Husky44, even though our batteries and many others (both AGM & flooded) are considered “sealed” batteries, all lead-acid automotive batteries can vent gas in extreme situations. For that reason, we always recommend that any battery installed in an enclosed location be properly-vented to the outside. Our group 27, 31, 51, 34C, and 78 batteries all have ports for connecting a vent hose. Although people do it anyway, we would never recommend installing an unvented battery in any enclosed space, because there's a legitimate, albeit unlikely, safety risk involved.
For example, IF there is a voltage regulator failure, and IF the battery is severely overcharged, and IF this goes unnoticed, and IF the battery vents because the internal pressure exceeds the release pressure of the vents, the gasses are both flammable and toxic. This may sound like a lot of “ifs,” but attorneys and engineers get paid to plan for every worst-case scenario. It is also a good idea to cover the unused terminals on a dual-terminal battery, especially if it is mounted in a location where it may come in contact with loose metal items, like flashlights or wrenches.
S&B, the information I posted (and much more) should be included with every battery we sell. I say “should,” because when there are tens of thousands of retailers selling millions of our batteries, there are likely to be at least a few batteries sold with that information missing. Even if that is the case, every battery we sell has a toll-free number (888-8OPTIMA) and an e-mail address (
[email protected]) printed on the case, if someone has any questions about our products.
N8Dogg98, I'm sorry to hear about the problems you had with your four batteries and I'd like to hear more about the circumstances surrounding your issues. What kind of maintenance charger are you using and is there a specific setting you are using? Did all of these batteries fail while in storage and do you recall the voltage level of any of them?
COBRA90GT, I lost count of the number of boards I'm registered on a long time ago, but I think the number is approaching 1,000. I've only posted on a couple of hundred different boards over the years and only when I can offer assistance to people who have questions or concerns about our batteries. The Internet is a pretty big place and I don't catch every conversation, so if you see a thread where I can be of assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me.
StadEMS3, 93-331-29psi, Chythar, LarsD, 95opal, blksn955.o & Kurt, I'm glad to hear you've all had good experiences with your Optimas. As a point of clarification on Kurt's comments regarding AGM batteries and regular battery chargers, AGM batteries can be charged just fine with these chargers in most situations. It is only when a battery becomes deeply-discharged (usually below 10.5 volts), that some chargers will not recognize or charge any battery. AGM batteries tend to have very low internal resistance, which allows them to accept and deliver energy far more effeciently than traditional flooded batteries. However, it will also allow them to continue delivering energy in applications where the high internal resistance of a traditional flooded battery might not, like a parasitic draw. As a result, a vehicle with a parasitic draw may only discharge a flooded battery to just under 11 volts, while an AGM battery will continue to deliver current until the battery is discharged well into the single digits.
However, AGM batteries also tend to have a very low self-discharge rate. That means if an AGM battery is not connected to a parasitic draw, it will be able to hold it's charge far longer than a flooded lead-acid battery. While it is good practice to disconnect a stored battery if use of a maintainer is not possible, the battery should always be fully-charged (about 12.6-12.8 volts for RedTops and about 13.0-13.2 volts for YellowTops) before it goes into storage. It is also a good idea to fully-charge a stored battery again with a battery charger, before re-installing it in a vehicle.
Lars, while the quality of the batteries produced in our Colorado facility was excellent, the degree of automation in our production process now has greatly decreased variability, which has resulted in increases in consistency and the reliability of our batteries. More importantly, we still stand by the same quality standards that were in place in Colorado. The end result is the best batteries we have ever made and we do make all of our own batteries. We do not outsource our production to third party manufacturers and we do not modify the specifications of any of our batteries for any of our retail partners.
Nick, as I mentioned before, disconnecting a stored battery is good practice, but checking the battery voltage should be a part of that process, especially if your bolt-ons include underdrive pulleys. A properly-functioning alternator will put out approximately 13.7-14.7 volts. However, underdrive pulleys will often lower that output significantly, to the point where a battery is never getting a full charge and slowly discharging over time, depending on driving habits. I often read posts on other boards, where guys claim it is a good idea to periodically start their stored vehicles and let them idle in the driveway. I can't speak to the mechanical benefits of such a routine, but I do know this will actually do more harm than good to the battery, if the alternator does not have an opportunity to replace the energy that was lost during storage and starting.
I would really encourage you to measure the voltage of your battery, as it will let you know if your charger did what you thought it would, as well as the output of your alternator when your engine is running.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
OPTIMA Battery Power Pack Nation