4woody
Well-Known Member
I just replaced a red top Optima. It still worked- sorta- but just wasn't charging fully anymore. It was 8 years old.
The charging system is stock mopar, dual field alt, I will measure it at temp this weekend. I went over all connections and measured voltage at all points, batt, alt, solenoid and starter. saw no voltage drop. the car seems to charge fine, maybe battery just going.What are the details of your charging system, IE one wire? Mopar "dual field?"
14.6 is too high, but also, you need to measure it with engine / regulator warmed up. The regulator is temperature compensated.
The charging system is stock mopar, dual field alt, I will measure it at temp this weekend. I went over all connections and measured voltage at all points, batt, alt, solenoid and starter. saw no voltage drop. the car seems to charge fine, maybe battery just going.
Hmmm, will check voltage at ING terminal at REG, should it be same as battery voltage?Quite often with these types of systems, you have a voltage drop between the battery and IGN terminal on the VR, or a ground problem with the VR. EIther or both "add up" and add charging voltage.
This is easy to check
14 years on one and 7 on the second. Both pre Mexico . Still using both. Going to find a good US made replacement soon.
My red top is over 12 years old. About 3 years ago I left my brakelight switch went out and my brake lights stayed on for about a week. The battery was reading around 2 volts, I figured it was time to replace it but I put it on a slow trickle charge for a few days and it came back. Been using it for 3 years since then.
Optima suck..went through 2 of them they don't hold a charge if the car sits for awhile..got an Exide hold a charge just fine..
I've got 3 12v red top optima's and a 6v red top. Oldest is about 6 years old now. The 6v in our 55 coronet has sat for months and fired the car off straight away with no charge needed. The only times I've put any of them on a charger has been my fault for killing
them, and they've always taken a full charge afterward. I've yet
to replace one.
Never had a good diehard, maybe one in the 60's
I've never had a "Die Hard" last more than two years. Which means my 6 year old Optima has saved me about $100. Maybe die hard's used to be ok, but none of the one's I've bought in the last ten years has been anything other than a piece of junk.