[DML] Re: Questionable Optima Battery and voltage problem

["David Teitelbaum" <jtrealty@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

It doesn't matter what kind of a battery you have, they do not live
long in a constant state of discharge. If it goes dead you are not
going to fully recharge it by running the motor. Repeatadly part
charging and then killing the battery is VERY BAD for it's service
life as you have just found out. The best thing to do is to recharge
it slowly like John says and then test the battery, the alternator,
and find the reason it goes dead. You can use a voltmeter to test it
but the "best" way is to load test it. The master switch is also a
good idea especally if you don't use the car often (like once a week).
Dirty connections can keep a battery from being fully charged and will
make it seem like it is not fully charged when you try to start the
car. John is also correct in saying that using the alternator to
"bring the battery back from the dead" is much harder on the
alternator than to just bring it back up to a full state of charge
after starting the motor. The theory here is that the alternator is
just supposed to "top off" the battery after starting the car. The car
and all it's accessories is "supposed" to be fed from the alternator.
This is not always the case, particularly when the car is idling so
the battery helps some (but not if it is bad or has dirty connections).
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "John Hervey" <john@xxxx> wrote:
> Joe,
> Your the second person that had a bad experience with an optima
battery. The
> other person burned up an alternator regulator because the new Optima
> battery was shorted.




To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address:
moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx

For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com

To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/