testing a battery

[Barking Mat]

We have as a company stopped using Optima batteries just because of their cost. I'm not saying they are good batts' they are. And the CCAs are impressive. But when a bank of four blue top die, here we are at 1200 euros. Bog standard lead acid much cheaper.

 

[Rig Pig]

It would be interesting to understand if that's an environment thing, I think you be hard pushed to describe any Optima as rubbish compared to a normal battery. Admittedly mine are yellow tops but I've not found a battery that comes close. I'm sure there may be senarios where they aren't ideal but to say they are all rubbish is a stretch. I did quick search and found some cases of red tops dying but some of them it was same person having multiple failures when others on the same forum had been running them for years.

I was chatting to one of the guys at Battery Megastore in Tewkesbury a couple of years a go and he said Optimas regularly test out higher than their CCA rating(that obviously has no bearing on it's longevity)

One of my Yellow tops came from a bloke that refurbs chilled containers that go on ships(Irish ferries) to keep them running before they go back on a lorry, he said they do kill them but few other batteries can cope with the abuse.

The only other thing I've heard from winch challenge people is that Optimas have a longer recharge time than Odysseys

The failure rate is horrendous, we go through dozens of them a year, the only reason why we use them is that they are approved to fly in a helicopter and any non sealed battery are not, I have 2 at home and the only thing I use them for is door stops! Occasionally we rent in an Aggreko that comes out by sea with lead acid battery and they run for ever without issue. Buy whatever you like but you won't find a red top on my car!

 

[armalites]

The failure rate is horrendous, we go through dozens of them a year, the only reason why we use them is that they are approved to fly in a helicopter and any non sealed battery are not, I have 2 at home and the only thing I use them for is door stops! Occasionally we rent in an Aggreko that comes out by sea with lead acid battery and they run for ever without issue. Buy whatever you like but you won't find a red top on my car!

I've never used red tops, only yellow, I'm just intrigued as to how your usage gives such a high failure rate. Has anyone spoken to Optima and raised it as an issue?

 

[Wendelspanswick]

A battery drop tester is about £20 On eBay, it might save you a wasted £50 and the fuel to collect a battery that could end up being a dud.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282506510912

 

[123hotchef]

battery is charging in the garage bloody heavy! might have to re think the mounting

 

[J1nx]

Johnson controls imho, make terrible batteries. They have, again imho, ruined Optima. We almost never see Optima's, I suspect for good reason.

My personal preference are cells made by Enersys, depends on application but the SBS are superb. I probably see a million batteries a year unfortunately so I think I have a reasonable idea of decent brands.