Why does an Optima battery take a different charger

Dave you stole my thunder. The paste between the plates allows for better transfer of energy then when compared to conventional wet cell. Because of this, it makes it easier to overheat the plates causing damage when charged at a high rate. Most digital (micro processed) chargers will charge optima batteries at the proper rate. I purchased a schumacher digital charger from advance auto for like $40 purposely for the optima in my Scamp. It also has a nice feature for severely discharged/sulfated batteries. It will run a charge process that will desulfate the plates, potentially bringing the battery to life.

http://www.batterychargers.com/ssc-1500a/