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| Author | Topic: Optima Batteries |
Cool Cat 1 Prowler Junkie From:Mesa, AZ |
posted 06-10-2010 02:07 PM
    
I have a Red Optima Battery in our 97 Prowler, and it won't hold a charge. I had the charging system checked out and it shows good. If I don't drive the car for 1-2 Months, the car won;t start without a jump. I believe it has a draw some where bringing down the battery, can someone please help me find out my problem. What would be the easy way to check for a draw. Tks AL |
catfish               POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:scottsdale,az,usa |
posted 06-10-2010 02:24 PM
if the car/battery sat for a whole month w/o starting or charging it,thats most likely your problem.while sitting it needs a trickle charger on it. ------------------ |
BeWare      POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:Acworth , Georgia , USA |
posted 06-10-2010 03:16 PM
I have heard of many people having issues with Optima batteries. I was going to get one but now I am staying far away from them. My Sears Die Hard is doing just fine going on 7 + years now. |
ed monahan POA Lifetime Site Supporter Prowler Junkie Personal ScrapBook From:Cincinnati, Oh, USA |
posted 06-10-2010 06:13 PM
My cars sit for months at a time without a charger and start right up with a cheapo battery. You are paying for their name, the Optima's don't cut it, according to numerous Prowler owners. The only thing a battery has to do is start the car. If it works why go for triple the price to get a name battery. |
TLRandall POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:CALDWELL, TX, US |
posted 06-10-2010 06:57 PM
Not sure about the Prowler, but Dodge informed us that our HEMI Police Chargers will only hold a idle charge on the batteries for 21 days due to the vehicles onboard computer systems. Once we install all of our aftermarket computers, cameras and radios, the estimate drops to 5 days idle before the battery goes dead. I can get about a month from my Yellow Top Optimas in my Prowlers before they have to be recharged, so I try to keep them on a tender some of the time that they are not being used. ------------------ |
phil2237 POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:PLACENTIA CALIFORNIA |
posted 06-10-2010 07:52 PM
I have the Yellow one, 3 years old now , No problems so far, It also came with a 7 year free replacement from Auto Zone. |
ALLEY CAT POA Lifetime Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:mesa, az, USA |
posted 06-11-2010 07:20 AM
Have three vehicles currently with red top Optimas (two cats) with no problems. The Prowlers are on battery tenders, while the Mustang is a daily driver. T-Rex, you are right about the computer draining the system down. If my Viper sits for three weeks w/o starting,,,,the OEM battery has barely enough power to crank it over. |
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RPL POA Lifetime Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:Rochester Hills, MI, USA |
posted 06-11-2010 07:56 AM
All modern, computer controlled vehicles have a draw on the battery while sitting idle. New cars are shipped to dealers with the IOD (ignition off draw)fuse pulled to keep from running the battery down on in-transit and stored vehicles. The new vehicle design target was 30 days storage at low ambient temperatures with enough power to start the vehicle. The Optima-type batteries, paste electrolyte rather than liquid, do many things very well. It appears sitting idle isn't one of their best features. Using a Battery Tender on vehicles which sit for weeks at a time ensures that the vehicle will start and appears to extend battery life. Modern batteries don't do well when fully discharged. We have many Battery Tenders. We use them on all 12 volt batteries; boats, tractors and vehicles. Even the lawn tractor battery lasts ten years. |
JeraneW POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:Hilton Head, South Carolina , USA |
posted 06-11-2010 08:12 AM
I agree with RPL. My '01 Kat has original battery. I replaced my Ford F150 original after 10 years. I use battery tenders on all vehicles when I am gone three to four months of the year. Even my Harbor Freight tender, which is on sale now, works just as good as Battery Tender. I think this makes a big difference.  |
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Roger POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:Seattle |
posted 06-11-2010 11:23 AM
I have had many Optima batteries over the years on new, but mostly old cars. On a scale of 1 to 10, I give Optima a minus 1. I do have battery tenders but don't use them as often as I should. I believe RPL has it right about sitting idle. |
toys POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:kensington Conn, USA |
posted 06-11-2010 01:19 PM
Yellow top optima going on 5 years now no problems, optima battery or not any extended unsed time on any newer car will draw a battery down, I also have another 5 year old optima in a pre-computer plow truck that sits for 10 months sometimes and have no issues starting it while I have to jump another truck that has a computer in it. toys |
stevedymo POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie Personal ScrapBook From:Brick, NJ, USA |
posted 06-11-2010 05:57 PM
If the Prowler is going to sit for any length of time, you can pull the number 4 fuse on the driver's side dashboard fuse box. This stops the draw from several items on that circuit. Or you can install one of these.
Top-Mount Battery Safety Knife Blade Disconnect Switch This message has been edited by stevedymo on 06-11-2010 at 05:58 PM |
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catfish POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:scottsdale,az,usa |
posted 06-11-2010 06:52 PM
you can also install a batt cable diconnect,they are about 20.00.remove neg cable install disconnect on neg post and neg cable attaches to that.has a knob on it that disconnects the system when you unscrew it. ------------------ |
1buddyc POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:San Antonio Texas USA |
posted 06-11-2010 07:48 PM
Not a good idea, to disconnect your Battery.... The on-board Computers will revert to original factory settings upon initial start up, and will have to "learn" your driving habits/preferences all over again. Better to use a Battery Tender to keep the Battery charged when not in use and thus keep you Computers up also. This message has been edited by 1buddyc on 06-11-2010 at 07:48 PM |
idive POA Site Supporter Prowler Junkie From:Texas USA |
posted 06-11-2010 07:55 PM
quote: What's so bad about that? I get a scratch going into 2nd pretty easily when I go back to factory settings.  |
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