Dead Optima Battery

I give up. :)

P.S. @Tray Burge "non-corrosive"??? Huh? There's nothing inside any AGM battery that's not inside an Optima, Odyssey, North Star, etc.. All use a paste form of acid. And again, Optima batteries are NOT gel cell batteries. The acid paste that is inside an Optima is every bit as corrosive as the acid paste used in all other AGM batteries.

I believe you, but you'll never have corrosion on your terminals or growing at all anywhere is what I meant by corrosion Jerry.
 
Its hard to see in that photo, but with the fender mods, the battery is pushed up against the firewall and literally under the (AC?) lines.
Its a TIGHT fit.

That crap is precisely why I did not install a set of those fenders for someone. When I showed them that there is no other option but an Optima, they picked another fender.
 
I believe you, but you'll never have corrosion on your terminals or growing at all anywhere is what I meant by corrosion Jerry.
You simply don't understand, there's nothing different about your Optima that could cause it to be any more corrosion free than the others already mentioned. What you're not getting or refusing to believe is that there is NOTHING different about how your favored Optima battery works vs. any other sealed lead-acid battery like a Diehard, Duracell, Northstar, Odyssey, etc.. None of those are any more likely to cause battery connection corrosion than your Optima battery is. Again... your Optima is a LEAD-ACID battery with ACID-PASTE inside exactly like is inside the others. And again, your Optima is NOT a gel-cell battery.

And even an Optima can "gas" in some conditions which is what causes corrosion of the battery connectors. And those conditions are the same conditions that can cause any battery to gas causing corrosion. However, sealed batteries like all of the above are are not likely to experience corrosion even though in theory it can happen with any of them.

Have I had any battery connector corrosion in the past 25 years or so? Nope. The last time I experienced it was with a conventional wet cell battery which none of the above are.

The below is from Optima's website just to let you know that even Optima says it's not a gel cell battery. If you go to the same page on Optima's website you'll be able to read that even an Optima battery can vent gas just under the same conditions as the other types of batteries mentioned above which is what causes battery connection corrosion. Optima does not have anything different about it from the other batteries mentioned above that would or even could prevent corrosion in the right conditions.

Capture.JPG
 
You simply don't understand, there's nothing different about your Optima that could cause it to be any more corrosion free than the others already mentioned.

The only reason I tell folks to buy an AGM is to avoid the corrosion that I see on every flooded cell battery. I don't care which one you get, but get one for that reason alone. In fact, I use the term, non-spillable which is what AGM is.
 
When did automotive manufacturers start installing AGM batteries? I've yet to see an AGM as the original battery in any new car I have purchased.

My work vehicle is a Durango. The factory battery is an AGM. They specify it is to be replaced with an AGM. Expensive battery too. It’s mounted under the passenger seat so it’s a pain to get to.
 
I believe you, but you'll never have corrosion on your terminals or growing at all anywhere is what I meant by corrosion Jerry.
I noticed a few months ago that one of my vehicles with an Optima Red Top has corrosion on one of the terminals.
So there goes that theory.
 
It probably could if it got more sun than an hour a day...the driveway is basically a narrow slot between 60 to 80 foot trees.

Needs a wire.

-Mac

I had a solar panel on the TJ to trickle charge the battery. Even with the Arizona summer sun hitting it all day long the battery would still lose voltage over 2-3 weeks.
 
I noticed a few months ago that one of my vehicles with an Optima Red Top has corrosion on one of the terminals.
So there goes that theory.

My understanding is that the AGMs won’t spill acid all over but out gassing can still cause corrosion at the negative terminal from undercharging and at the positive terminal from overcharging.
 
What's funny is..... Every wet cell battery I have ever owned has lasted well past the warranty period. I have an Interstate battery in my 1968 Torino and it's at least 9 years old, well past it's expiration date. I do keep it on a battery tender. I put it on the GR-8 occasionally to test it, and it's still at 85%.
The batteries that I see that don't last are the factory AGM batteries. When I was working for Chevrolet, I was changing the factory AGM batteries more than most people change their underwear.

Wet cell batteries have a lot going for them. Especially once you factor in price. In many ways they're more tolerant of less-than-perfect use than AGM. Their main real issue is leaking at high angles, and as many folks never rock crawl they can be well served by them.

People worry about how they handle vibration, but they have no problem with vibration when fully charged. And how much driving do you do with a discharged battery?
 
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I had a solar panel on the TJ to trickle charge the battery. Even with the Arizona summer sun hitting it all day long the battery would still lose voltage over 2-3 weeks.

Some of those cheap-ass little panels sold as car battery chargers:
1) are way too small to provide useful charge
2) will actually drain the battery when not getting enough light to charge.
 
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The only reason I tell folks to buy an AGM is to avoid the corrosion that I see on every flooded cell battery. I don't care which one you get, but get one for that reason alone. In fact, I use the term, non-spillable which is what AGM is.

Edit: wrong quote
 
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I noticed a few months ago that one of my vehicles with an Optima Red Top has corrosion on one of the terminals.
So there goes that theory.

You simply don't understand, there's nothing different about your Optima that could cause it to be any more corrosion free than the others already mentioned. What you're not getting or refusing to believe is that there is NOTHING different about how your favored Optima battery works vs. any other sealed lead-acid battery like a Diehard, Duracell, Northstar, Odyssey, etc.. None of those are any more likely to cause battery connection corrosion than your Optima battery is. Again... your Optima is a LEAD-ACID battery with ACID-PASTE inside exactly like is inside the others. And again, your Optima is NOT a gel-cell battery.

And even an Optima can "gas" in some conditions which is what causes corrosion of the battery connectors. And those conditions are the same conditions that can cause any battery to gas causing corrosion. However, sealed batteries like all of the above are are not likely to experience corrosion even though in theory it can happen with any of them.

Have I had any battery connector corrosion in the past 25 years or so? Nope. The last time I experienced it was with a conventional wet cell battery which none of the above are.

The below is from Optima's website just to let you know that even Optima says it's not a gel cell battery. If you go to the same page on Optima's website you'll be able to read that even an Optima battery can vent gas just under the same conditions as the other types of batteries mentioned above which is what causes battery connection corrosion. Optima does not have anything different about it from the other batteries mentioned above that would or even could prevent corrosion in the right conditions.

View attachment 408343

That's my point Jerry, I like the Optima for this reason and never said there weren't other non-corroding batteries, just none with free replacement warranties.
To my knowledge, Optima is still the only one with a free replacement warranty. This is the main reason I stay with them.
It's all good, you have a good one.
 
To my knowledge, Optima is still the only one with a free replacement warranty. This is the main reason I stay with them.
Not that it matters much, but if you dropped a full pallet of free new Optima batteries out front with 3 spares included for each vehicle I own and use a battery in, I would have the driver move them closer to the street so the scrap guy could get them in his truck easier. I wouldn't be bothered to take even one off the stack and put it in anything I own. They are the only battery that I see in rigs I work on that I know will have a problem of some sort or show up with a problem of some sort.
 
Not that it matters much, but if you dropped a full pallet of free new Optima batteries out front with 3 spares included for each vehicle I own and use a battery in, I would have the driver move them closer to the street so the scrap guy could get them in his truck easier. I wouldn't be bothered to take even one off the stack and put it in anything I own. They are the only battery that I see in rigs I work on that I know will have a problem of some sort or show up with a problem of some sort.

Good to hear, makes me a happy camper...not that I care?
When that happens, send them my way, I'll even pay shipping!
 
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