Why did my optima fry???

[my66coupe]

Well....here's the story, I recently installed a electric fan, powered by a relay, a new Voltage guage read 12 volts at idle, 14 while cruising, and would bouce like hitting the rev limiter on the tack at WOT. If i reved it in park it would sometimes get up to 16 volts.... anywho, I had a old set of michelin xh4s laying around and a bunch of my friends and I are putting a video together for our senior year. I did a massive break stand for 40seconds, feathering the throttle never keeping it at WOT. Well, i got home fine, no problems whatsoever. The next morning i go to fire it up....takes a few good cranks, drive, stop and dies, wouldnt fire up, got it to fire up 5 min later. drove some more got gas, then stuck at the gas station........... Finally got it home that night. parked it and realized my battery was dead the next morning. I went to charge the Optima red top with a 1.5 trickle charger, and it would not accept the charge....Swapping in my trusty costco battery the car fired right up with out any problems and is running excellent. What gives? Did the long term voltage of the breakstand blow something? Thanks guys

Mike

 

[WORTH]

Well....here's the story, I recently installed a electric fan, powered by a relay, a new Voltage guage read 12 volts at idle, 14 while cruising, and would bouce like hitting the rev limiter on the tack at WOT. If i reved it in park it would sometimes get up to 16 volts.... anywho, I had a old set of michelin xh4s laying around and a bunch of my friends and I are putting a video together for our senior year. I did a massive break stand for 40seconds, feathering the throttle never keeping it at WOT. Well, i got home fine, no problems whatsoever. The next morning i go to fire it up....takes a few good cranks, drive, stop and dies, wouldnt fire up, got it to fire up 5 min later. drove some more got gas, then stuck at the gas station........... Finally got it home that night. parked it and realized my battery was dead the next morning. I went to charge the Optima red top with a 1.5 trickle charger, and it would not accept the charge....Swapping in my trusty costco battery the car fired right up with out any problems and is running excellent. What gives? Did the long term voltage of the breakstand blow something? Thanks guys

Mike

some battery chargers will not charge a battery if the voltage is too low, it trips their polarity protection circuit. try a different charger before you condemn it.

16 volts seems a bit high, and 12 is too low for idle, you may have a junk voltage regulator. Takes some readings with the good battery in it and see what you get. It should charge at least 13 at idle and maybe 14.5 at RPM

 

[pabear89]

Well you could do the trusty old fingernail file on the points of the voltage reg or replace it. your call.
But if you remove the reg cover you'll see the contact points inside (provd its the old style and not elec.)
take a ladys fingernail file and LIGHTLY clean the contacts and the grounding point of the reg.
Test to see if your Bounce has gone away.
or spend the 15 bucks and replace it.

PB