Optima batteries

can these things be revived. i have 4 yellow tops that have been sitting around and before i even charge em i was wondering if anyone knows the shelf life of if anyone does core exchanges. HELP!!!!

 

I have brought a few back to life by charging them with a 1-2 amp trickle charger.

 

Have heard they can be recharged by hooking them in parallel to a another battery, and then attaching the charger to the other battery.

 

Optimas "overdischarge" meaning that they act dead and won't charge without a charger that is set for an AGM-type battery. There's a story in Street Rodder (April 2009) about recharging Optima batteries

I've done it a few times after reading the story since we had a few Optimas laying around in the battery graveyard at the shop. They seem fine after the recharge.

Basically, run a battery charger on a normal battery, then run jumper cables from regular battery to Optima. (+ to +) (- to -) Run on slow charge. Check voltage at Optima from time to time.

 

If you have a local Interstate Battery distributor they can bring them back if they are salvageable and shouldn't charge you anything. My local distributor told me the only charger that would work if a dry cell had gone past a certain point is the C TEK charger. http://www.thestablesaz.com/Store/Store/CTEK.html
I have used this on several that a low amp trickle charger or Snap on charger wouldn't bring back to life.

 

try sears,,,
they will charge and test your battery for free and they have the slow trickle charge settings for optimas since they sell them,,,,
otherwise you may be able to work out some sort of exchange depending on how old they are

Miss Hootch

 

i never had any luck with em, no all the people that brought em back to the stores and didnt like em.

jeff

 

The c-tek charger works verry well .it has a position just for that
type battery.i have had a yellow top around for 8 years

 

$54.99 is a bit high for a gamble on my 6V Optima. I think I will try the Interstate battery store and see if they have one of the 6V units that they can try and see if it will come back to life. Damn horn relay got stuck and ran it down bigtime.

 

IMHO, a good testimonial to the value of using a battery cutoff.

 

I LOVE my 6V Optima battery, it has NEVER let me down. I have it in my '53 Chevy which sits in cold storage year round. It always cranks over and fires right up! 1000 cold cranking amps, how can you beat that?

Thanks for the advice on recharge though, I have some old ones sitting around and had heard they were tough to revive.

 

Had my 6V Optima for over 12yrs, before relay got it. But there may be hope in Ctek charger.

 

DS me: should have disconnected from car, but forgot. CRS setting in more and more every day.

 

i recharched my red top with a trickle charger for my bike it worked good for me

 

Lately, I've noticed my memory isn't what it used to be. Also, my memory isn't what it used to be.

 

My 6V optima went dead this winter and wouldn't charge with my 'lil trickle charger. I took it to Interstate and had them charge it...

 

I have a optima 6v in my f100 and love it starts right up all the time. I have a motorcycle trickle charger that does 6v and 12v. I would be scarred to try and "revive" though if it has been sitting a long time. Lead acid batteries has a memory to them and even though you still might get it working it might be at 3/4 or even 1/2 off its cca.