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Anyone ever have a Optima Battery leak?

WarWagon

WarWagon

Well it hits on 7 of 8...
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Anyone ever have a Optima Battery leak? :confused:

First one I even seen leak had just ruined my brand new top post cable and burned the labels on the battery just like a conventional battery leaking. Has a 1/4" white crust on the top post and only been in the truck 30 days. Unknown age of the battery at the moment but holding 12.8v and testing good.

The other battery on the 1993 6.5 truck is fine.

Edit: Dec 2004 was the manufacture date.
 
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That's a defective battery my friend. That's nice the nice thing about the optima's, they can be at any angle and not leak a drop. 12.8 actually sounds a little low for an optima battery though. They usually will hold about 14 volts.

Optima only offers at most a 1 year warranty on them so unless you have a receipt I doubt they will honor it.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/warranty/preFeb.php
 
Arent they gel batteries? And if so, arent they designed not to leak? I wasnt aware there was any liquid in them.
 
I will NEVER use an Optima Battery again. Back when I used to, I had nothing but Problems. Trouble Starting, Voltage Spikes, Going Dead if the Vehicle Sat for 2 Days without being Started.

They are Terrible!
 
The optima's are designed not to leak. They can be positioned at any angle with no affect on performance whatsoever.

James did you really have all those issues with your optima's??? Mine are 7 years old and I have never once had an issue with them. Voltage is always constant 14#, sat for a month before being fired up again and the one time I did run them completely empty I charged them overnight and they have been the same as always since.
 
BigBlueChevy said:
The optima's are designed not to leak. They can be positioned at any angle with no affect on performance whatsoever.

James did you really have all those issues with your optima's??? Mine are 7 years old and I have never once had an issue with them. Voltage is always constant 14#, sat for a month before being fired up again and the one time I did run them completely empty I charged them overnight and they have been the same as always since.
Click to expand...

Yep, always had a problem. In my Avalanche and Mercedes ML.

Since then, I Use Stinger, XS Power, or Odyssey and haven't had any Problems.
 
BigBlueChevy said:
That's a defective battery my friend. That's nice the nice thing about the optima's, they can be at any angle and not leak a drop. 12.8 actually sounds a little low for an optima battery though. They usually will hold about 14 volts.

Optima only offers at most a 1 year warranty on them so unless you have a receipt I doubt they will honor it.
http://www.optimabatteries.com/optima_products/warranty/preFeb.php
Click to expand...

Red top 3 year free replacement and 36 mo prorated after that. Now after 2009 it is just 3 year free replacement.

14v with engine on or surface charge. ~12.8v is a full charge after 30 min engine off. 12.3v after charging and waiting is a weak battery...

Battery was made in Dec of 2004 per a phone call to them so out of warranty.

Still good after 6 years if I didn't mind the acid dripping out of the negative terminal on the shop floor and the nasty build up on the battery tray.

This is like "D" size dry cells leaking.

This is extremely rare for them to leak and I am waiting to see if Optima actually wants the battery back to study. Overheating or top post vibration were suggested causes. Side post use... (A factory AC Delco battery has 50/50 odds of leaking out of the side post for me...)

On the flip side the set I bought in 2009 - only 1 is still usable because the top popped off the other one when it got crushed in the Elk encounter. That one did not leak. It's crushed carcass is sitting next to this one now. However, one week after the wreck they still started the engine when I cut the fan belt off. I had to cut the fender off to get it out and then and only then did I see how bad it was damaged.

Now there are better AGM batteries out there.
 
My mistake, I was assuming you had the yellow tops. When you spoke to Optima did they make any mention of asking for them back for analysis? They seem to make a very quality product(in my experience) so it would make sense for them too...
 
WarWagon said:
This is extremely rare for them to leak and I am waiting to see if Optima actually wants the battery back to study. Overheating or top post vibration were suggested causes. Side post use... (A factory AC Delco battery has 50/50 odds of leaking out of the side post for me...)
Click to expand...

I've gone through 8 AC Delco batteries in 2 trucks in 3 years. Pieces of worthless shit would be an understatement.... they refused warranty because they said heat killed it. No f***in shit genius, this is vegas, but your warranty does state 3 yr free replacement.

Anyway, I run redtop Optima's now, been trouble free for me. Starts quick in cold weather, runs subs and amps for hours with truck off. Hopefully they'll stay that way.
 
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