Thread: Optima batteries

I've got a four-year-old Canadian Tire (it's a big chain of shops over there - how I got the battery is a long story) Chinese-made spiral-cell that's held up perfectly well. I'm just a bit nervous about relacing it with something really expensive, like a proper Optima. Given how well this one has behaved, I'd be inclined to go for a similar sort of a copy of an Optima.

This was a good read, though you don't know if it's just a couple of dud batteries that let down the side, though the shops that sold them didn't seem to help much . . .

Optima Battery - Not very good... @ ExplorOz

. . . and here they talk about how these sorts of batteries seem to just die without warning . . .

OTIMA BATTERIES @ ExplorOz

. . . so I'll probably just get two batteries that are a bit cheaper and have that dual-battery insurance. After all, warm beer and no music - I don't see how you'd cope!

If you do a search, I had one or two choice words to say about them... Just before I binned them!

M

I've already commented earlier on the Optima. I run the large blue top for a Starter and winching and then a Lifeline for the fridge and other related bits.

The first Optima Bluetop I put in didn't last long at all. It wouldn't hold a charge, it had buckled etc. That was replaced under warranty fairly quickly. The 2nd I thought was dicky too and wondered if I'd bought from a faulty batch, but never failed. The battery didn't seem to hold a lot of charge and I could see the battery going flat with about 1/2 of a full line winch pull. I really wasn't impressed. A few years later I blew an alternator (Maree) and changed it over for another (eternal thanks to Tombie and Walker!!!!) and the replacement puts out more voltage that the previous. Since then the Optima has been really good - I suspect they need to have a lot of voltage to get/keep them charged up.

I have many 75amp/hour Bluetop Optima batteries

Problem is that these batteries NEED!!!! 14.2Volts if they get less they run at around 70-80% which suchs....

I have had many other brands and they have all let me down.

Optimas are the only battery i have used that will run my 3000W inverter at 100% for a good amount of time, and fridge for the last 3years and only being charged once a day. its the only battery that can cope with the abuse of being discharged at large Amperage etc...

Also use 4 of them to run the House through another 3000watt inverter. charged by solar panels...

If you need a battery to just run your fridge and some small appliances Optima batteries arnt for you. They are for People who use large amount of current at one time....(large inverters, winches, big amps, bulldozers, tractors etc...)

Optima Yellow top D31A 75 Ah 900CCA

Have run 80 ltr Waeco for about five weeks with mostly daily charging from vehicle. Have used it as one of two batteries in series to arc weld to do some running repairs in the desert.

In storage for 18 months, held charge. Have subsequently used it to run my salt bath to remove rust from series one bits.

Total ownership 5 years.

Happy to date, I don't believe I have stressed it as yet nor have I really tested it for max storage.

Gday,
When you decide on an Optima, let me know which one and i'll see what I can get one for you for!