Optima battery charger
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- Stu
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Optima battery charger
Need a bit of help deciphering some info please.
I have a red top Optima battery that got run down due to my voltage regulator letting me down. I have read in plenty of places that you shouldn’t charge them with a regular charger, so emailed Optima in the States to see if they could supply a charger. This is the response I got :
“Thank you for your interest in Optima products. The Digital 1200/400 is for use with 110 Volt 60 Hz AC power consistent with U.S. and Canadian standards. We do not offer a 220V or 240V charger. The chargers are not available outside of the US & Canada.
Since there are many great battery chargers on the market, we do not have the capability of testing each one. We do not “Officially” endorse specific chargers, yet we will supply information about our charging recommendations.
The best method for consumers to maximize AGM battery performance or to recover a deeply discharged AGM battery is to use a modern AGM specific microprocessor-controlled charger with a conditioning/desulfation mode.
Below is a link to charging rate recommendations.
https://www.optimabatteries.com/support ... t/charging “
The relevant info from the link comes up as :
“REDTOP Type: 34 & 34R - 34/78 - 78 - 25 & 35 - 75/25
These batteries are designed for engine starting applications. They are NOT recommended or warranted for use in deep-cycle applications.
Recommended charging information:
Alternator:
13.3 to 15.0 volts, no amperage limit.
Battery Charger:
13.8 to 15.0 volts, 10 amps maximum, for approximately six to twelve hours.
Rapid Recharge:
Maximum voltage 15.6 volts (regulated), no current limit as long as battery temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). Charge until current drops below one amp.
Float Charge:
13.2 to 13.8 volts, one amp maximum current, time indefinite (at lower voltage).
Strictly adhere to all limits.”
All I really want to know is, from the plethora of chargers out there, can anyone point an electrical dunce in the right direction of one that fits the bill from the info in the link?
Tia!
I have a red top Optima battery that got run down due to my voltage regulator letting me down. I have read in plenty of places that you shouldn’t charge them with a regular charger, so emailed Optima in the States to see if they could supply a charger. This is the response I got :
“Thank you for your interest in Optima products. The Digital 1200/400 is for use with 110 Volt 60 Hz AC power consistent with U.S. and Canadian standards. We do not offer a 220V or 240V charger. The chargers are not available outside of the US & Canada.
Since there are many great battery chargers on the market, we do not have the capability of testing each one. We do not “Officially” endorse specific chargers, yet we will supply information about our charging recommendations.
The best method for consumers to maximize AGM battery performance or to recover a deeply discharged AGM battery is to use a modern AGM specific microprocessor-controlled charger with a conditioning/desulfation mode.
Below is a link to charging rate recommendations.
https://www.optimabatteries.com/support ... t/charging “
The relevant info from the link comes up as :
“REDTOP Type: 34 & 34R - 34/78 - 78 - 25 & 35 - 75/25
These batteries are designed for engine starting applications. They are NOT recommended or warranted for use in deep-cycle applications.
Recommended charging information:
Alternator:
13.3 to 15.0 volts, no amperage limit.
Battery Charger:
13.8 to 15.0 volts, 10 amps maximum, for approximately six to twelve hours.
Rapid Recharge:
Maximum voltage 15.6 volts (regulated), no current limit as long as battery temperature remains below 125°F (51.7°C). Charge until current drops below one amp.
Float Charge:
13.2 to 13.8 volts, one amp maximum current, time indefinite (at lower voltage).
Strictly adhere to all limits.”
All I really want to know is, from the plethora of chargers out there, can anyone point an electrical dunce in the right direction of one that fits the bill from the info in the link?
Tia!
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24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…
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- mopar_mark
- Posts: 6709
- Joined: Fri Jul 14, 06 8:01 pm
- Location: Windlesham, Surrey
Re: Optima battery charger
When my Optima went completely flat, it wouldn’t take a charge or I couldn’t get it to charge to full capacity. A mate of mine told me to put a charger on an old battery & add jump leads from the old battery to the Optima to charge it. I was sceptical, but it worked.
In fairness, I didn’t have a specific charger for an Optima, was a basic Halfords type charger. So this could of been the reason for not fully charging. But never worried, as it would charge through an old battery if needed
In fairness, I didn’t have a specific charger for an Optima, was a basic Halfords type charger. So this could of been the reason for not fully charging. But never worried, as it would charge through an old battery if needed
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."
Re: Optima battery charger
Interesting feedback, Mark.
I can only assume that the other battery is acting as a large smoothing capacitor that give the Optima an opportunity to change at its desired rate more efficiently.
I have a few !spare! Optima's so may give your idea a go!
I can only assume that the other battery is acting as a large smoothing capacitor that give the Optima an opportunity to change at its desired rate more efficiently.
I have a few !spare! Optima's so may give your idea a go!
Pete Wiseman; Cambridge.
Mopar by the grace of God
Mopar by the grace of God
- Stu
- Posts: 6893
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 05 4:15 pm
- Location: Shropshire, home of the worlds smallest big screen TV
Re: Optima battery charger
Thanks Mark, that’s an interesting revival technique.
It’s not totally dead, thankfully I rolled into Jims as it was about to die and he had a voltage regulator in the shelf, so jumped it and got some charge on the way back. Just made me realise I don’t have the right charger and wanted to find something that would fit the bill.
It’s not totally dead, thankfully I rolled into Jims as it was about to die and he had a voltage regulator in the shelf, so jumped it and got some charge on the way back. Just made me realise I don’t have the right charger and wanted to find something that would fit the bill.
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
Re: Optima battery charger
i have also done this in the past and it worked, more recently i have a CTEK charger that does different types of battery that has successfully charged them up, last Xmas my son got me an inexpensive NOCO charger that according to the blurb works on them though i havent tried it yetmopar_mark wrote: ↑Sun Mar 13, 22 5:32 pm When my Optima went completely flat, it wouldn’t take a charge or I couldn’t get it to charge to full capacity. A mate of mine told me to put a charger on an old battery & add jump leads from the old battery to the Optima to charge it. I was sceptical, but it worked.
In fairness, I didn’t have a specific charger for an Optima, was a basic Halfords type charger. So this could of been the reason for not fully charging. But never worried, as it would charge through an old battery if needed
https://www.amazon.co.uk/NOCO-GENIUS1UK ... MG3N&psc=1
Re: Optima battery charger
i have on of those Ctek computer controlled chargers
its ok, can't say i'm impressed enough to consider it a BEST BUY
It won't charge a flat battery.
in the past i have used an old 1980s charger on LOW for 1-2 hours to get some charge into the battery get its voltage to 10 volts or so
then the CTEK will work on a trickle charge over a few days to bring the battery back
i.e much the same as using 2 batteries.
when you put a good battery and a bad battery in parallel something like a Ctek charger, can see a battery of 12 volts and twice the current capacity and to the charger it now seems to have some charge and its voltage is above the 6 volt threshold.
single flat battery looks like no battery at all.
the computer based ones think the battery is faulty or that they are not connected to a battery when its really flat. which is why they won't start to charge..
Utterly useless in a siutaion where you really need to charge a battery.
Great in a situation where you don't i.e trickle top up over winter etc
other option is a cheap chinese laboratory power supply
GOPHERT NPS-1602 0-60V 0-3A 110V/220V 180W Switching Digital Adjustable DC Power Supply bout £60
https://uk.banggood.com/GOPHERT-NPS-160 ... rehouse=CN
set to 14.3 Volts and limit current to 0.5 amps and leave it for a few hours or a day then up the amps to 3 and wait until the Volt meter gets to about 13 V usually a day or 2 later, this is a slow gentle charge as most car batteries would fast charge at 5-8 amps.
Basically you will get to a point where current flowing in, is really small can't really leave this unattended and do it in a well venticlated area.
obvioulsy you need to switch it off yourself.... no auto switch off.
anything you can do with a charger you can do with power supply and its ultimately way more useful. plateing rust removal et al
look up the best charging/reclamation/restoration chargeing profile for your type of battery chemistry, on the internet. Execute manually using the settings on the supply.
i.e Gell type differs from wet type differs from AGM for lead acid
and of course all others need different processes. your lithium ion battery booster or mobile phone chageing block needs a different charging profile
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/b ... wer-supply
and
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/b ... -lead-acid
and a bit on AGM batteries
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/b ... %20battery.
PS second battery is just making the first one look like a battery... if the chargeing current needs smoothing!!!!...then your charger is busted and you battery won't like it
Dave
its ok, can't say i'm impressed enough to consider it a BEST BUY
It won't charge a flat battery.
in the past i have used an old 1980s charger on LOW for 1-2 hours to get some charge into the battery get its voltage to 10 volts or so
then the CTEK will work on a trickle charge over a few days to bring the battery back
i.e much the same as using 2 batteries.
when you put a good battery and a bad battery in parallel something like a Ctek charger, can see a battery of 12 volts and twice the current capacity and to the charger it now seems to have some charge and its voltage is above the 6 volt threshold.
single flat battery looks like no battery at all.
the computer based ones think the battery is faulty or that they are not connected to a battery when its really flat. which is why they won't start to charge..
Utterly useless in a siutaion where you really need to charge a battery.
Great in a situation where you don't i.e trickle top up over winter etc
other option is a cheap chinese laboratory power supply
GOPHERT NPS-1602 0-60V 0-3A 110V/220V 180W Switching Digital Adjustable DC Power Supply bout £60
https://uk.banggood.com/GOPHERT-NPS-160 ... rehouse=CN
set to 14.3 Volts and limit current to 0.5 amps and leave it for a few hours or a day then up the amps to 3 and wait until the Volt meter gets to about 13 V usually a day or 2 later, this is a slow gentle charge as most car batteries would fast charge at 5-8 amps.
Basically you will get to a point where current flowing in, is really small can't really leave this unattended and do it in a well venticlated area.
obvioulsy you need to switch it off yourself.... no auto switch off.
anything you can do with a charger you can do with power supply and its ultimately way more useful. plateing rust removal et al
look up the best charging/reclamation/restoration chargeing profile for your type of battery chemistry, on the internet. Execute manually using the settings on the supply.
i.e Gell type differs from wet type differs from AGM for lead acid
and of course all others need different processes. your lithium ion battery booster or mobile phone chageing block needs a different charging profile
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/b ... wer-supply
and
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/b ... -lead-acid
and a bit on AGM batteries
https://batteryuniversity.com/article/b ... %20battery.
PS second battery is just making the first one look like a battery... if the chargeing current needs smoothing!!!!...then your charger is busted and you battery won't like it
Dave
The Greater Knapweed near the Mugwort by the Buckthorn tree is dying
- Stu
- Posts: 6893
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 05 4:15 pm
- Location: Shropshire, home of the worlds smallest big screen TV
Re: Optima battery charger
I am officially more confused than I was in the first place.
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
Re: Optima battery charger
https://www.toolstation.com/trickle-bat ... ger/p17423. I’ve had one of these connected to my Odessey battery whenever the Barracuda is in the garage for the last 4 years. Seems to to be doing the job.
“This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no foolin’ around”
- Stu
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- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 05 4:15 pm
- Location: Shropshire, home of the worlds smallest big screen TV
Re: Optima battery charger
Cheers Blue.
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
Re: Optima battery charger
I've had a number of Optima's over the years (red top/yellow top) and I just used anything that's marked for an AGM battery. For trickle charging the CTEKs are great and down at the track I use one of these:
- https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke- ... y-charger/
- https://www.drapertools.com/product/534 ... ainer-10a/
adrian.
- https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke- ... y-charger/
- https://www.drapertools.com/product/534 ... ainer-10a/
adrian.
- Stu
- Posts: 6893
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 05 4:15 pm
- Location: Shropshire, home of the worlds smallest big screen TV
Re: Optima battery charger
Thanks Adrian.
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
Re: Optima battery charger
was bored so went off on a ramble... apologies
charge it wiith an old style charger
then stick it on a modern one to keep it happy
or do the 2 batteries trick to get a modern one to charge it
there
Dave
The Greater Knapweed near the Mugwort by the Buckthorn tree is dying
- Stu
- Posts: 6893
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 05 4:15 pm
- Location: Shropshire, home of the worlds smallest big screen TV
Re: Optima battery charger
Lol, don’t worry Dave, it’s all advice gratefully received.
I’m all sorted now, went to a local old fashioned motor factors that I did t know had sprung up down the road and they’ve walked me through it and I pick up my charger today.
I’m all sorted now, went to a local old fashioned motor factors that I did t know had sprung up down the road and they’ve walked me through it and I pick up my charger today.
24 hours in a day, 24 beers in a case. Coincidence? I think not…
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435
70 Challenger
MMA/489
NSS/435