My red top died after sitting for 3 months and I recharged it with the roommates advice on a slow charge. Now the amp gauge is almost pegged constantly and if the thing sits for a week the battery is dead. Then today a guy tells me that you can't charge gel cells on a low trickle it needs to be the higher rate or you'll damage the battery. Is there any truth to this?

shit, dunno. I have heard both ways. Besides, I dont think Optimas are gel cells. Mine went dead 3 times(my bad!), would not even read .8vdc on the meter. I mean real dead. Threw it on the craftsman charger on 10amps, left it for a few hours, and it came back ok each time. I hope yours was not sitting on concrete.

sounds like you need to check out the deal at www.wranglernw.com
$64 redtops

I just looked, red tops were priced a $99.95. I must have looked in the wrong place.

Optimas are designed to fast charge. the trickle charge will kill it it charging it from a "dead" state.....try giving it a kick with 12 or 15 amps for and hour or so (make sure its a regulated charger :rolleyes: ) and see if that works...it worked for one out of my 7 I killed....my best advice would be to warranty it (if you still can) because it will never be the same again....



and that concrete thing is a myth :D


:usa:

dayum sale must be over :(

Can anyone explain to me why batteries go dead from sitting on concrete floors? I hear this alot, but no one has backed it up with any scientific reasoning.

I asked a MECP certified Car Audio Installer about it and here is what he had to say.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can anyone explain to me why batteries go dead from sitting on concrete floors? "Why would they. The electrical terms are on the top and concrete is an insulator not a conductor, the only minor issue may be the cooler temp of the concrete floor relative to the air temp."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are optimas gel cells? "No, they are lead acid using spiral cell technology and foam absorbers so they don't leak, they still have emergency bleed off vents though."
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Can you explain how to recharge a very dead bat. properly?
"Replace the acid if possible is the first thing, then "jump start it" by charging it at high current for 30 min then trickle charge it for 24 hours."

Can anyone dispute these responses:question:

the concrete thing comes from way back when they were all tar top. Won't hurt todays battery. And the Optimas should be fast charged per the Optima paperwork that comes with them.

I run the yellow top just for this reason and I no they have less cranking amps. But it's been my exp. that they hold up better when you drain them alot or even just once hence deep cycle.
I've had two red tops fail after going dead once thats a little to tempermental for me the warrenty is great but who wants the hassel
I believe regular lead acid batteries are more forgiving then the red tops.

Love my Yellow Top too! Fired my Jeep right up, after sitting cold for 9 months.

Just repaced both my Optimas...
The new warrenty is 2 years (Was 3 years) 100%, still 7year prorated.
Before they recharge them, they drop them from 2-3 ft straight to the floor! Watched them do it- What a mind spinner.
Anyway they are NOT a gell Cell. They are a starved elecrtolight. That means they DO have acid - and no you can not change it.

the acid remark was not intended for optimas.:D

I , also ,luv that red top. Been running about 5 years wid no trouble, evening while cranking the stereo for 3 hours, sitting around a campfire. :D
my 'hoe is gonna get one, but probably a yellow top, when I put in the new stereo. I skarred of that AC/delco batt.........:eek:

Off the Optima site, I just went through this and used a 12volt, 1.25 amp trickle charger (that I use for my bike), no problem.

Can you trickle charge an OPTIMA? Solar card charger?
Yes, you can use any charger on an OPTIMA as long as the voltage is regulated properly. If your charger will remain on indefinitely the voltage should be at 13.8 volts maximum with a one amp maximum current.

Ok here is what you do.

Go to Sam's club and buy the $60 champion huge mofo with the 36month (used to be 30) free replacement warantee.

Drive on it for 34 months. Hook up the winch and drag yourself around till its dead. Stick it on a charger, then do it again. Maybe throw in a small drain for a few weeks.

Take it back to sams and get a new 36 month champion, warantee starts all over again :)

been doing it for years. First autozone now sams. Just keep the reciept.

In all honesty I don't have to abuse my batteries to get them to go flat, lucas electrics takes care of it for me, but for those w/o rovers it might take a little encouragement to die.

Ron

Originally posted by kidwired
dayum sale must be over :(

don't think it was a sale, it was in the new products section. there were $64 red tops (think they were the 850 amp ones) but
they were refurbed or something and had no warranty i believe.

- jack

Originally posted by evilfij
Ok here is what you do.

Go to Sam's club and buy the $60 champion huge mofo with the 36month (used to be 30) free replacement warantee.

Drive on it for 34 months. Hook up the winch and drag yourself around till its dead. Stick it on a charger, then do it again. Maybe throw in a small drain for a few weeks.

Take it back to sams and get a new 36 month champion, warantee starts all over again :)

been doing it for years. First autozone now sams. Just keep the reciept.

In all honesty I don't have to abuse my batteries to get them to go flat, lucas electrics takes care of it for me, but for those w/o rovers it might take a little encouragement to die.

Ron

Ditto. This is the only way to go. Except I'd start with the biggest Sears Die Hard Gold that'll fit in the tray.

I live in northern MN (colder than pluto in the winter) and what with the winch, 140-amp alternator, and a ~900 watt RMS stereo system in the Jeep I have yet to find a 36-month warranty battery that'll last more than a year and a half in my Jeep. I haven't paid for a new battery in four years.

And don't give me any of that "stealing food from the poor starveling mouths at Sears" bullshit either. If they can't make a battery that'll last 36 months than they shouldn't warranty the fawkin' thing for 36 months... :flipoff2:

Jake

the 64 buck redtop deal is in the factory refurb/blem section. I just bought one.

Originally posted by schuss
the 64 buck redtop deal is in the factory refurb/blem section. I just bought one.

I bought THREE:flipoff2::flipoff2: and it does appear that they aren't advertising them anymore:(

They aren't referbs--- they get all the returns from all their distibutors and throw a charge on them and retest them. A lot of them have nothing wrong with them ( bad alternators and what all.) Anyway they remove the original sticker and relabel them. 90 days free replacement- thats all. You can get them directly from Innerstate dealers, they usually have a pallet to pick off of, differant amp ratings, top only and top and side post options all same $$ so have the guy work w/ you identifying one, well worth it.

They are still on sale, just ordered 2, you have to click on the specials section

Blemished batteries (http://www.wranglernw.com/commerce/ItemDetail.asp?ItemNo=18%2D800S%2DBLEM)