Spiral Cell AGM Battery

Steve@Advance

Well-known Member
Looks like I'm going to be replacing the battery in my '01 Silverado again...

Looking at the Optima Red Top. I would like to hear from those who have used them in automotive applications in HOT climates.

I have always had short battery life in this truck, 1 to 2 years is the norm. Everything checks out, not over charging, no other electrical problems, just a daily driver. The only thing I can come up with is the heat. I sometimes sit with the AC on when it's 100*+, then get caught in evening traffic, idling and creeping on the freeway, probably 120*. It came from the factory with an insulation sleeve around the battery, which is still there and in good condition.

Every battery has failed in hot weather. All except this one have failed without warning. Try to start and totally dead... This one is acting different, it seems to have no reserve. Sit with the radio on for 45 minutes and it turns real slow. I suspect it's low on electrolyte, but it's sealed, no way to check it. It holds a charge otherwise, it can sit from Friday to Monday and crank just fine.

So, any experience with this type battery in a hot climate? Any other brand any better?
I see them on Ebay for $157, no tax, no disposal, no shipping. That makes them real close in price to a regular battery.

Thanks!
 
Batterys seem to be one product that you really get what you pay for. I always bite the bullet and buy the best batteries i can afford for my vehicles, and try to buy it at a national chain so i have a better chance of a warranty swap where ever i might go. Never needed to swap a battery though, I'm proactive in replacing them and the old battery always gets moved to a tractor.

Optima's reputation has slipped in the past few years. If it were my truck I'd buy a 48 month lead acid battery.
 

Worst case Optima bats make for a good back up power supply for you home/shop computer...

I told the USPS to never come back to my shop even to plug a tire I do miss the supply of used Optima battery's for my back up system...
 
(quoted from post at 16:29:11 09/17/15) Looks like I'm going to be replacing the battery in my '01 Silverado again...

Looking at the Optima Red Top. I would like to hear from those who have used them in automotive applications in HOT climates.

I have always had short battery life in this truck, 1 to 2 years is the norm. Everything checks out, not over charging, no other electrical problems, just a daily driver. The only thing I can come up with is the heat. I sometimes sit with the AC on when it's 100*+, then get caught in evening traffic, idling and creeping on the freeway, probably 120*. It came from the factory with an insulation sleeve around the battery, which is still there and in good condition.

Every battery has failed in hot weather. All except this one have failed without warning. Try to start and totally dead... This one is acting different, it seems to have no reserve. Sit with the radio on for 45 minutes and it turns real slow. I suspect it's low on electrolyte, but it's sealed, no way to check it. It holds a charge otherwise, it can sit from Friday to Monday and crank just fine.

So, any experience with this type battery in a hot climate? Any other brand any better?
I see them on Ebay for $157, no tax, no disposal, no shipping. That makes them real close in price to a regular battery.

Thanks!
reat luck with Optima in tractors.. My '01 Silverado (Tx) has only had two replacement batteries. May be something wrong or just bad luck in your case.
 
I have a red top on my loader tractor that is still strong after 21 years, BUT it is on the side of a tractor away from engine heat and in a climate where we rarely see 100F.

Sounds like your situation is extreme under hood heat, so I doubt a sealed AGM will last any longer than a flooded cell battery, maybe less.

They are sealed to a point, they have pressure relief valves on each cell that will open and relieve pressure before internal pressure explodes the battery case, so get them hot enough and they will vent electrolyte gas until they are dried out. Once their relief valve pops, it stays popped.

If you moved that new Optima red top or an Exide Orbital( an Optima clone) to a boat battery box in the pickup bed, it might last 15 years plus, like the dozen or so Optima red tops and Exide Orbitals I have in my equipment,tractors, cars,trucks.
 
What brand battery are you using and is it's rating within specs? 1-2 years you should still be in the free warranty replacement period of most brands. AGM batteries are gaining popularity and there are many brands around today, I would look at all options.

A good AGM battery should last 2-3 longer than flooded cell batteries. Most of the problems with the AGM is from deep discharges and attempting to recharge. Specific chargers and/or charging sequences should be used for proper charging.
 
There may be lots of Walmart haters here, but they have never given me a problem with battery warranty (as long as I keep the receipt). I put the receipt in a sealed pouch on the side of the battery so I can't lose it! I have also had good luck with Fleet Farm, Rural King, and Fleet Supply warrantying their batteries.

My other suggestion would be to get a "low maintenance" battery instead of a "maintenance free". I have had a "low maintenance" battery last 12+ years with lots of abuse. The idea would be to check the electrolyte level(s) and maintain it above the plates about twice a year...

Regards,

Goldsburg
 
Steve,
My 2007 GMC came with a delco agm. It lasted 4.5 years. I went to rural king and bought a cheap $45 exide. The exide is now 3.5 years old and still working.

I think battery life can be extended by desulfating them 2 or 3 times a year.

People want things to last forever. I look at from a cost averaging stand point. How much does it cost per month? If a $45 battery lasts 45 months, that's a buck a month.

Do you think $157 battery will last 157 months? What will happen if the ebay battery dies after a year or two, you pay to ship it back? Good luck.

I never have paid a disposal fee to get rid of a battery. Every place I buy a battery will charge a core charge, they want dead batteries or I sell them at the recyclers.
George
 
In my former job, we would ship equipment with batteries overseas to the middle east and then it would sit in the heat. Two years later when we tried to start it up the batteries would be toast. We started shipping with Optima AGM batteries in an effort to fix this. The glass mat keeps flakes from falling off of the plates to the bottom of the battery and shorting out cells. It did seem to help.

Cliff(VA)
 
I have a red top Optima in my wife's Aztek that is 11 years old and going strong. It was used when I got it. Spiral cell, gelled electrolyte Optima batteries are a different animal than AGM batteries that have the electrolyte absorbed in mats between cells. I would not have an AGM battery if you gave it to me. I worked for a Chevy dealer when GM tried the AGM batteries in new cars. We replaced the battery in almost every car we sold within 18 months, some before the car was even sold. GM discontinued AGM replacements after a year, so they were replaced with premium conventional batteries. I think AGM batteries may be good, but the charging needs are too specific for typical auto use.
 
Please post a link to an ad for GEL cell Optima batteries, I would love to read up on them. I have never seen any red, blue or yellow top Optima in anything but AGM.
 
I have used the Optima batteries and had good luck with them. My application was for extended time without use, so the lower self discharge rate was what I was after. I reviewed my file on these batteries and the only reference to temperature I found was: "Extremely resilent to heat and cold - tests prove that it performs better in all temperature extremes than conventional batteries". Maybe that means they last longer in high temperature applications however, it does not actually state that.

I do agree with you, that heat seems to be a killer for batteries. Since you spend time stalled with the engine running I would suggest looking at getting some extra air flow under the hood, a hood scoop open to the rear, spacing the hood to form a air gap at the rear or removing any gaskets that may seal the hood to the fenders...etc. Under hood heat also acts to shorten the life of hoses, electrical components, etc.
 
Do you have a slow electrical drain? I installed a $10 battery isolator switch to keep a 1994 Chevy pickup from draining the battery when parked.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top