Originally Posted by petermj

Optima brand has no true deep cycle batteries, the yellow top is not a true deep cycle. Optima claims yellow top has the characteristics of a deep cycle battery but it is just marketing scheme to charge more. True deep cycle gel batteries are not capable of starting a car, they are meant to be discharged slowly over extended period of time. I agree with you completely that no matter what the battery is, a discharged battery is a discharged battery. Optima has a lower internal resistance meaning it will lose less charge over time but there are many other batteries doing exactly the same thing, with more capacity, more CA at the same or lower price. Batteries should be bought based on their specs and warranty, not a brand name.

Originally Posted by Wayne O

I won't debate battery technology (or grammar) but I've said before....the old guy I know at the autoparts store has sold both Optima and 'conventional' (non-Optima) auto batteries for years. He said based on all the dead batteries he sees brought-in daily the premium you pay for the Optima does not translate into that much of an extended service life, if any. In his opinion, for the money you're better off with a quality 'conventional' battery.

My C6 is not used daily and on occasion it can sit unused for several weeks at a time. I've never used a battery tender and I've never had any starting/electrical/battery issues. My OEM battery lasted lasted around 4.5 years....an acceptable service life IMO.

The Optima battery may provide a slightly extended service life but I question whether its worth the 70-100% premium you pay. I'll stick with what works well for me.

Originally Posted by petermj

The capacity is a matter of amount of lead plates battery has, the heavier the battery, the more capacity it will have.

Originally Posted by RainMan12

The problem with running batteries down too much is it allows sulfates to form on the plates which coats the plates and reduces their ability to both charge and discharge. The problem isn't as much letting the battery run flat, as it is how long it is left in a discharged state. It's one thing to drain a battery down and immediately start to recharge it. In that case, the battery will probably be only minimally impacted. The problem arises when the battery is drained, and then left in a discharge state. This is when the sulfates will form and coat the plates and ruin the battery.

There are some chargers out that attempt to "desulfate" batteries by applying pulses to the battery to dislodge any sulfate build up on the plates, and in some cases they can recover a sulfated battery, IF the suflation is not too severe. But it is true that draining a battery flat and leaving it that way can ruin indeed it. Even left in a slightly discharged state for a long enough period can diminish it's capacity. The way to prevent sulfation is to keep the battery fully charged, and this is the single best thing you can do to extend it's life.

Originally Posted by Mikado463

to the best of my knowledge Optima batteries are not 'lead plate', rather a fiberglass spiral mat design, far more resistent to vibration and inverted mounting.

Originally Posted by petermj

I hope you seriously did not think that Optima battery uses fiberglass mat to generate the charge, this is actually pretty funny

Originally Posted by Mikado463

Peter, not at all, I was merely implying that they did not use a 'plate' in the manner of a conventional 'lead acid' battery

Originally Posted by MidYearRoadster

Will somebody shoot this horse please................

Originally Posted by petermj

Ah OK. No matter what shape, the lead spiral still functions as conventional plates and the only difference is the acid is contained in the mat. Tampons and AGM operate on the same principle...

Originally Posted by CBRXX

When my battery dies I can replace it with tampons???

Originally Posted by petermj

Try harder if you want to clown in this thread. Did I say AGM battery or just AGM? AGM stands for ABSORPED GLASS MAT and the principal behind its operation is exactly the same as in anything else that absorps liquids, including tampons. Congrats on your reading comprehension and all around wit

Originally Posted by CBRXX

I do understand them, got one in my bike, and have read up on them. Will def. be getting one when due in my GS. Another benefit is their self discharge rate is much lower. About 1/10 the rate of a standard battery.

Originally Posted by petermj

Do comparisson shopping and check the specs. I would hold claims of lower discharge rate suspect at any time, get the manufacturer numbers and compare. The misinformation and creative marketing in so called high end batteries is only second to car audio and interestingly enough, they are often sold by the same retailers...

Originally Posted by Wayne O

The Optima battery may provide a slightly extended service life but I question whether its worth the 70-100% premium you pay.

Originally Posted by ELP_JC

In my personal experience, they're definitely worth the difference IF your battery is inside the car, like most Ferraris, dry-sump Vettes, etc. AGM batteries DO NOT do well in extreme heat found inside engine compartments. And I wouldn't buy one if my Vette wasn't a dry-sump. And that brings me to the opposite argument: A wet cell battery SHOULD NOT be installed inside the car, like it is on my GS. So will probably replace it way sooner than needed. The 'vent' cable on my battery was routed above the battery. Rotated the vent down to allow gravity to do its job, but even in a mild crash, battery acid can cause a lot of damage to surrounding parts. Not a good idea in my book. Have a good one.

Originally Posted by CBRXX

I was doing some reading on their benefits, not just marketing claims. I think they said discharge about 1% a month, while a regular battery may be closer to 10%, and thats just sitting on a shelf.

I do note that my motorcycle battery, when I pull it from the bike for the hardest part of winter, can sit for a months. After that, if I connect the battery tender, it registers full charge very quickly, in under a minute, it just goes from charging to "charged". I don't even bother now, I just know it will work.

Originally Posted by J Willis

Of course I know what a paragraph is. I was an English major in college and I am a published writer and poet. I just leave .........for paragraphs because it is a lot easier. Thank you...........