Hey, I got a question for you guys. My dad is running an Optima Blue Top in his Scout, and it started smoking today while I was running it for tuning. I tested 13.4 V at the battery and directly at the back of the alternator. I can't think of what would cause this. Is anyone familiar with these batteries?

 

Haven't had a problem with my red top. The battery is at least 8 years old. I used to have it in my 78 f100,I would only start that truck once every couple of months even in the winter,the battery never failed,truck turned over fine. I have had it in my 95 for the last 2 years,the kids have left the dome lights on several times. I just jumped the battery,let it run for a few minutes,and good as new. I think it was worth the $110 I paid for it several years ago!!

 

I think optima has lifetime warrantee on there batterys, i would give them a call.

 

Are the contacts clean and the battery wires in good shape? Bad/loose connections will cause heat and lots of heat cause smoke and eventually your truck catches on fire on melts.

 

Yeppers. Ask me how many loose wires I found on Paul's bronc ho!

 

Connections are good. That was the first thing I checked. I'm thinking that it may just be the box it's in. My dad built them into the floor in a closed battery box. Maybe just too much heat, although it doesn't seem like the battery should be putting off that much. Anyways, maybe I'll mount a small electrical fan in the wall to help cool. I'm pretty lost on this one.

 

no, Im thinking a bad ground somewhere. Under normal use a battery doesnt get hot and certainly not hot enough to cause them to smoke.

 

Bad grounds are battery killers! Just because a connection is tight, doesn't mean it's a good connection. Make sure the metal under the terminal is clean and not rusted when you tighten that terminal down!

 

I would clean all the contacts. Pos and Neg at Batt. All engine, body and frame grounds that you can find. Good Batteries don't smoke. Smoking KILLS. Now wheres my cigs?

 

I'm aware of what a good connection is. I hit every connection I could with a wire brush until they were shiny bare metal. It's only the Optima though. I pulled my run-of-the-mill Prestolite wet cell from my F350 and ran it in there and didn't have any issue.

 

Then maybe your battery is fubar. Call optima....or bitch at Karl.

 

He can bitch at me all he wants' I'm gonna ask the same question as Optime. When did you buy it, and show me a receipt or your Warranty info that comes on the batteries.

And don't hate me because I get 2 group 31 batteries shipped to my house directly from Optima for a grand total of $200!

 

I guess its better for the OP to smoke Optimas instead of pole. Its a kinder gentler FTE these days so you never can tell though.

 

Who's bitching? Just saying I'm aware of what a good connection is. I am a mechanic but I've never seen a dry cell smoke before. Wet-cells, sure, seen that plenty.

I guess I will be calling Optima. Saves me the headache of people who try to start bs drama on every new thread.

 

Maybe your dry cells got wet