What a difference a battery makes...

[george graves]

Three years ago I got a $80 800CCA Pile of shit kmart special - and assumed it would last 5 years. It just died a horable death 3 years later...

I don't know why I thought that it would last as long...I was putting in a bigger motor (m30 and it's HUGE starter) - who knows...But still - I have the worst luck with batts....I've never gotten more then 3 year out of one...even in a e21 with a m10.

Maybe it's me - I LOVE to leave my parking lights on when I go into a store - I really don't think that uncalled for. 5 mins for what 20 watts?

SOOoooo...I searched locally for a optima "red top" but no luck - I finally found a "obital" - looks like the same mold as a optima...everything bet the label...

Case in point - I LOVE a(/this) new battery - not just faster starts - but brigher lights all around. AMAZING...

DASH lights - head lights - BRIGHT - like *new*....

I'll keep you posted on how this sealed "optima" battery is doing....But 4 days into it - It is great.

[StereoInstaller1]

George, please keep me posted about this batteries performance. Optima threw about 30% price increase on its products, for no reason.

I still stock them, but I don't want to. Next will be Kinetik. They seem to be amazing, but they are too new to me to make an opinion.

Luke

[James Crivellone]

I'm running an Exide Orbital and its a fantastic battery, much faster cranks, good constant power, and it just works nicely. Had to make a custom battery mount for it, but otherwise it works fine.

Cheaper then the Optima that I could never find locally in the correct size.

[808BMW]

I run 2 orbital blue tops, good battery.

I know a few guys running kinetiks and they love em. Only audio guys would really need one though.

[george graves]

Update: A about 9 months after I got this knock off red top (called an "obital") it died. I ended up get it switched out for a real red top battery.

This weekend I left my GPS on, and plugged in. Car wouldn't turn over. Checked the voltage - it was 9 volts. Ouch. Threw it on the charger, and 10 mins later it started up. (I think this is the 2nd or 3rd time I've drained it)

The battery is still doing fine. 4 years and counting.

[M-technik-3]

Wow blasted out of the past.

[nmlss2006]

Yes, optimas are *very* resilient. The downside is that when they go, there's no resurrecting them, whereas traditional Pb/H2SO4 batteries can be resurrected reasonably often.

[TG Goose]

you can bring an Optima back. You need to use a CTek charger. I've personally resurrected an Optima battery with 2v showing to 12v after a stretch on my CTek.

[dwvw]

I love Kinetic batteries. I hate Optima, so many problems.

Anyways, once you have deep cycled a battery (dropped more than about 20% or down to about 10 volts for a normal starting battery) it can only be charged up to about 50% of it's previous capacity.

As you can see running a battery down to 9 volts only two times and your battery now has about 1/4 the capacity it originally had. Run it down again and your at 1/8, and so on.

[Voluted]

you can bring an Optima back. You need to use a CTek charger. I've personally resurrected an Optima battery with 2v showing to 12v after a stretch on my CTek.

The CTek charger is absolutely amazing. It really brings back batteries where other chargers fail.

[klavender1]

What about Interstate? I put a used battery we had laying around the shop when I bought this car 5 years ago. It was marked 2001. Just now finally died. Left the lights on one too many times. Up till that pointed it had always cranked strong.

[george graves]

running a (normal) battery down to 9 volts only two times and your battery now has about 1/4 the capacity

That's why I love Red tops. They bounce right back.

The CTek charger is absolutely amazing. It really brings back batteries where other chargers fail.

Most likely just a desulfator I would guess. They been around since before I was born.

[g.ruff561]

George, My sources tell me that there is no battery made by Optima that fits the front tray of the E30 vert. What Optima red top do you suggest?

[nando]

Anyways, once you have deep cycled a battery (dropped more than about 20% or down to about 10 volts for a normal starting battery) it can only be charged up to about 50% of it's previous capacity.

As you can see running a battery down to 9 volts only two times and your battery now has about 1/4 the capacity it originally had. Run it down again and your at 1/8, and so on.

my sears diehard battery lasted over 10 years. I ran that thing flat more times than I can count. It still worked when I replaced it but the cranking voltage was starting to suffer.

my current battery is from Napa.. check consumer reports. highly rated, and cheap.

[jrobie79]

I need a new battery, anyone have suggestions for batteries that have both a post terminal as well as a stud/bolt combo. I have one in my car now with these two, but it is a beast and just used till I get one that isnt as massive