The maximum recharging rate for the Optima type batteries is 10amp for 6 to 10 hours at about 13.6 to 15 volts - - but it takes voltage as high as 20 to 25 Volts to desulfate the lead plates in the older style Lead/Acid batteries. That's a BIG NO NO for the Optima's...

Bottom line is Yes you can recharge a fully discharge Optima battery - Yes it's best done over a longer period of time at lower amp hour rates. But Yes when it's actually DEAD.... it can't be brought back to life.

Just my personal opinion - but for my use the Optima is worth every penny (OK, it's worth every several extra $20.00 dollars bill that it takes to buy one for my Z)

FWIW,

Carl B.

[RogerZ]

well they look kewl but still your basic gel cell crap batteries that once they die a time or two you might as well throw overboard which is what we used to do to them when sealand had the bright idea of replacing reefer box batteries with them. I've been using Interstate batteries for nigh on 30 years and had one that was bad out the box which they replaced free. All of the ones I have had went far beyond the five year warranty period. replaced one that was ten years old and the guy at the battery shop said why it is just fine under load test.

[jmark]

Battery tender works well. I keep both my classic Z's on them.

[Walter Moore]

I hope I didn't hurt anything the time that I recharged mine hard. It ran down for some reason, and I just hooked it up to my 12 amp charger and let it charge. It eventually recharged, but it drew a lot of current for a long time.

I only bought one because they supposedly don't leak acid, and my car can't take any more corrosion.