FAST RS

How do i kill one so i can get a new one under warrenty and re start my warranty like a new batary?

Nixon1

......What?? You're saying...you want to destroy a perfectly good Optima red top....to get...another Optima red top.....

?

Uhm...batteries are hard to destroy purposefully without risking physical harm to yourself or damage to your car! If it was a conventional battery, I'd say dump the battery acid out, run it til it died, then fill it up with some crappy tap water, recharge, run it a little bit, empty it, run it til it died, repeat several times... Also, make sure to shake/jostle the battery around and tip it upside-down now and again.

BUT, I think the Optimas are some kind of weird dry or gel-cel technology.....which means that method won't work. Besides taking a crowbar to it, the only destructive method I can think of is periodically leaving your headlights on to drain the battery dry, and recharging it. I figure if you run a battery dead and recharge it about 50 times, that CAN'T be good for it!

FAST RS

I know one way to kill it but i dont have the means put a 100 AMP charge from a rapid charger and it will sizzle.

FAST RS

I know one way to kill it but i dont have the means put a 100 AMP charge from a rapid charger and it will sizzle. ANd yes that is what im saying.

1991tealRSt-topGuy

why not just leave the car on a while (engine off) and let it drain past the point where you can not recharge it

Nixon1

You mean there's a 'point of no recharge' on a battery??

1991tealRSt-topGuy

yup

you strain that sucker enough and it will be history

Nixon1

Hmm....that's strange. I would figure it would be sort of like a camcorder better....they don't mind being drained completely.

dsaint1347

You won't be able to do that with an optima battery, they are alot hardier. You would have to do it more than once.

Shadey_MF

battery warranties don't work that way.

you would get a new one and a pro-rated warranty.


this seems rather obvious to me. Is there any kind of product that has a warranty like that??

TomP

It'd really suck if you did kill it (somehow), and they did some test on it, found out it was something you did, and didn't give you anything for it.

1991tealRSt-topGuy

i honestly doubt they would test it...........

it doesnt really work that way in the auto industry anymore

last year, we got a 2002 trans am in that had a rod put through its block and it was obvious that nitrous was the culprit

we warrantied it without a question

its all about customer satisfaction

Nixon1

Not everywhere it isn't!! It all depends on who ya go to! Which is why I prefer to buy from big companies and such when I can. Big companies can afford to replace things under warranty.

FAST RS

Its thoug my work i work at AutoZone and our store check EVERYTHING under warrenty. I personaly dont care but everyone else does i just like to make the customer leave with a smile tats why half the customers come to me when im there i dont speak a word of spanish but all the spanish speaking customers come to me and im as white as they come. Im just gonna drain it and bring it in. Since it can only be trickle charged i think i will jsut go to work leave my lights on and when i go to lucnh have it be dead. Oh btw this is to Shadey_MF If you buy abattary at autozone with a 2 year free replacement and 5 year prorate and at 1 year 364 days it goes bad you can retuen it and it will be swapped out in the computer and you will get a new recpit and a new warrenty as well.

Doward

If you really want to kill it... I'd say some dynomite would work. Then blame it on the battery exploding.

I did that to some @$$ hole at Advance Auto once. I replaced my plugs, cap and rotor, and figured hey - lifetime wires, adn I had started to get some arcing. The guy actually wanted to test all 6 wires. I finally got pissed off, and broke the wire inside the boot, just to get the wire set!

FAST RS

That kinda funn everynow and then im a dick like that to a customer just because they come off rude to me so i act like i have no clue what im doing and **** them off by getting wrong parts and such. I was testing some guys battary on his car while i was drawing a load i took the clamp off that thing sparked and he trippied out and im all your battarys bad which it was and he sat there and insisted it went bad becasue of me even tho it was corroded and liked like it had snowed on the battary. But he would not let me finish with the custmer i was with at first so sucks for him.

90tbi305

Well every one that told you that if you drain the battary it will never come back it will , You now something funny about that, you can switch the postive to negative on the battary its self, charge it,this will change the flow of the battary. If you think by drainning the battary with the lights turned on over night, it will die but when you go to the parts store they will charge it and check if it works and that will be a good battary. it is impossible to mess up a optima battary. It is a maintance free battary and a deep cycle battary, Meanning that you can kill it about 1.000 times and recharge it and it will work like the day you came out of the parts store with it.

The only way of returning that battary for a warranty change is, (are you shure you still are on the warranty)? I didnt tell you to do this. You could get a long bolt and put it on the side terminal port of the battary, Screw it all the way in on till you can brake threw the terminal into the battary, or just get a hammer and break one of the top terminals off. I would go with the top terminal instead of the side terminal, because the optima battary is a gel battary, so i dont now what will happen if you put the bolt threw it. I didnt tell you to do this. -Eric

Gumby

Just cross the +&- then run.

30-45 sec later, it warranty time.

FAST RS

Sadley my car kills the battary on its own it wont take a charge at the part store im on my 4th one dont know why oh well.

rx7speed

I havealso seen places that if you break a rod and the only modification on the car as a K&N air filter they won't warrenty it.

scuff marks on the cylinder maybe but a broken rod?

LT1guy

iTrader: (1)

The red top isn't a deep cycle battery, its just a maintenance free gel cell type battery. They CAN be killed beyond recharging, and when one is really dead there is virtually no chance of recharging it unless you have a special gel cell battery charger. Ask me how I know. An Optima is a great battery as long as you don't run it all the way down, but if you do you'll likely be getting another battery. Some parts stores (Autozone for sure, at least here) has the proper charger, but the quick charge they put on one won't bring it back.
BTW Optima batteries used to be a lot better, back when they first came out.

joshwilson3

Why are they not as good now? What is different?

yupitsdadsbird

not about the optima but and old acid battery is REAL easy and not as hard as y'all are saying........just add like a table spoon of bakeing....crap soda or powder hell doo both and go for the gusto. I'd bet the optima would be close ifin you could get it in there try it

ScrapMaker

I sure as hell can't kill my yellowtop by "draining" it.

Actually, I gave up trying to drain it.

I was at the beach, playing my stereo at full blast for over four whole hours. At the time, it was about 700 RMS watts of power...

after about four hours, my battery was a little over 11 volts.

My previous battery would die after about 30 minutes of use.. hence the reason for upgrading--but the old battery worked perfectly fine... most cars I've done a similar test, seem to die from 45-70 minutes... even my brother's f150 with a towing package died after about an hour.

optima's kick ***... so do orbital dry cells.

pretty much, just keep overcharging your battery... I think that is the only way to kill the gel cell... if even that will kill them

joshwilson3

What is the difference between the yellowtop and redtop?

BMmonteSS

You do know your raising the price of parts for the rest of us when you do this right? You WILL NOT get a new warranty, the warranty is based on the original sale date even if you get a replacement. If your battery is working fine why risk burning your car down trying to kill it, or even worse blowing battery acid all over your self. Have you ever seen someone who has had acid burns? It's not pretty. You have a perfectly good battery use it.

ScrapMaker

A yellowtop is a 2-in-1 battery. You use it just like a regular battery--starting the car, and letting the alternator constantly charge it, and you can also drain it all the way, like you would with the car off, and the stereo cranked.

Doesn't hurt it at all. The only thing is that they have a certain number of full-drain cycles... but I think it's more than the average person would do during a 7 year time period.

V6#22

The main difference is the yellowtop is a deep cycle battery and the redtop is not. Being gel type batteries, the normal cell gel tyoe batteries can output charge fast BUT CAN NOT INPUT CHARGE FAST. What this means is they will typicallky be harmed by your everyday standard heavy duty battery charger at your local gas station. This is why everyone complains about redtops being a POS.

Buy a Yellowtop. They can handle full discharge AND can handle being charged with a heavyduty charger from low and/or dead battery statis. The redtops need a lower amperage charge so they are not distroyed being charged from very low statis. Size of alternator *maintaining* a charge will not hurt them, but if it is dead and you jump start the car and let it run to recharge using a high amp alt, it too can possibly destroy the redtop.

What would the lousy moderators on this board do without me. No one here has the knowledge to answer and correct misstatements or does anyone have the experience with parts. If only Techm=smurf were educated enough on cars to be able to moderate properly before I have to be the *bad guy* and correct misinfo.

Problem around this board is I think everyone in here wantsto beeveryones buddy and best friends(maybe because you have no friends in the real world?) so when I play no favortism and correct someones misinfo it is labeled as an attack and I am dubbed an *******. Thought this was a tech board, not a lets be best buddies board. This website hurts without my knowledge, amazing how many questions go unanswered or mis answered when I am not here to help.

You need me techsmurf, cause you can't do the job correctly yourself.

ScrapMaker

I think pretty much everyone already knows the difference between the reds and yellows, plus it's common knowledge, and if it's not, then there's always google.

The question at hand is HOW to destroy the redtop, which you managed to answer along with your crazed rantings.

Bravo.

V6#22

Then put a heavy duty battery charger on it. If the answers are out there on google, they why have this TGO tech board. I guess we are all just ranting then huh chief?

rx7speed

whats with the crazy rant and self stroking there?
I admit you might be helpfull but through the TGO boards I have seen information given through a lot more people then just you.
the boards have lived before you with lots of information and will prolly live after you.

you are just a part of the board not the whole board guy
still helpfull maybe but not everything

ScrapMaker

I think v622 was kidding or something... clearly he didn't mean anything he said.

joshwilson3

I've read that its not good to use the yellow top in a car that doesn't have tons of electrical stuff. They've said something that the yellow top doesn't like to be barely drained and recharged all of the time. ??? Any input?

And what battery do you prefer? I'm guessing Optima? Or is there something else you like the best?

thanks

ScrapMaker

Yellowtop works wonders as a regular battery.

you can let the car sit for more than a year and still start it like normal.

joshwilson3

So, is the yellow top your favorite battery?

ScrapMaker

get the yellowtop, or get the orbital brand dual purpose... it's cheaper for the same thing.

LT1guy

iTrader: (1)

Thats just based on my expereience with them when they came out, vs now when they are available everywhere. I don't know what is different, but the first ones I had lasted much longer and never needed to be jumped or recharged after sitting for a long time. My first one was in a Nova SS that was run and broken in without an alternator, and the Optima never needed charging or jumpstarting. After about a year I got around to installing the alternator, and it fired right up. The newer ones seem to be much easier to kill.

LT1guy

iTrader: (1)

No, redtops are a POS...haven't always been (bought my first one over 10 years ago), but they are now. BTW I mentioned the special charger needed to properly charge one, though I didn't follow it with a rant about my superior knowledge, or demean anyone else for not knowing. It would help if Optima (and the sellers of these batteries) would make some effort to inform their customers. They'd probably get far fewer returns.
Dean, you do add something to most threads you reply to,and your help is appreciated, but you're far from the only source of good information here. Most people are here because they don't know everything, and want to learn more... not to prove anything to anyone else.
I don't always agree with everything the moderators here do, but I'm glad they are willing to do the job. I wouldn't want it!

V6#22

I have never heard or experience that.

My one and only experience with an Optima Yellow top battery is in my '89 Chev 1/2ton Worktruck that is my daily driver and pprimary source of transportation. The Yellowtop has been in there for about 7 years now and going strong. This truck has a complete aftermarket cooilng system (BeCool radiator, etc) with dual Hayden fans that are hardwired into the battery through a relay. That relay will still run the fans intermittently even after I shut the motor off on a very hot day or when I have been carrying a heavy 4000lb load of stone flooring uphill to a presitigious home. I have a total of 3 fans (2 radiator fans, 1 tranny cooler fan) that will continue to run after the ignition is keyed off so the battery takes a minor drain often- but never a major drain.

I will certainly by another Yellowtop Optima in the future. I have always bought top of the line Diehards (its what is still in the Camaro and all of my other cars) but my future battery purchases will all be Yellowtops due to the reliable success of the one in my truck.

LT1, I have not seen another factual rialble source on these boards with the vast actual experience with performance parts and driving experience that I have- I have a vst hands on knowledge and put parts to the test like very few others here.
Others here may have specitic topic experience, but not near the range of topics I have experience in. I am a large asset to these boards whether the Mods will admit it or not. I come in to here for fun. And now after the many bannings for overzealous moderators, I also come into here to simply irritate a few of them.
If I took on a moderator responsibility, the unfactual bickering would not happen- its their job, so do it, and I will not resort to demeaning someone who challanges me and posts unfactual info that could cause someone in need to waste their hard earned money. I personally am not here to be your or anyone elses best friend, I like coming into here to relax and give helpful advice so someone can make a calculated purchase or decision for someone elses life long knowledge and be saved from costly mistakes. I am human, I have been wrong myself on a few occations here over the last few yearsI've been around. History shows I take no offence when someone displays I was wrong on a fact and I gracefully thank them and publically appologise for my mistake.Unlike 99% of the asswipes I get that take it personal when I factually correct them, I am not a hypocrate and again history here has shown that.

rx7speed

out of curiousity aren't the deep cycle batteries not able to handle as quick of a drain as a normal lead acid batt?


EDIT: just figured I would chime in more of what I was talking about


I know a deep cycle can handle being draing mutliple times over and over and tend to last a little longer as well as being able to handle a smaller drain for quite some time

but lets say you put each under a very heavy load. I thought I saw something about the deep cycle batts either not being about to put out as much amperage under heavy load or not being able to handle it in other ways. though the more I think aobut it the more I think it was they don't have near the current capability

V6#22

RX7, the Optima Yellow spiral gelcell battery actually shines in the rapid discharge output area. It is actually what it is designed for. It will out perform a standard wetcell battery

The reds will also render a very high power output discharge, however the reds are much more tempermental on the charging stage and have to input charge very slowly even though they can output rapidly.

I believe the difference between the 2 types is how they handle the heat on charging. The only reference I can *guess* as to why one is better quality for charge that the other is possibly an example I can give you factually about Scuba tanks. Air going into them causes heat, air going out of them causes cooling. We can fill scuba bottles fast when they are submerged in a water bath to control heat, but you can never discharge them fast due to condensation buildup inside them from extreme cooling- it causes rust inside. Even though this is an entirely different example of an charge/discharge sinerio, it kindof shows how physics has an effect on a storage unit. The yellowtop probably has so kind of better heat resistant gel or cooling setup on charging so the cells do not get damaged like the inferior redtops do on a rapid charge.

joshwilson3

So you can get a yellow top charged up at autozone, but not a red top. Is this correct? If so, I'll just go with a yellow top.

thanks

ScrapMaker

I'm not sure the internal differences, but two things are sure in life:

1. Red Tops are just supposed to be ultra-reliable car batteries that last forever.

2. Yellow Tops are the same thing, but designed to be able to be COMPLETELY drained, and COMPLETELY re-charged. There are a limited number of charging cycles, and hard-core sound system junkies probably go through these dual-purpose batteries like candy.

V6sucker

Now THAT is a HALARIOUS statement...

Just how many times have you been banned...? Yeah thought so...
That alone should tell you just how much this site "NEEDS" you...

V6sucker

No, he did mean it because his ego is that big...

V6sucker

Whew...
yeah ...
Man can we ever live uo to you... or do you just want to be idolized for many many reasons...

Like it has been said before, these boards were just fine, if not a little better before you. Because when people do correct, or try to correct you, you begine personal attacks on them. THAT is what YOUR history has shown here...
You many names that have been banned prove that.

ALso, the only reason you are still able to get on the boards is because AOL uses screwed up subnetworking so to ban you, they have to block AOL all togeather.

I have given them advise on what to follow up on, maybe they will. Hell I hope they do because... the boards would be alot more peaceful without you here.

rx7speed

in all honesty though he has given some good information. and at points I enjoy having him around because he is able to give a hand

but I agree sometimes he gets a little out of hand with personal attacks though sometimes they are in defence cause of other clowns bringing it personal to him

I also agree this board will live just fine without him though as we have done so for a few years before he came.

ScrapMaker

I guess he's a bit cocky, but I don't know the specifics of everyone's complaints.

new topic: "How to de-rail a thread with one single post!"

V6sucker

It just becomes amatter is the trouble he causes worth the few technical help he gives...

I have pretty much already said what I think...
And I think the Mods have spoken as well...
I have also given them a few more things to check on sothat the next time he is banned, he might stay gone...

Anyway, to maker...
If there isnothing worng with the battery... why try to kill it?
I mean I donot know of any store that will give a "new" warranty on a replaced battery. It will carry the remainder of the original warrantry and that is about it.
They do that for obvious reasons, you are not the first one to try to pull this.

And I could probly create a few pages of complaints and rule breaking he has done... But what sums it up is he has been banned what? at least 20 times? and still manages to get back in through loop holes.

LT1guy

iTrader: (1)

They can charge either one (at least the one I go to can), but you have to make sure that they put Optima red tops on their gel cell battery charger. The more knowledgeable employees there know this, but your average employee doesn't.