Load test it, otherwise it sounds normal... Yes, you can trickle charge it. Just have to use the correct charger.
Battery going or just needs a charge?
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Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Optima's website does indeed suggest a battery charge if the voltage falls below 12.6V.
This is high to me, but it's their product.
Apparently, they do have a slightly higher voltage than normal batteries by design.
This is a common characteristic of AGM type batteries, my Odyssey pc 1500 {Die Hard Platinum} states a full 100% charge is 12.84 or higher volts at rest.
Optima's website does indeed suggest a battery charge if the voltage falls below 12.6V.
This is high to me, but it's their product.
Apparently, they do have a slightly higher voltage than normal batteries by design.
This is a common characteristic of AGM type batteries, my Odyssey pc 1500 {Die Hard Platinum} states a full 100% charge is 12.84 or higher volts at rest.
The battery volts are regulated by the vehicles charging system and not the battery. 12.6V or 12.84V is is a general value that is meaningless. Its a 12 volt system. Its AMPS not volts that are important here. The battery is 5 yrs old and should consider replacement at the first sign of weakness. It really doesn't matter how fancy it was 5 yrs ago.
Haven't had a chance to drive it as I've been busy but when I left Friday morning, the battery was fully charged and was at 12.5x volts. When I got back to the house this morning, it was back to 12.3, just sitting for 2 days.
I'm not at that house right now so no access to the car and I don't have a load tester handy so I'll have to stop by and pick one up.
I'm fine with having to get a new battery, if needed, I just want to make sure I'm not throwing away a perfectly usable one. It starts right up so no reason to question it...just the 12.3 was a red flag.
I'm not at that house right now so no access to the car and I don't have a load tester handy so I'll have to stop by and pick one up.
I'm fine with having to get a new battery, if needed, I just want to make sure I'm not throwing away a perfectly usable one. It starts right up so no reason to question it...just the 12.3 was a red flag.
Originally Posted By: willix
The battery volts are regulated by the vehicles charging system and not the battery. 12.6V or 12.84V is is a general value that is meaningless. Its a 12 volt system. Its AMPS not volts that are important here. The battery is 5 yrs old and should consider replacement at the first sign of weakness. It really doesn't matter how fancy it was 5 yrs ago.
too much wrong with the above statement to even get into it.
The battery volts are regulated by the vehicles charging system and not the battery. 12.6V or 12.84V is is a general value that is meaningless. Its a 12 volt system. Its AMPS not volts that are important here. The battery is 5 yrs old and should consider replacement at the first sign of weakness. It really doesn't matter how fancy it was 5 yrs ago.
too much wrong with the above statement to even get into it.
I am under the impression the battery is not working properly(loosing power to crank) A Load test will give you the condition.
Well, I unplugged it from the charger less than 6 hours ago and it's just been sitting in the garage and it went from 12.5x back to 12.30.
I'm going to guess there is a battery issue since it's losing voltage on its own and not through a parasitic lose.
I'm going to guess there is a battery issue since it's losing voltage on its own and not through a parasitic lose.
Originally Posted By: willix
The battery volts are regulated by the vehicles charging system and not the battery. 12.6V or 12.84V is is a general value that is meaningless. Its a 12 volt system. Its AMPS not volts that are important here. The battery is 5 yrs old and should consider replacement at the first sign of weakness. It really doesn't matter how fancy it was 5 yrs ago.
Uh, no.
I was wrong about the Optima rest battery voltage - it is indeed higher than normal types. But battery voltage is a very important and good test.
Total retained amps are impossible to measure. We can load test batteries, but that is a different test.
The battery volts are regulated by the vehicles charging system and not the battery. 12.6V or 12.84V is is a general value that is meaningless. Its a 12 volt system. Its AMPS not volts that are important here. The battery is 5 yrs old and should consider replacement at the first sign of weakness. It really doesn't matter how fancy it was 5 yrs ago.
Uh, no.
I was wrong about the Optima rest battery voltage - it is indeed higher than normal types. But battery voltage is a very important and good test.
Total retained amps are impossible to measure. We can load test batteries, but that is a different test.
You keep judging it based on the surface charge. It seems like 12.3V is where it wants to be. According to optima, too low, but if it keeps working for you... carry jumper cables and run it a little longer.
If the ammeter on the charger dips to a couple amps (or shows 75%+ charge) the battery's internal resistance is at least enough it won't take your alternator out, so you won't damage anything by keeping on going.
You're in a temperate climate... don't need every CCA.
If the ammeter on the charger dips to a couple amps (or shows 75%+ charge) the battery's internal resistance is at least enough it won't take your alternator out, so you won't damage anything by keeping on going.
You're in a temperate climate... don't need every CCA.
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