Truck took a poopy

You can cheat by hooking a good battery in parallel with the bad battery. The charger doesn't know there is 2 batteries.

Yes, new, smart chargers won't charge a battery that is less than 10 volts. It thinks there is a bad cell and won't turn on because the risk of sending voltage to a shorted battery, this could cause a fire.

 

Fire or battery explosion. Had that happen to me before. Turned on the shop charger and kaboom! Top blew right off the battery. Sent acid everywhere. Wasn't a optima obviously. Liquid acid.

 

ive had an optima battery years ago and it was nothing but problems...I just use a good quality battery and rarely do I have problems anymore...other than factory originals going out too soon.

 

I had a couple optimas in cruisers few years back. Must've got a couple bad ones, they both died, one within 6 months and the other in about 2 years. Really disappointed after falling for the hype. I switched to Sears Die Hard Platinum (AGM) which was made by Deka or Odyssey, can't remember which makes it for Sears. Had no problems with that one. And the other I went 'cheap' and put in an Interstate lead acid battery, still over a hundred bucks. But they've both performed well and exceeded or fulfilled my expectations.

 

I too have had Optima batteries, red top and then a yellow. Bailed on them and went with Odyssey, no problems.

If you find that the alternator is an issue, go with an LC version. I now have the 160 amp model which puts out 120 amps @ idle and runs/ supplies enough juice to run everything at once including my ARB twin compressors.
Check Boyle's, they too make awesome alternators for our trucks. Just have to send them yours which warrants down time if that works for you. It didn't for me which is why I went the LC way.

As a side note, I don't have a killer stereo system, just an Alpine double din and JBL separates, no amps.

Good luck.

 

Ever since optima switched from making batteries in Aurora co and started making them in Mexico there quality has sucked.
Another thing I've alway herd is get them in pairs. That way there made in the same batch at the same age. Mia matched batteries die faster.

 

yeah exactly...I stay away from interstate but thats only because I saw a lot more of them come through Autozone than any other battery

 

Oh, for real? Bummer, hopefully mine continues to perform well. Out of the lead acid batteries, which have you noticed the least amount of returns on? Relative to the quantity of sales, of course.

 

Most of the "bad" batteries were original factory models, followed by interstate, then autozone red batteries then yellow/gold, I also saw one or two sears batteries but since Sears and Napa had their own outlet stores I think thats why I didnt see those come in there much.

 

a poopy

 

FYI... An old PC power supply and a properly sized resister will charge any battery to 3.3, 5, or 12 volts. Don't need smart anything. LA,agm. Nicd, lithium ion, lifepo4,...etc. just limit amps with resistor so it slow charges to desired volts.
Obviously if it's a questionable batt, don't do it INSIDE, even with an idiot charger.