• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

proper optima charging procedure

NCCherokee

NCCherokee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Anderson, SC
I'm pretty sure I read a thread on how optimas are supposed to be charged, but I can't find it now. I think there was even a rep from optima who chimed in.

Anyways, my 6 year old optima has kind of given up the ghost, and won't reliably start the jeep anymore. Its been run down too many times i guess.

I picked up a new sears diehard platinum today, and they didn't take the old battery for the core. Now that I have a left over battery, I wanna see if I can possibly get this optima charged up and maybe have a spare or *gasp* dual batteries (already have cowl air intake)

so, does anyone know the proper way to get this thing charged up?
 
If your Optima is dead, you use jumper cables and connect to another battery (+ to +, - to -). Put the charger on the other battery and the Optima will start to charge. After a few hours, you can put the charger directly on the Optima. From what I recall, the Optima needs to have a little bit of a charge in order for the charger to work correctly, that's why you connect to another battery first and charge that one.
 
People love telling me my normal, 15 year old century battery charger wont charge an optima... but theyre wrong.

Check anything you allready own, before going out to buy some marketing ploy you dont need.
 
Optima recommends 10 amps max, my charger offers 2, 12, and 85 amp settings. Obviously 12 is greater than 10, but is it enough to worry about? Should I just charge at 2 amps?
 
zachandandy said:
Optima recommends 10 amps max, my charger offers 2, 12, and 85 amp settings. Obviously 12 is greater than 10, but is it enough to worry about? Should I just charge at 2 amps?
Click to expand...
Read the Optima link posted by NCCherokee, it very specifically does not list an amperage limit, it's a temperature limit.
 
zachandandy said:
Optima recommends 10 amps max, my charger offers 2, 12, and 85 amp settings. Obviously 12 is greater than 10, but is it enough to worry about? Should I just charge at 2 amps?
Click to expand...
Read the Optima link posted by NCCherokee, it very specifically does not list an amperage limit, it's a temperature limit.
 
I did read the link, did you. Under battery charger it states 10 amps maximum 6-12 hrs. Under rapid recharge it gives a temperature limit and no max amps. Most people Own a standard charger, not designed for high amp rapid charging. Even if the temp limit applied to a standard charger, are you gonna stand by your battery checking temps for 6-12 hours because the average charger doesn't have temp probes either.
 
Optima Jim has released a new video that covers recharging a deeply discharged battery. It is the same information as the other two links just in video form and very helpful.

You do not have to have the new Optima charger, but we do recommend not charging over 10 amps. If you do charge at 12 amps, I would keep a very close eye on the battery to be sure it doesn't overheat. Remember, slightly warm is fine, hot to the touch it bad.

Thanks,
Bill Howell
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

G
No Start After Welding, Fuel Gauge Not Working. I'm seriously confused.
Replies
9
Views
2K
tjmotter
tjmotter
R
2000 XJ Sport - Trying to diagnose intermittent sputtering
Replies
0
Views
1K
ramonesrazor
R
A
Intermittent stalling
Replies
4
Views
943
Tim_MN
Tim_MN
P
Battery charging issues
Replies
2
Views
1K
Palmer520
P
M
New to my XJ & wrenching - How to choose parts and what to prioritize?!
2
Replies
28
Views
4K
flyin_ryan
F
Back
Top