Can You Kill an Optima?

[Shawn]

Well today I finished redoing my onboard air and went to check for leaks. So I go to fire up the motor and the batery is deader than dead. I throw the charger on, wait a few, and nothin. Try the start buton, nothin.
So I let it trickel charge for 3 hours, come home and it turned a few time and that was it. By this time my charger has just about had it,,, Trickel charge was peged out and the meter, this batery was dead.
Once I finaly got some juice I relize that my CB was on,,,, well I haven't drove my Cruiser in,,,, maybe 6 weeks.
It took charging for 5 hours and Harkinoff's booster box (what ever those things ar called) to get it started....


This is the second time I have killed this battery,,, Do you think I can get nine lives

 

[I Lean]

I dunno....those things are surprisingly resilient, but it sounds like you may be pushing your luck with this one.

If it is dead, let me know--I'll hook you up with an Orbital to replace it.

 

[Shawn]

This thing carries a 7 year warranty, and I'm on my third, so I hope I'm good.

 

[Milner]

Yes you can kill them. I have killed one. It was about 5-6 years old and abused. The worst thing for them is letting them drain completely and sit dead for extended periods.
Standard Battery in SLC can recondition them.
I run optima's in EVERY vehicle we own, including the Miata.
Check your truck for a short.

 

[Skyetone]

I took 0ne that was "dead" to 4WP and they threw it on like a 80amp or something charger for 24hrs and it is fine now. Sometimes they just need a healthy recharge. you say you are on your third? third battery? whats the story there?
I have one under warentee, one that a friend sold me 40$, and another thats an exide but same style battery( coil wound?) 40$. Do people think that the exide will be as good as an optima?

 

[I Lean]

Originally posted by Skyetone
Do people think that the exide will be as good as an optima?

Nope, not "as good".......actually better. There are a few minor improvements that make the Orbital superior to the Optima, although both are great batteries.

 

[Skyetone]

your a tease....what changes?

 

[I Lean]

The Orbitals have a little bit of space in between the spiral cells, that keep them from getting as hot under load as an Optima will--they're less prone to heat damage because of that. They also have heavier connectors between the main posts and the side terminals, which means you can safely hook your winch cables to the side terminals. (I don't know about current ones, but early Optimas had problems with those side terminals burning out under a heavy winch load)

Plus, it doesn't hurt that the Orbitals are cheaper.

 

[Shawn]

Thanks Carl, thats good to know.

 

[Skyetone]

yea I remeber hearing that the early optima top terminals will mest under long durations of load. The other battery I have has a seperate screw down part for like your stereo and sutch. I think thats cool.

 

[MattL]

How much can I get an orbital for? just curious as i will need a battery in a few months. I may be just out of the loop but i havent heard of an orbital battery before. dunno.

thanks

 

[Skyetone]

Checker/bradshaws?

 

[I Lean]

Originally posted by miatre
How much can I get an orbital for? just curious as i will need a battery in a few months. I may be just out of the loop but i havent heard of an orbital battery before. dunno.

thanks

I'm selling Orbitals, starting at $82. The most popular size is $89.