Optima Battery - Not very good...
Submitted: Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 13:53
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Member - Jeff M (WA)
Well my mate (who's had a hell of a time with his little 4by latley, including a rebuild motor and repaced transfer case all at big $$$) went out with me for a trial run of the 4by with new motor and transfer. We headed up north of
Perth just to try some sand tracks and light dunes for a bit of a play. It was about 33degrees and under bonnet temps were pretty hot after some heavy dune work, but all was
well and we were having a good time. We decided that we'd have one last crack and a big dune before we headed back out and
home. The little Feroza backed up to get a clear runup and just as he put it in first to go for it, everything died. The motor stopped and even his CB which is hooked directly to the battery.
After some checks in the soaring heat of the engine bay with a multimeter and the removal of a few fuses here an there to
check I decided that we'd try and jump it off my aux battery (which I could isolate manually to avoid any damage to my car if his electrics were up the crapper).
Yep, away she went, and the volt meter went straight up to 14v. No problem. We get back to the tar and pump the tyres up, he goes to start his car and it's all dead again. I mean totally dead, to the extent wear the dash lights wouldn't even come on when you turned the ignition on.
Turns out his 12 month old herendously expensive yellow top optima has just completly crapped it'self with no warning and no explanation...
He was a little upset about this, and I can't blame him, I'd be bloody dissapointed if I'd spend that much on a battery to get that kind of run out of it too...
So he's heading in today to try and get warranty on it, but because he's moved house since he bought it, he's not sure if he can find the receipt....
Reply By: Mainey (WA) - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 15:15
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 15:15
The question the battery supplier will be asking is: Why has the battery died?
You will need an unquestionable answer, because he will be blaming it on everything possible to avoid giving you a free replacement battery given the opportunity, and on the other hand you will want to know because it probably will happen again if you don't fix the problem now!
Were the alternator recharge voltages as specified for the battery?
Were any wires loose or with lugs not correctly fitted?
Heat could be a problem, but not a major one with a small engine block.
How long did the previous battery last under the (exact) same conditions?
If it had been a red, blue or yellow top, makes no difference, it would still be dead because it is not the battery specs, but the condition of the battery, possibly due to the lack of correct charging, or if you say the heat is really EXCESSIVE then the battery may have died from heat exhaustion.
AnswerID:
141333
Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 15:55
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 15:55
Yeah Mainy, all sounds fair an resonable. I've done a lot of electrical work on this particular car and have a good quality third party volt meter sitting on the dash which I installed myself and it has always been suprisingly good on charge rates etc. Almost ALWAYS 14.2 volts continuously, no matter what the ambiant temp and load. I mean my charging system is all over the frigin place depending on how I hold my mouth when I look at the meter! ;-)
I checked all the connections out there and there didn't seem to be any impedance problems or shorts. That was my first thought was that something unfused has shorted (maybe an alternator connection or similar) and has flattened the battery, but now that we've pulled the battery out and it's completely poo, and the car ran fine on one of my old POS batteries I had lying out near the shed you gotta wonder what happened..?? I know there was a lot of heat under the bonnet as I could hardly touch the anything under the bonnet without buring my hands, and my car had to have a few rests between plays as the temp guage was heading a little north on a few occasions, but still they are supposed to be better in the heat than standard bat's....
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: hl - Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 17:10
Monday, Nov 28, 2005 at 17:10
Hi,
If it has a CCA rating then it is meant for starting. So should not be a drama as a cranking battery.
However, excessive heat may
well be the problem.
I personally find the Exide Extreme very good value, especially on Kmart 25% off everything days!
My current one has been installed for 3 years now and still gives good service. Note that the Extreme has a CCA as
well as RC and Ah rating, so it can be used for deeper discharges than a normal cranking. When the fridge has been run overnight on it, it will take quite a few hours to fully recharge. However, the last couple of hours it will take only 2-5 amps, and that means really that it is already about 90% full.
Cheers
FollowupID:
394998
Reply By: Ozrunner - Tuesday, Nov 29, 2005 at 00:03
Tuesday, Nov 29, 2005 at 00:03
I hope you buddy has better luck with warranty than I did.
I had a $400 red top in my 4Runner andin 18 months with no warning it failed to start etc etc.
After checking all the normal issues it was finally diagnosed by a sparkie as dropping a cell when cranking. Took it to the dealer with this info and noway would they accept that. They advised their testing showed it was fine. They recharged it and handed it bqck.
You guessed it the next day it would not start the 4Runner. Went back and same again. This went on for weeks !!!!
To cut a long story short on another visit and getting the same answers he was getting agro and said follow me and I'll show you. Hooked it up to the load tester and guess what it immediately dropped to 6.2volts. I hit the roof with I've been F******g telling you etc etc.
Then next they had the cheek to advise that all warranties had to be sent east for confirmation. Much later I get a call advising it was approved and they will pay $70 pro rata !!!!!! This was a 18 month old $400 battery. I told them to jam it where the sun don't shine.
All this took over 3 friggin months !!! NEVER again will I use that crap.
I now use an Exide Orbital marine grade battery and it has never let me down and 1/2 the cost.
AnswerID:
141431
Follow Up By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Wednesday, Nov 30, 2005 at 13:21
Wednesday, Nov 30, 2005 at 13:21
Well mate, looks like you were on the money... First they tell him that the battery is fine, it just needs to be charged on their wiz bang charger and that there is something wrong with his car, which of course there isn't. Anyway, 2 days later he get's a call saying that the battery won't take a charge and is stuffed (suprise suprise). Then they start trying to tell him it's the wrong battery for his car, but he pollitally informed them that they ordered that battery in specifically for his car on their advice. Then they tell him they have no stock and that they will have to order in a replacment and that it is only "pro rata" for the second year, but they calculate it including the first year so they wanted him to pay $170 for a $290 battery to replace it under warranty... What a bloody joke!
So he's comming round tomorrow and we gonna go battery shopping... they can ram that up their unowat!
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Ozrunner - Wednesday, Nov 30, 2005 at 23:11
Wednesday, Nov 30, 2005 at 23:11
Jeff
Why am I not surprised. Their after sales service sucks big time.
If you're anywhere near Belmont drop into Belmont Auto Electrics and speak to Tim and maybe
check out the Exide orbital marine.
No matter what battery any problems they themselves will honour the warranty and then they take it up with their supplier.
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