just ordered an Optima red top - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

jims69camaro · 04-18-2008, 01:19 PM

and a solar powered trickle charger for the pumpkin. as soon as the battery gets here, she'll be released from winter-prison. oil change and coolant flush and she'll be ready for next weekend.

"you've got mail, yay!"

unstable bob gable · 04-18-2008, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

and a solar powered trickle charger for the pumpkin. as soon as the battery gets here, she'll be released from winter-prison. oil change and coolant flush and she'll be ready for next weekend.

"you've got mail, yay!"

Where'd ya order it from? I've noticed that more and more places are carring Optimas in stock...

NumberTwo · 04-19-2008, 01:24 AM

Advance has em on their shelf. Thats where I got the one I have now.

Frosty · 04-19-2008, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NumberTwo

Advance has em on their shelf. Thats where I got the one I have now.

nj85z28 · 04-19-2008, 08:03 AM

i was thinking of picking one up for my SS today..how much at advance?

BigAls87Z28 · 04-19-2008, 10:09 AM

We actually got rid of Optima due to warranty issues. We now carry our own brand of AGM batteries called the Die Hard Platnium. They carry a longer warranty, and have more power. They are a bit more pricey. 179.99 for cars. 4 year free replacement/100 month total warranty.

NumberTwo · 04-19-2008, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nj85z28

i was thinking of picking one up for my SS today..how much at advance?

IIRC they're 129.99 +-10.00. Luckily I still have a connection there

jims69camaro · 04-19-2008, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unstable bob gable

Where'd ya order it from? I've noticed that more and more places are carring Optimas in stock...

well, i opted (no pun intended) for the kicker, 800 cca (to turn over that big block i've got hidden away

), so i got it for $164 shipped. if you go to the optima website, they are supposedly the #1 online optima sellers, wait i'll get the link...

http://www.1st-optima-batteries.com/

i got the 34/78 only to have the option of putting it in another car with GM side posts or sticking it in the trunk... the camaro is setup for top posts, which is fine. i thought seriously about getting the smaller battery, but figured it will be the last battery i should have to buy for 10 years or so, so i bumped myself up a notch. with the charger, i should be secure as far as the battery is concerned. i hope i don't have one of Al's warranty issues...

Featherburner · 04-19-2008, 05:58 PM

I hope you have good luck with the Optima but, like Al was saying, I haven't heard anything good about them lately. Then again you don't hear about a part when it's doing it's job, only when it fails so who knows.

qwikz28 · 04-19-2008, 06:22 PM

jim- my optima just failed on me but like an idiot i bought another for lack of any better ideas. by the way, trickle chargers don't work on optimas. i asked and they said no it won't work, i tried anyway and it still didn't work.

jims69camaro · 04-19-2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwikz28

jim- my optima just failed on me but like an idiot i bought another for lack of any better ideas. by the way, trickle chargers don't work on optimas. i asked and they said no it won't work, i tried anyway and it still didn't work.

aw, ish, don't tell me that. their website says no special charger needed, anything on the market will work. dang it, i guess i'll be returning that one and getting a new one (gonna pop it open and check to see if it works first

).

nj85z28 · 04-19-2008, 10:40 PM

picked one up today. 149 at advance, in stock. im happy

qwikz28 · 04-19-2008, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

aw, ish, don't tell me that. their website says no special charger needed, anything on the market will work. dang it, i guess i'll be returning that one and getting a new one (gonna pop it open and check to see if it works first

).

it was strange cause i called up the company that makes the trickle charger and they said it won't work on a dry cell, but optima said it would. tried it and no dice, just got an error light. could be the brand of trickle charger but i asked a guy at a parts store nearby home and he said ya can't charge a dry cell....

jims69camaro · 04-20-2008, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qwikz28

it was strange cause i called up the company that makes the trickle charger and they said it won't work on a dry cell, but optima said it would. tried it and no dice, just got an error light. could be the brand of trickle charger but i asked a guy at a parts store nearby home and he said ya can't charge a dry cell....

well, thanks for speaking up, anyway. from what i understand, it's still a wet cell, just a different arrangement of the components in a cylindrical manner. i'll definitely post up the results of the charger. the battery is a keeper, as long as it does its job.

NumberTwo · 04-20-2008, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

well, thanks for speaking up, anyway. from what i understand, it's still a wet cell, just a different arrangement of the components in a cylindrical manner. i'll definitely post up the results of the charger. the battery is a keeper, as long as it does its job.

It is still a wet cell. The plates are arranged in a cylindrical formation like you said, with a mat type material inbetween the plates. The mat maintains the electrolyte medium, which combined with the plate configuration allows for sideways mounting w/o fear of spillage/leakage while increasing the battery's structural integrity. Ive never heard of a red top not being aboe to be charged. In essence the alternator gives the battery a charge while its running. 164 shipped for an 800CCA 34/78 series isnt bad at all.

BigAls87Z28 · 04-20-2008, 01:21 PM

$180 with 880cca's for a 34/78 FTW

qwikz28 · 04-20-2008, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

well, thanks for speaking up, anyway. from what i understand, it's still a wet cell, just a different arrangement of the components in a cylindrical manner. i'll definitely post up the results of the charger. the battery is a keeper, as long as it does its job.

let me know what happens cause if its just my charger that doesn't work then i'll get something new

jims69camaro · 04-23-2008, 11:48 AM

ok, will do. the battery arrived about a half hour ago. another two days shipping for the charger, even though they were ordered the same day (two different companies).

and, al, that's $16 more than i paid. FAIL.

oh, and for ish and giggles, i put on the delivery instructions "put behind orange car". guess where the battery is...? they listened!

bad64chevelle · 04-23-2008, 12:11 PM

Jim I would hope you wouldnt have any problems with your optima, Ive had mine for 3 years now and have NEVER had a problem. The car sat all winter two winters ago and when I went to fire the car up in the spring it still had enough juice to turn the engine over and fire it without any help. I had an old Orange top, was really great lookin under the hood of the Chevelle, but unfortunately my dad crossed the charger cables and fried it. The Red I have now is in my dad's John Deere tractor that now that I think of it is in the shop getting a new motor put in...I hope it comes back with that battery.

qwikz28 · 04-23-2008, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

ok, will do. the battery arrived about a half hour ago. another two days shipping for the charger, even though they were ordered the same day (two different companies).

and, al, that's $16 more than i paid. FAIL.

oh, and for ish and giggles, i put on the delivery instructions "put behind orange car". guess where the battery is...? they listened!

i think i'm gonna buy one of those solar powered trickle chargers for my 4 wheeler. my mother isn't happy about the extension cord going all the way to the shed

jims69camaro · 04-23-2008, 01:35 PM

ok, the one i went for was listed at $59.99, with a $10 instant coupon. i went to NorthernTool.com, which was the first site listed. i know their prices to be competitive, but their products usually come from china and overseas. can either be plugged into the cigarette lighter or use the battery clamps. this is the one:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...5091_200305091

good luck, whatever you decide to do. sounds like you had a bum charger last time.

jims69camaro · 04-23-2008, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bad64chevelle

I had an old Orange top, was really great lookin under the hood of the Chevelle

that's the reason why i've kept the inspection sticker on the camaro - it's orange. i do have to get the QQ tags this year, though, to remain legal.

jims69camaro · 04-23-2008, 05:04 PM

charger arrived today, too. they had estimated arrival for the 25th, so i wasn't expecting it until then. if you do get it, don't be alarmed by it's size. the solar panel is about 16" square, and it's in its own packaging, which they put inside a form fitting box for transportation, which was inside another big box packed with newspaper. kind of a waste of space, but, whatever. it's here. i have to take it out and test it with my voltmeter to make sure it outputs like they say it should.

qwikz28 · 04-23-2008, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jims69camaro

ok, the one i went for was listed at $59.99, with a $10 instant coupon. i went to NorthernTool.com, which was the first site listed. i know their prices to be competitive, but their products usually come from china and overseas. can either be plugged into the cigarette lighter or use the battery clamps. this is the one:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...5091_200305091

good luck, whatever you decide to do. sounds like you had a bum charger last time.

charger works fine on the 4wheeler, just not with the optima. i'm probably gonna sell it and get the solar for the 4wheeler if you say it works well

Mike · 04-23-2008, 05:12 PM

jake, my optima was dead over the winter and i put it on a trickle charger and it worked just fine.......now the battery works good as new