Trickle Charging Optima Battery...Weird Stuff Man

So after sitting for 20 months (yes I am lazy) I finally went out and started to do somethings to my XJ. I took the red top out (dead) and charged it for 2 hours on a 10.4 amp trickle charger. Go it to 11 volts. Started the Jeep (which started right up...nice) then took the Red Top back out and at 10.4 amps for another 4 hours. So that was Sunday, it has been unplugged from the trickle since then. When I left it it was at 12.8 volts. Now Tuesday night and WITHOUT being in the charger it has worked it's way up to 17.8 volts.

I've never seen anything like this. Is this normal? Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Todd

Optimas are bad about getting a surface charge, but I've never heard of it getting that high. Try hooking something with a lot of resistance up to it and see if it will drain off quickly, if it is just a surface charge it shouldn't take more than a few seconds.

You toasted it. You are supposed to only trickle charge those guys.

Just re-read the OP and realized you charged it at 10 amps, that is high for an optima. I'm almost sure you've just got a surface charge on it. Optimas seem to like being charged at 1-2 amps.

I'll try burning it down with a headlight or something for a while, and re trickle at 2 amps.

I have the blue tops in my bass boat, I never charge those past 2 amps. All 4 of the XJ's have red tops and I have never had to charge them, the oldest is 5 years old.

I've heard that red tops aren't meant to be discharged and it they are, the're junk. The yellow tops will take a charge if they are discharged. IMO, they aren't worth the extra money. Sure they don't leak but I haven't had a battery leak yet in 40 years.

I'm pretty sure it's deader than the last whisp of hair on my head....Poof!

I stored my '88 XJ for sevem months. I started it ocasionally, and had to charge it occasionally - 6amps.

The red top on mine was 3 years old.

When I tried to use it again, the battery just would not work well. It eventually had to be replaced.

So I don't know if it was the storage/drainage that killed it, or if it was the quick charge that killed it, but it was dead.....and I'm pretty sure that yours is dead too.

.

Same thing happend to me. Optimas can't take a quick charge rate, they need to be trickle charged. Let it sit on a trickle charger at 2 amps for a while and see what happens, might come back to life or it might be dead. Optimas are real picky, how are you supposed to jump start your car if it has an optima? Mine died because of this!

jeepboy381 said:

how are you supposed to jump start your car if it has an optima? Mine died because of this!

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I've jumped my Red Top Optima no less than 12 times over the past 4 years, and it still works great.....

local guy claims thyey can be revived



http://la4x4forum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=21472&hl=optima

Trickle charge??? What do you suppose happens when your 60+ amp alternator fires up after engine cranking an extra long time on a sub-zero morning? I realize this is not the same situation as trying to reactivate a deeply discharged, battery that has been idle for a long time but, in general, the idea that an automotive battery can not be recharged at a high rate is suspect.

I have honestly seen no less than 10 optimas come back into my store with someone claiming they are bad.....put them on the incharge battery tester and sure enough they test bad......but I know 8 of the 10 have been taken to the back of my store put on a trickle charger and 24 hours later are resold as used and work just fine.....

bar said:

Trickle charge??? What do you suppose happens when your 60+ amp alternator fires up after engine cranking an extra long time on a sub-zero morning? I realize this is not the same situation as trying to reactivate a deeply discharged, battery that has been idle for a long time but, in general, the idea that an automotive battery can not be recharged at a high rate is suspect.

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I went to a automotive only battery store and talked to the owner for a while about optimas. I told him my optima wont take a charge anymore, he said "let me guess, it went dead and you tried jumping it didn't you." I told him that is exactly what happend, he went on to tell me that optimas are the best battery you can buy and they are the only battery he buys. He is still using optimas that are over 10 years old in his trucks with no problems. The one thing that kills them is a quick hi-amp charge. Mine was deader than a door nail, I jumpstarted my jeep and let it idle for 30min. Turned it off and the second the alternator stopped spinning all juice was lost, still absolutelly no power. I did what he said and put the battery on a low amp battery tender charger for a few days and it came back to life. You can still jumpstart the car with a dead optima but it is not recomended, especially with your alternator putting out 120amps!

IntrepidXJ said:

I've jumped my Red Top Optima no less than 12 times over the past 4 years, and it still works great.....

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I have also jump started my Jeep numerous times with my optima because I left my stereo on way to long while camping. All those 20 times the battery was not completely dead though, the lights would still turn on. The one time it would no longer take a charge though it was really dead, nothing worked. Trying to do a high amp charge on an optima at such a low voltage level will PROBABLY kill it. I should ask this guy to type up something I could post on here, he deffinently new his shit.