Are all "Batterries" equal? I need to purchase one...

[71 super]

I have had the same optima for 9 years and has been "deep cycled" twice, once for horn short and once for voltage regulator, it is still ticking with no issue. I also have the red top in my 2000 GMC - I only got 8 years out of the original delco in it before the terminal melted out of one side- a common problem with delcos now I am told, and I replaced the no quality duralast tha was in the gold truck with a optima and have had no issues with it and I was a blem I got from a friend of mine who works for interstate (restickers by interstate, but optima) After the first of these, I will buy nothing else. I do have one of the deka batteries in my harley and it seems to be holding up well, but we shall see, the bike tends to eat batteries fairly quickly...

[ERASER5]

I now have AZ's Duralast Gold 8 year batteries in all of my stuff. I did have one die for some reason. Full warranty. No questions. They tested it, looked up my warranty, handed me a battery.

Every battery make will have some failures, it is the how the warranty is handled that makes the difference. AZ is rock solid on the warranty, and I can get it done in any AZ store nation wide.

[usmcchevy]

I've had good luck with Autozone red tops. Two of them going over 7 years now.

[70cst]

Well guys I must confess...I made a Boo Boo in what I initially posted. Once I sat back and analyzed my battery...I realized it has to be older than three years old. My truck has been in the body shop for over 2 1/2 yrs (Hope to pick it up at the end of next week) plus I was driving it some before that. Although the battery looks brand new due to the lack of use...it is older than I thought.
Regardless of my hasty comment I still need a new battery. I am going to use your input, look who has the best warranty, and location to my garage, and then make a decision tomorrow.

Again thanks for all your replies.

[Newtz67]

Good luck! Let us know what you find please.

[piecesparts]

Interstate Batteries are a good solid choice for your truck.

[70cst]

Ok...the answer is-I went to O'Reiley,s (?) to get a quote. They sell Optima and Deka. The warranty on the Deka was the similiar to Optima-3 years replacement and pro- rated for 84 months. Price-$99.99. The optima was much higher for a similiar rated battery. The sales guy said they sell more Deka than Optima with little issues with Deka.
This store is about three miles from my house. So my criteria for selecting Deka was- a) input from this board b) price, c) warranty, d) where it was made, e) store distance from my house, f) and lastly-I wanted to try a different manufacture of battery.
Thanks to all for you replies.

[grs]

For those of you who own an Optima battery. Here is a question for you. How do you charge an Optima battery?

[hdandd]

Some batterys have more cranking amps. you might need more depending on you radio lights wheater, (anything electrical)

[So.Cal.Super]

Glad to hear you got it fixed.

As far as charging the optima goes, there is a recomended charger from Ctek

http://www.ctek.com/EN-US/consumer/mus-7002.aspx

There are several different version from them, I have this one more for my dune buggy's battery made by Total power because its finicky.

I have used a wal-mart smart charger on my optima's for years with no problems.

[barryvanhook]

If Optimas required a unique charger/charging protocol, then wouldn't we need a different alternator?

[grs]

I called Optima a little while back. They said there was a special way to charge the battery, but I forgot how to do it.

[trusty72]

nothing special about charging an automotive optima. Oreilys batteries are good as are interstate and optima. Walmart and Autozones are junk. nuff said.

[piecesparts]

I gave the optima battery a credit card and then I charged it for everything.

[Hubscrub]

^^

[Codypaul]

Originally Posted by grs

For those of you who own an Optima battery. Here is a question for you. How do you charge an Optima battery?

just like any other 12v lead acid battery. Although due to low internal resistance, you can charge them much faster if needed.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by piecesparts

I gave the optima battery a credit card and then I charged it for everything.

Come to think about it...I did use my charge card on my Deka Battery.

[Sillyoldman]

I work for Deka. My favorite battery is Optima. They generate more sales for our Intimidator line. They are also an AGM battery but without the rolled internals that make the optima look really, really cool. They also have a 36 month free replacement guarantee. Interstate also makes a nice battery but I question the number of them I pick up as cores in their original wrap unused. I suppose everyone has a dud. One thing to keep in mind is that when choosing a brand it may be the same as another. For an example DieHard/sears does not manufacture batteries. They have contracts with manufacturers to sell them under the Sears label. Deka has tons of retailers branding them as Duracell, Rayovac, Cabelas, Tire Factory, Magna Power, Alliance, Kubota, AAA, Carquest, West Marine,...ect.

[70cst]

Originally Posted by Sillyoldman

I work for Deka. My favorite battery is Optima. They generate more sales for our Intimidator line. They are also an AGM battery but without the rolled internals that make the optima look really, really cool. They also have a 36 month free replacement guarantee. Interstate also makes a nice battery but I question the number of them I pick up as cores in their original wrap unused. I suppose everyone has a dud. One thing to keep in mind is that when choosing a brand it may be the same as another. For an example DieHard/sears does not manufacture batteries. They have contracts with manufacturers to sell them under the Sears label. Deka has tons of retailers branding them as Duracell, Rayovac, Cabelas, Tire Factory, Magna Power, Alliance, Kubota, AAA, Carquest, West Marine,...ect.

As mentioned I bought my Deka from O'Reiley's and I believe its the Deka Ultimate version (Super Start - Battery Part Number: 34EXT ). It has a rating of 800 cca at zero degrees. The sales guy said it will put out 880 cca.

[barryvanhook]

Originally Posted by grs

I called Optima a little while back. They said there was a special way to charge the battery, but I forgot how to do it.

Hmmmm ... I talked to the Optima rep at Goodguy's Spring Scottsdale, and he said that you don't do anything different.

Barry
Maybe somebody ought to get the story consistent

[Sillyoldman]

Originally Posted by barryvanhook

Hmmmm ... I talked to the Optima rep at Goodguy's Spring Scottsdale, and he said that you don't do anything different.

Barry
Maybe somebody ought to get the story consistent

We charge our agm's and gels with a regular charger. Regular lead acid batteries are the easiest to charge since the electrolyte has very little resistance and is easily excited. A gels electrolyte is suspended and maintains itself very well and for long preiods of time. The AGM settles a bit more than a gel. I have not seen on but I've heard that they do make a special charging unit for them which vibrated the battery to move the particulate around internally.

[DavidB]

I drive a 2001 mercury that was my grandfathers and the original motorcraft battery its still kickin. So about three years ago with that logic when I did my lsx swap I went to chevy and spent an extra twenty bucks on an ac delco and it has done flawless (only put a charger on it once when I left the lights on) even though it often sits for weeks at a time as I have seven vehicles.

[DavidB]

Point is I'm going to keep putting in original batteries, they fit so good and have that OE look. (I know they all come from the same place)
Tips:
I was taught by a old tech if you charge a battery on high you cut its life in half.
Batteries don't like body shops

[70cst]

Originally Posted by davidb

point is i'm going to keep putting in original batteries, they fit so good and have that oe look. (i know they all come from the same place)
tips:
I was taught by a old tech if you charge a battery on high you cut its life in half.
Batteries don't like body shops

fyi...

the majority of car batteries are created by 3 manufacturers - jci, east penn, exide and johnson controls industries (they bought out delphi). Delphi makes some everstart models sold in walmart and acdelco. Johnson control industries makes duralast seen in autozone stores, diehard - sold in sears, kirkland - the costco brand, motorcraft - which ford sells, some of the everstarts, and interstate. Exide makes exide batteries, champion, napa and even a % of the everstart batteries. A car battery is one of the few things that you will most likely have to replace if you own a car more than about 3 years. Most other parts and accessories will last longer, but the battery in a car needs replacing every 3 years or so. If you need to get a new battery installed, go to goodyear, sears, firestone or pep boys. All these car stores carry large inventories and can install your battery onsite. Other retailers like target, kmart, and walmart might offer cheaper prices for their batteries, but rarely do they install them.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I bought a new Odyssey deep cycle battery for my '46 when I had it rewired last August. It just recently died! I am SO pissed about it. I tried trickle charging it when it got a bit low and that worked once. Then I left it with a 15 amp charge on it for several hours out of frustration, it wouldn't turn over my truck. Finally I put my charger on the 100 amp setting which has never failed to start any other car with a dead battery I have used it on. It didn't start. These things are gel mat batteries I think and I feel screwed. Bought it online so I suspect getting my money will be a PITA. Plus? Since it is smaller than a conventional battery I mounted it under the seat with a disconnect switch. Bad decision. Yes, the battery was always disconnected and STILL it went dead even though it got periodically used. I can't just go get a conventional battery and replace it. DOH!

Anyone know anything about getting these things to re-charge? I've heard to short circuit them intentionally for moment, etc.