Optima Red Battery Issue..Anyone Else?

94GTLaserRC · Aug 27, 2008

I replace a 3-yo Optima Red battery about 6 months ago. The battery wouldnt hold the charge. Now I know that I havent driven the car much with the problems before the rebuild, but it would not start the car if it sat around for only 1 week.

Since I got the replacement, I had it out of the car for 12 weeks doing the engine swap. It had to be recharged to start the car when it was time. I have driven the car about 30 miles over the last 2 weeks just driving around to make sure everything is ok.

The other day, I had the radio on in the car for about 2 hours while I was working in the garage (no extra power stuff on the system). All of a sudden, the radio cut out.. the battery was completely dead.

Now, I KNOW that "things" put a drain on the battery, but I have in the past left lights on inside, had alarms on the car, and run the radio while the car was off, and I NEVER had this problem.

Is this a FLAW with the red-top batteries, a chance coincidence that it is 2-batteries in a row, or maybe something wrong with my system.??

Before saying "ALTERNATOR" I will tell you that running the car DOES bring the V up to 14, and the indicator needle does show chargine while the car is running.

Any input would be appreciated!
Thanks
RC

95strokerPSU · Aug 27, 2008

I put my red top through hell and it's held up fine. Especially when my alt. wasn't grounding and I was continually running the battery out. Going on five years and maybe 8000 miles

blksn955.o · Aug 27, 2008

I have heard of an issue with them when they sit for a period of time. Most people put a trickle charger on them if they are not going to be used. Another thing is were you put the batt. when not in use. If its just hooked up and in the car it will drain out over a few months. Also if you put it on the ground...like in the garage on the floor they (any batt. for that matter) will discharge fairly fast.

I have heard the newer red tops are having issues. Either a bad batch or process. I would call optima and see what they say unless you can just exchange it for a new one...but I would maybe call in case the store you got yours has a big batch of those prone to failure. Calling Optima may get you one that is better.

94GTLaserRC · Aug 28, 2008

THis current one I have is still under free replacement warranty for a few months since it is less than a year old.

No matter what, I fully charged Optima should hold the radio running in the car for several hours, not just 2 hours, then dying out.

RC

Methodical · Aug 28, 2008

Give them a call and let us know.

My yellow top weakened after 5 months of non-driving but after charging and a little more driving its been ok.

I have one on the Expy and it died but it was the alternators fault. Luckily both were still under warranty.

ProKiller · Aug 28, 2008

what voltage does the battery read when its not connected to anything?

Pops Fun · Aug 28, 2008

I got rid of my redtop, because if the car sat for a week or 2 it wouldn't start. fought with it for a year then got a motor craft and life is good again!!
Shame it looked good in my red car

94GTLaserRC · Aug 28, 2008

Pops Fun said:
I got rid of my redtop, because if the car sat for a week or 2 it wouldn't start. fought with it for a year then got a motor craft and life is good again!!
Shame it looked good in my red car

Well now that my battery is in the trunk in a box, doesnt matter what it looks like. THing is I just bought it, so My only option if I dont want to shell out more money is to try to return it and see if that makes a difference now that the swap is done.
RC

BREWTUS428CJ · Aug 28, 2008

my place carries those, we havent had any issues. 8004-003 is our most popular part number, we sell 8-10 a month. If the place you purchased from doesnt move them or if they dont rotate the stock, then you might have gotton an old one. You should always check the date code of a battery before you buy, the date code works like this(on Optima): 1st digit is the year (8=2008) the next 3 digits are the day of the year (005 is the 5th of january, 032 is feb 1st and so on) this is the date of shipping, not the date of manufacture.
All of the batteries I have here are coded 8205, which is in July I think 205th day of 2008, (this is where it gets complicated with my elementary math skills) and I have one 8175 (June?) and the 8175 is sitting on the front of the shelf so that it sells first, If I kept throwing new batteries out in front of the 8175 for say a year and 3 months, it would still be sitting there in September 2009 and some lucky bastard might buy it, the he'll get all the way home before he discovers he also got a free bag of issues with his purchase.

Methodical · Aug 29, 2008

BREWTUS428CJ said:
my place carries those, we havent had any issues. 8004-003 is our most popular part number, we sell 8-10 a month. If the place you purchased from doesnt move them or if they dont rotate the stock, then you might have gotton an old one. You should always check the date code of a battery before you buy, the date code works like this(on Optima): 1st digit is the year (8=2008) the next 3 digits are the day of the year (005 is the 5th of january, 032 is feb 1st and so on) this is the date of shipping, not the date of manufacture.
All of the batteries I have here are coded 8205, which is in July I think 205th day of 2008, (this is where it gets complicated with my elementary math skills) and I have one 8175 (June?) and the 8175 is sitting on the front of the shelf so that it sells first, If I kept throwing new batteries out in front of the 8175 for say a year and 3 months, it would still be sitting there in September 2009 and some lucky bastard might buy it, the he'll get all the way home before he discovers he also got a free bag of issues with his purchase.

Good info. This is going in the vault.

When I got my Yellow Top from Sears it died within a month. Probably an old one too.

Optima Red Battery Issue..Anyone Else?

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