Hey Rich, Thank you for the informative response. This makes perfect sense. I'm betting my Optima will be fine, then - My grounds are tight, my alternator is replaced, my cooling fans are John's low-profile, low current fans, and my lock module is also upgraded for reduced standby current. And I drive it regularly. It sounds like the combination of dirty grounds, stock 25 year old fans/alternator/lock module, along with periods of non-use and a sealed battery that doesn't tolerate discharge as well as others is the real problem here. -Ryan On 6/26/06, Tell you if you ask. <racuti1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > I have gained unique battery experience with my recent experimentation > with owning and driving a pure electric vehicle for daily use. I've > researched battery types, behavior, vendors and cost in my quest > to "stick it to the man" by greatly reducing my need to buy gasoline. > > 1. Gasoline powered cars are not a proper application of the Optima > Yellow top. It is true that they are deep cycle but they are > not "marine" batteries. The Blue-tops are. Yellow tops are often used > in pure electric vehicles that require high performance, but not > necessarily long range. > > 2. Red tops do suffer from some manufacturing defects but we as > DeLorean owners exacerbate the problem with dirty grounds, and low, > but constant loads on the battery and long periods of non-use. Combine > this with the low alternator output and heavy cooling fan load from > OEM fans and these batteries often get more than their fair share of > abuse. The stock alternator/fan combo isn't so much of an issue if > your grounds are clean and tight and the alternator is working > CORRECTLY and doesn't have a few dead diodes. > > 3. I have only had to install 1 red-top in my DeLorean. I have > upgraded my lock module with lower capacitors and different > transistors to reduce the standby current, upgraded the alternator and > keep my grounds clean and tight. The battery has lasted over 3 years > so far, through all seasons, daily driving as well as extended periods > of non-use. I did not use a cut-off switch. > > 4. Optima batteries are an AGM (Absorbed Glass Matt), spiral-wound > cell construction, that does not vent explosive hydrogen gas when > charging (unless grossly overcharged), nor leak if you flip over in an > accident which is a Good Idea for batteries stored in the "people > space" like our cars and Corvettes. Wet-cell, flooded lead-acid > batteries are cheaper, and adequate for vehicles where the battery is > stored in the engine compartment. I wouldn't waste the money on an > Optima for my pick-up truck. > > The bottom line is, the DeLorean must be healthy in order to keep the > battery healthy, what ever the type or vendor. If you prefer to use a > flooded, lead-acid battery, brands to avoid are "generic" brands > offered by Auto-zone and such, Exide, and certain Sears Die-hard > models. The lead plates are thin and of an out-dated design. A couple > of reliable brands are Interstate, and the Die-Hard "Gold" series. If > it seems like a 1000 cca battery is the only fix that works in your > car, it's only because the lead plates are thick enough to handle the > abuse that your car is dishing out in the form of poor grounding, weak > alternator output and constant drains from wiring problems and the old- > style lock module. You're just masking the real problem. > > Mike Cohee's Optima for example, was probably slowly killed by his > faulty alternator. Now that his alternator is replaced, his grounds > are clean and he has Lockzilla, let's see how long the new one lasts. > > If you like the AGM type battery, but don't trust Optima, Orbital > (made by Exide) and a few other marine battery manufacturers make a > similar battery. You may note that in one statement I recommend a > brand and in another statement I do not recommend the same brand. The > fact is, not all vendors make all bad or all good batteries. > > Rich A. > #5335 > > --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Ryan Wright" <ryanpwright@...> wrote: > > > > Curious, I wonder how many of you drive your cars regularly and > still have > > problems with the Optimas? Is it possible the batteries just don't > like to > > sit? Do they discharge more quickly when not in use, or are they > otherwise > > less tolerant of being discharged too low? > > > > Does anyone really know the actual reason so many have had problems > with > > them? > > > > -Ryan > > > > > > > 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/