resurrecting an optima type battery
- Thread starter BrianCT
- Start date
Tinker
Well-known member
On the hamb http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=303983&highlight=optima+battery
A lot of answers to read through so to simplified, I copied the related answers for you.
"The other day I tried charging one by starting the process VERY AGGRESSIVELY, with a start charger turned up on start until it began to show a little bit of amperage, then I charged for a few minutes more, then I clicked down to high for a few minutes, then to medium, and then to low overnight."
"I've had very good luck bringing back dead Optamas, the propper way to do it is to connect it to another good battery and the charger and charge both batterys for a while. After an hour or so remove the good (jumper) battery and then charge the Optama like any other battery (this is how Optama recomends to do it). I've aso had good luck giving them some high amps for a short time then normal charging after that like 39 All Ford did. "
A lot of answers to read through so to simplified, I copied the related answers for you.
"The other day I tried charging one by starting the process VERY AGGRESSIVELY, with a start charger turned up on start until it began to show a little bit of amperage, then I charged for a few minutes more, then I clicked down to high for a few minutes, then to medium, and then to low overnight."
"I've had very good luck bringing back dead Optamas, the propper way to do it is to connect it to another good battery and the charger and charge both batterys for a while. After an hour or so remove the good (jumper) battery and then charge the Optama like any other battery (this is how Optama recomends to do it). I've aso had good luck giving them some high amps for a short time then normal charging after that like 39 All Ford did. "
Last edited:
jdl
Well-known member
This is "how to" from Optima
http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_support/resuscitating_agmbattery.php
http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_support/resuscitating_agmbattery.php
wiretwister
Member
When I bought my antique Electric Car the batteries would only charge enough to get almost 20 miles. My solution was to charge it every day and every day when I got home from work I would drive it until it barly got me back home and in the garage. then plug it into the charger again.
It took quite some time but I got those old batteries to where they would run almost 50 miles befor they ran dry.
The picture is my 191 year old Brush Runabout. It's me polishing brass.
Bill
It took quite some time but I got those old batteries to where they would run almost 50 miles befor they ran dry.
The picture is my 191 year old Brush Runabout. It's me polishing brass.
Bill
wiretwister
Member
Optima's have a life of 4 to 5 years if your lucky. Optima knows this and they stopped the prorated exchange. The warrantee is now 3 year period with a full replacement anytime during the 3 year period. They have an internal space of about 1" over the cells in the battery. The lead out of the cells, 8 or 9 cell ends are about 7/8" wide and .025 thick cell ends that connect the cells and connect to the battery terminals in this area. This area has a small vent hole allowing air into this space and over a period of time the 8 or 9 cell ends are etched away in this atmosphere and get very thin. When they get real thin a big starter load blows the weak thin lead apart like a fuse. This is why they normally have a sudden death, not a weaking condition. Some other make batteries have a check valve instead of a vent acting only to release gas if it gets a little pressure and not letting air in. If Optima had a valve I think life would be a little longer. I still like the Optima and buy them knowing any time I get over 3 1/2 years is a plus. I know some will post they have one for 6 years but this is not the norm. G.M.