scca_stang
New Member
anyone have a suggestion for a battery for a car that doesnt get driven all the time?
I have an Optima and it wont hold a charge
I have an Optima and it wont hold a charge
Batteries for cars that dont get driven all the time
- Thread starter scca_stang
- Start date
Maybe your battery is good but there is something draining it. Try charging it up, then disconnecting the battery cables. If it holds a charge then, it isn't the battery. My Optima didn't hold a charge very long either, but I found the dome light was staying on. I disconnected it and that stopped all the problems.
ttocs
Post Whore
Optima isn't the brand it use to be. IF it isn't being driven often an agm might be better then a standard battery.
Why not fix the dome light?
Ive got optimas in all my vehicles. My car has one and sits for weeks, I can go out and start it up right now and thats with a 13:1 compression engine. My f250 also has one and it sits a lot now because I have a company truck and my wife drives her excursion. Every time I need my truck, it starts right up. Ive never had any trouble out of my red tops.
ttocs
Post Whore
I know a few people that are still lucky like you but I know more people in the 12v industry that switched to other brands that did not lower quality over the years. Its not uncommon as making good batteries is both expensive and easy to cheap out on and say it doesn't matter, but it does. Same thing happened with Kinetik batteries. Earlier this year when I was looking into AGM batteries I was told by my buddies still in the industry that odyssey was who I should check out.
Ive heard about the quality going down with the optimas but I havent experienced it yet. I will also say that if I ever have an issue with one of mine, Odyssey is where I will be going. Ive heard that they are on top of their game right now.
I have a ragtop, dome light is in the mirror. I sprayed WD-40 on the door switches, messed with wires, no idea why it won't go off. Easier to disconnect the wire to the light for now. Will plug it back in and work on it when more important projects are done - I started installing Cobra rear axle, new upper and lower control arms, lowering springs, KYBs, Cobra front brakes, camber plates, strut tower brace last spring and I'm only about 3/4 done. Life got in the way...
Get one of these if your car sits for a long time and be done with battery problems: https://smartercharger.com/products/batterychargers/ctek-multi-us-4-3/
Mine is stored in winters with one of these hooked up 24/7.
Mine is stored in winters with one of these hooked up 24/7.
