Actually you can recharge an optima. I've had a yellow top in my boat for a
little over a year now and it works great. I did have a full discharge and
attempted to have it charged at the local auto parts store. They almost
fried the battery and said it was dead as it would not take a charge. Since
I bought it on line, no one would honor the warranty. I found that
Interstate is the only warranty shop so I took it there. They put it on a
low slow charge and brought it back to life. They told me to never use the
high amp quick charge machines on the battery, you have to bring them back
up slow and low. I've also had a yellow top in the camper for the past 9
years. Great battery! I can attest that the yellow top is indeed a deep
cycle battery.
That said, Gary's recommendations about keeping the battery on a tender and
making sure it has not drain are excellent tips for any battery. His advise
to buy a lower priced battery has a lot of merit also. I have two LBCs and
don't use them nearly as much as I should to keep them in shape. I found
that Auto Zone and Advance Auto both have their own brand of battery at very
reasonable rates. The warranty is 1-2 years and they have no problem
replacing bad batteries. I guess it depends on how you use your Healey. If
you use it a fair amount and want a good battery for many years I would
highly recommend the optima. If the car sits a lot I would recommend a
cheap replaceable battery that you can easily afford to replace if it dies.
Pete
----- Original Message -----
From: <Editorgary@aol.com>
To: <healeys@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 31, 2009 12:39 AM
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Optimas
> In a message dated 1/30/09 11:06:18 AM, healeys-request@autox.team.net
> writes:
>
>
>>
>> >I need a new battery for my Healey. Anyone have any suggestions? I
>> >was
>> > interested in the sealed Optima but don't know much about it.
>>
>
> Keep one thing in mind: the Optima red is NOT a deep-cycle battery, and
> I'm
> not sure the Optima Yellow, which is a deep-cycle but more expensive, will
> fit
> (I could be wrong about that, but I know it won't fit in my MGA, though an
> Optima did.
>
> Did... as in past tense. Why? Simply because once you have completely
> discharged an Optima battery, it won't take a charge again. So if you've
> got a
> short
> somewhere in the system (or in my case a transponder that wasn't wired
> correctly) and the battery drains, poof, you're out the $150 these things
> cost.
>
> My suggestions: l. buy cheaper batteries -- you can get three for the
> price
> of an Optima if you shop around. 2. use a Battery Tender on the battery
> whenever it's parked in the garage. 3. Make sure you completely switch
> off
> the
> battery whenever the car is parked. 4. All of the above.
>
> Just my .02 bucks.
>
> Best,
> Gary
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