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Optima Battery

Started by TonyZappone #2624, November 09, 2011, 06:23:55 AM

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TonyZappone #2624

I inadvertently allowed an Optima battery to go dead and stay dead all summer, such that I could not bring it back.  I purchased a new one on Amazon.com for $122.31.  Because my wife is a prime member, I also got free shipping.  (there is a yearly charge for prime member which has a lot of benefits, free shipping being one of them).  At the same time, a friend in Florida bought one from the Interstate dealer for $156, the best price he could find down here. I know  people are always looking for the Optima 6 volt and I relay this message fyi.
Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

Richardonly

Tony,
That is good to know and thank you, should the need arise.  Do you have any idea what would the shipping cost have been without the premium membership?
Thanks again, Richard
1948 Cadillac Fleetwood 60S
1995 Lincoln Towncar, Signature Series
1995 Jaguar XJ6
2001 Chrysler Sebring Convertible
1986 Yamaha 700 Maxim X motorcycle

TonyZappone #2624

Because we have premium service, I could not bring up the freight.  Today, depending on Amazon's supplier, they were between $131 and $176.
Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

R Sotardi #11719

Tony, I have be doing that for years now. I do have a question, however. Has any one ever had a warranty issue with their optima. How does one get an exchange or pro rate credit if the battery is over 90 days old, but still under the 84 month( I believe is the pro rate time)  purchase date?  Fortunately I never needed to do this. Ron

TonyZappone #2624

All Interstate dealers handle Optima, and the one in Palm City Florida has adjusted them for a tech that takes care of a large collection near me (Palm Beach County).  He did not offer to adjust a 2.5 year old battery for another friend, because the battery had gone several months without being used.  This is I think is B.S.
Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

Dave Shepherd

Tony, ageed, if it is charged and still fails a load test , it should be prorated, BTW hello

Dan LeBlanc

Did you recharge it with an AGM battery charger?  When I worked for Exide, I denied several warranty claims because customers told me they didn't have the proper charger for an AGM battery (Exide Orbital and Optima batteries are both AGM).
Dan LeBlanc
1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car

The Tassie Devil(le)

Next question, what ia an AGM Battery?

Bruce. >:D
'72 Eldorado Convertible (LHD)
'70 Ranchero Squire (RHD)
'74 Chris Craft Gull Wing (SH)
'02 VX Series II Holden Commodore SS Sedan
(Past President Modified Chapter)

Past Cars of significance - to me
1935 Ford 3 Window Coupe
1936 Ford 5 Window Coupe
1937 Chevrolet Sports Coupe
1955 Chevrolet Convertible
1959 Ford Fairlane Ranch Wagon
1960 Cadillac CDV
1972 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe

Dan LeBlanc

An AGM battery stands for absorbed glass mat battery.  They are a sealed battery in which the electrolyte is absorbed into fibreglass mats inside the case of the battery unlike your traditonal flooded lead acid battery where the battery is vented with liquid electrolyte sloshing around in the battery.  Inside, there is a valve.  The purpose of the valve is to re-introduce the gases produced during charging back into the electrolyte as it has nowhere to go.  If you do not use an AGM battery charger, you risk damaging the valve rendering the battery useless.

An AGM battery charger charges the battery in three stages at the same voltage but at varying amperages.  The first stage brings the battery to 90% charge at a higher amperage, the second brings it to 100% charge at less amperage, and the third to maintain the charge until the battery is removed.  Without a proper AGM charger, you can pretty much take a new battery and turn it into scrap pretty quickly.
Dan LeBlanc
1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car

Dave Shepherd

Dan, good info, forgot about the specialized charging technique for those batteries.

Brad Ipsen CLC #737

With our old time voltage regulators how do they work out at charging these AGM batteries correctly.
Brad Ipsen
1940 Cadillac 60S
1938 Cadillac 9039
1940 Cadillac 6267
1940 LaSalle 5227
1949 Cadillac 6237X
1940 Cadillac 60S Limo

Dan LeBlanc

Generators and alternators charge them just fine. It's when you charge them with the wrong charger that's the problem.  During normal cycling they don't get low enough to need a high rate of charge.

In fact, an AGM battery recovers it's lost charge much more quickly than a flooded battery.
Dan LeBlanc
1977 Lincoln Continental Town Car

Jeff Maltby 4194

Jeffo 49er chapter

CLC 1985
Honda Gold Wing GL1500

Joe Manna

That is some good info on batteries.I do have a question though,does anyone,other than me,have bad luck with Delco 6 volt batteries.I bought a brand new Delco for my 51 Chevy,and it is dead already.

Also,where can I buy an Interstate 6v?

Joe
1951 Chevrolet Bel-Air-50's Style Custom
1963 Cadillac 4 Window Sedan deVille
1991 Cadillac DW69 Brougham,All original and used daily
2015 Cadillac SRX

TonyZappone #2624

Jeff:  Could you provide me with a link for that $99 Optima 6 volt?  For that price I could put a couple on my shelf. l I could not find it anywhere. 
Tony Zappone, #2624
1936 Pierce-Arrow conv sed
1947 Cadillac Conv cpe
1958 Cadillac conv
2016 Cadillac CT6 Platinum
2022 Chrysler Pacifica Pinnacle

Jeff Maltby 4194

#15
I bought my first one at the Interstate battery distributor in Modesto years ago.  I called them last year same price, so I'll call them today and see what they cost now ? The last one I bought a year or 2 ago was through amazon.com for $116 shipped.

I bought a dry cell for my Honda Goldwing same time as my first Optima for $106 from interstate....go fiqure.

http://www.amazon.com/Optima-Batteries-8010-044-Starting-Battery/dp/B00099HVN6
Jeffo 49er chapter

CLC 1985
Honda Gold Wing GL1500

TJ Hopland

There is a special procedure to recover a discharged optima battery.  I think they say to connect it up to a fully charged similar battery then connect a charger to both.   I did replace one that just didnt seem to hold a charge but then heard about that procedure and wonder if that could have saved it.
StPaul/Mpls, MN USA

73 Eldo convert w/FiTech EFI
80 Eldo Diesel
90 CDV
And other assorted stuff I keep buying for some reason

Jeff Maltby 4194

Jeffo 49er chapter

CLC 1985
Honda Gold Wing GL1500

R Sotardi #11719

Two things: 1, Optima batteries will repel a fast charge( ie 10 amp or more) they need a very slow charge rate as produced in a Battery Tender. 2, has anyone had a prorated warranty claim on an Optima purchased on Amazon? How do you collect/exchange?