Dead Battery Trying to Jump

[donmateo]

So I'm trying to jump my new Optima yellowtop that sat too long. I'm getting dash lights and all, but when I try to turn it over the lights flicker and click but isnt even trying to turnover. Any ideas?

 

[redneck_reed78]

Put it on a trickle charge

 

[smoothandlow84]

Have you checked the voltage with a meter? Depending how long it sat discharged, it may be hard to revive. If you have one available. ..charge it slowly at 2 amps and check the voltage regularly while charging. The gel and agm (gas mat) batteries can get wasted by fast charging them at a high amperage. It may be well worth it to take the battery into your local auto parts store and have them load test the battery first. Most shops will charge them for free as well as diagnose the problem.

 

[donmateo]

Thanks for the reply. Probably worth getting a charger/maintainer. Guess I'll get a voltmeter and charger/maintainer

 

[donmateo]

Ok ordered a voltmeter and charger/maintainer on Amazon last night and got them today.

Battery is at 11.56 volts. Going to hook it up to the charger this afternoon.

 

[donmateo]

So I hooked up the charger and it shows the battery fully charged. I left the charger on for now, but when I put the keys in the ignition (when the charger was disconnected) no lights even came on, no buzzing, etc. Any ideas? I'm on a time crunch since I'm leaving for school again on Sunday.

 

[smoothandlow84]

Sounds like you have a bad cell in the battery. Anything under 12.5 volts is bad. Your cranking amps are the issue. Best to replace the battery.

 

[Georgeb]

Sounds like you have a bad cell in the battery. Anything under 12.5 volts is bad. Your cranking amps are the issue. Best to replace the battery.

Agreed. Do you have a buddy with a battery you csn try if you aren't convinced? How old is that battery.

 

[donmateo]

Only a couple months. I have the old battery in the garage, not sure if it's still good though. I guess I'll dig up the receipt and replace the yellowtop at Advance Auto.

 

[bucket]

I've read a lot about problems like this with Optima batteries, and dealt with it a couple times myself. The Optima reps always say that the batteries turned in under warranty aren't actually bad, just improperly charged. The way I look at it is this, if the fancy ass battery can't be easily charged and maintained by the average owner, what the heck good is it?

 

[donmateo]

I've read a lot about problems like this with Optima batteries, and dealt with it a couple times myself. The Optima reps always say that the batteries turned in under warranty aren't actually bad, just improperly charged. The way I look at it is this, if the fancy ass battery can't be easily charged and maintained by the average owner, what the heck good is it?

It seems it is an issue that's well known. You'd think they'd make it clear how to avoid it. Oh well...hope to get it fixed tomorrow was so odd since it ran fine the other day. Thanks everyone will update tomorrow.

 

[donmateo]

So I take it in and the Advance Auto guy says it's just not charged and only reading 644 CCA. So he's charging it and will test it and call me when it's done. I'm skeptical, but we'll see.

 

[bucket]

So I take it in and the Advance Auto guy says it's just not charged and only reading 644 CCA. So he's charging it and will test it and call me when it's done. I'm skeptical, but we'll see.

Advance has been like that recently. Last couple batteries I took in for warranty I knew were junk, but they insisted they needed charged. They also bitched because they had been sitting in my driveway and frozen. That pissed me off and I started getting snippy. I told him yeah, it's focking cold outside and they would be frozen if they were still in the truck too... they are junk, ain't no way they are staying in the house.

When I went back the next day, they were nicer and gave my my replacement batteries.

 

[firebane]

The problem with these types of batteries is that when they fall under a certain voltage limit they are almost impossible to get charged again.

Lots of people in the motorcycle community run into these issues when they use these types of batteries and their charging system isn't good enough to keep the battery charged up.

The parts store will attempt to charge it but because its reading a 11.86v I'm going to say that battery will need to be replaced.

 

[donmateo]

Yeah, what a PITA. Funny thing is it fired up a week ago and ran fine. Oh well...they never called me, so I'll see what they say tomorrow.