batteries... Optima vs others
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old and in the way
Joined: Jul 1997
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
batteries... Optima vs others
Starting to look at permanent batteries for the truck... Optimas are cute and spill proof but what are the pros and cons over regular lead acid car batteries... cost is definitely a con..
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john
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john
More Turbo
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Foxworth, Ms.
My original Optima in my '54 was approaching 7 years old. Local parts store going out of business and marked everything 50% off. Brand new Optima $127 out the door = win/win. My battery mounts on the frame under the truck so a ventless, maintenance free battery was a must for me. I'm not pushing Optima, it's just worked well for me. Good Luck, Steve
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Central PA
Is the Optima battery an Absorbant Glass Mat (AGM) battery? If so you have to be careful when charging. My son had a Mazda Miata convertable he just sold. He didn't drive it much this summer due to the tropical rainforest type rain we had this summer. The battery went down for lack of use. It was a year and a half old. He used my charger but he said it didn't charge it. I took it back to the place he bought it at. They knew immediately what happened.
They said you cant use a generic charger for an AGM battery. I never knew that, nor heard of AGM batteries. The sides were sucked in. They tried to charge it overnight but couldn't. They did sell us a new one at a discount. And then my son sold the Miata.
They said you cant use a generic charger for an AGM battery. I never knew that, nor heard of AGM batteries. The sides were sucked in. They tried to charge it overnight but couldn't. They did sell us a new one at a discount. And then my son sold the Miata.
Senior User
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Also interested to hear about experience with 6volt optima batteries. I’ve hear they have a little more cranking power than regular batteries.
it’s true you need a special charger for optima batteries as Abe said; that being said, I believe most modern chargers are set up for AGM batteries. My 40$ Schumacher can charge a optima or any AGM battery, no need to buy a charger from optima.
Chris
it’s true you need a special charger for optima batteries as Abe said; that being said, I believe most modern chargers are set up for AGM batteries. My 40$ Schumacher can charge a optima or any AGM battery, no need to buy a charger from optima.
Chris
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From: Northville, MI
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Fleet Owner
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From: Central PA
Hey Dennis, shouldn't you have the cowl vent closed when racing for better airflow? Or doesn't it matter for a non-streamlined block of metal like our trucks? I remember when I was a young kid with my brother in his 68 Camaro with a 427 and some guy foolishly wanted to run him. We rolled up the windows and closed the vents.
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Hotshot
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From: Burbank, WA
Hey Dennis, shouldn't you have the cowl vent closed when racing for better airflow? Or doesn't it matter for a non-streamlined block of metal like our trucks? I remember when I was a young kid with my brother in his 68 Camaro with a 427 and some guy foolishly wanted to run him. We rolled up the windows and closed the vents.
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Lititz PA
When it’s stinking hot and you can’t open the windows, the cowl vent is great. At Maple Grove a guy stands at the end of the track with binoculars to make sure you don’t open the windows. I’ve done a 16.88 with the spare on. Dennis
Laughing Gas
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Colorado Springs /Mesa AZ
Mine is a PC925 and they are $187.99 from Amazon. Check out Odyssey: ODYSSEY Battery - Official Manufacturer's Site
Thread Starter
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old and in the way
Joined: Jul 1997
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From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
I'm having trouble with mfg websites wanting to know what your vehicle is to size you a battery.. just tell me what a group 34/78 will cost !!! without clicking on 27 pictures to find what you want... not a single one list one for a 53 ford f-100 with a 7.5 engine ... go figure
also having a hard time finding one with dual terminals (top and front) with the positive on the right side.
john
also having a hard time finding one with dual terminals (top and front) with the positive on the right side.
john
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Central PA
We're hijacking this thread a bit but why would the drag strip care if your windows are up? Safety?
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Lititz PA
Yeah, safety. Before you approach the water box windows must be up. Can’t put them down until the return road. Modern cars with air conditioning can’t run them as they drip water to the track.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2015
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From: Louisville
AGM batteries don't really require a special charger. We deal with a couple hundred of them on emergency vehicles The worst thing that can happen to them is to become too discharged. There seems to be no way to ever get them to recover and be reliable. Doesn't matter what color or brand, they all do the same thing in our experience. The ambulance guys want them but we really don't see any real benefit over the history of when they all ran regular batteries. If you have a location that requires being spill proof that's one thing, otherwise I'd save the money.