optima batteries not as good as they used to be

Every couple weeks I would have to physically clean the terminals and cables with baking soda or corrosion would get so bad the Bronco wouldn't start or my Warn 8274 wouldn't work. My driveway back then was 1/2 mile long, extremely bumpy and across 2 farm fields. They aren't) back in the late '70's to reduce the acid/water leakage that caused corrosion on cables and battery terminals. I started using 'Gel' type batteries ( not saying that Optima's are 'gel' batteries. If it does indeed go that long, I will replace it at 7 years as preventative maintenance.This short Tech article is to help with Myth Busting the inaccuracies on the Internet and Facebook about Optima and other AGM style batteries AND which Optima is best for winching and daily driving. I think it will easily go 7 years, which is not bad. My '17's OEM battery is still going strong, no sign of weakening yet. The system does charge the battery when it is cold - below 40F or so from what I can tell. Alas, a lithium replacement is stupid expensive, a suitable one for our trucks would be nearly a grand.Īs I mentioned earlier, the work around is to run the headlights all the time while driving, this forces the system to behave like the 'good old days'. The best battery for current systems might be lithium, as they do better if left half charged all the time vs. I think most of the blame for shorter battery life than the 'old days' is due to this, not necessarily a decline in battery quality. In my experience our truck's BCM keeps the battery at around a 65% state of charge, which is sulfation territory. These algorithms are there to maximize fuel economy, not prolong battery life.

To be honest none of the good batteries are cheap anymore and many of the cheap ones who knows what you may be getting inside the case.Ī lot of vehicles have complex algorithms in their body control modules (BCMs) to manage the battery. One application I have can not afford acid to eat into anything surrounding the battery. This is not a debate about price it is more about using a product properly and the one feature the Optima does hold it there is no spillage or acid issues and that matters in some applications. The old Freedoms I never lost one in less than 12 years. All died at or just before 3 years at the warranty. Since 2004 I have had only one last more than 3 years and that is the one in my truck. The only battery I have seen issues with personally have been the OE GM batteries. But IN todays vehicles I wonder if they would even last. No one makes a good Freedom Battery like they used to do. I see about the same warranties on most brands. Vehicles today are taking more voltage than ever and batteries are not like they used to be for better and worse. If you daily drive you should not need it. Many of our customers are race cars, hot rods and custom cars that see limited use so I recommend a tender for anyone with a AGM or Optima battery that sits much. I have seem many claimed dead batteries respond to the correct charge. Below 10.5 most will not take a charge and many mistake the battery as being bad. Optima batteries are made to work at 12.4 volts and to be at that charge. Also there are factors with AGM batteries that are different than your normal lead acid batteries. Most people do not understand that an Optima takes a special charger. The main issue with most Optima batteries is the case of proper charging. I have read complaints of failed batteries but in the investigation we found they were no more failure prone than most others including our Interstate and Delco lines. I deal with the quality control/warranty aspect of a number of products and Optima is one of them. They do have a number of gaps in the applications. Just contact Optima for a recommendation.

Optima batteries not as good as they used to be