Optima Battery

I have never heard this from my Optima although I have seen conventional lead/acid batteries gassing pretty heavily on uncontrolled chargers.
I would check to see how much voltage is going into the battery. If it taking a serious bulk charge the battery will gas alot. If the voltage is excessive it might be a good idea to check the regulator. It looks like Optima prefers a charge voltage of between 13.6V-15v.
This is a quote from Optima
"Always use a voltage regulated battery charger with limits set to the above ratings. Overcharging
can cause the safety valves to open and battery gases to escape, causing premature end of life.
These gases are flammable! You cannot replace water in sealed batteries that have been
overcharged. Any battery that becomes very hot while charging should be disconnected
immediately."

Blaine

I do know that the Optima is said to require a higher than normal voltage to charge properly. It also does have a vent on top. But I thought that they were suppose to be sealed and able to mount at any angle. Was it Hot? That could be clue to some thing wrong. You could also call the manufacturer and see if this is normal.

I did not have a multimeter handy to check what it was charging at , but the voltmeter was showing about 13V.

Also the battery was not hot, not even warm.

Thanks for the tips .

Chip

Bateries in general do not do well when run down but my understanding is sealled glass matt batteries do worse. If they run down that far I can see where they would get warm depending on the charge rate. I am not suprized they give off gas but I don't think it aproaches the corrosiveness of the sulfuric acid in a lead acid battery. I also suspect the gassing to revive a low battery cannot be good.

One way to make the battery last longer is to get a good alternator. Marginal alternators that cannot keep up at idle allow the battery to discharge. The minute you hit the accelerator a large amount of current reverses direction to the battery.

Gary

The alternator is 140 amp Powermaster that is only a couple of years old. The battery I suspect is fully charged as it is onlt 2 years old and the car has been driven at least 4 times since Thankgiving. Never hesutates to start.

Chip

quote:

heard a hissing? noise coming from the battery

Wild stab here -

Is it possible that you heard a vacuum leak from your brake booster or its hose? Or a water line somewhere nearby?

Larry

quote:

Originally posted by LF - TP 2511:

quote:

heard a hissing? noise coming from the battery

Wild stab here -

Is it possible that you heard a vacuum leak from your brake booster or its hose? Or a water line somewhere nearby?

Larry

I got to wonder about the noise comming from the battery also. I had an Optima Yellow Top in my 1996 Bronco. It had no vent whatsoever. I also ran underdrive pulleys so its doubtful that the battery was getting 13v at idle. In two years of abuse it never gave me any problems....of course I never stuck my head under the hood to listen to the battery either

If the battery wasn't hot it would have no reason to be hissing or "gassing off". It has to be something else. Have you tried to duplicate the noise again so you can isolate it better?

Miles

I had my ear right on the battery and it was coming from the black vent holes. Again, it was not very loud and hissing was probably not the correct term. It was more like carbination from a poured soft drink but very faint.

The weather is going to be good the next couple of days and I will do some more diagnostics.

Chip

To do any electrical system troubleshooting, you need a voltmeter. Take a voltage reading across the battery terminals with the motor running. It should be 13.6 to 14.4 volts, and it should be steady. Have an assistant rev the motor up while you measure the voltage, it shouldn't change.

With the motor off & nothing running, the battery voltage should read 12 to 13 volts.

cowboy from hell

When charging motorcycle lead-acid batteries with a charger I remember that they used to bubble like a glass of coke or lager when they were nearly fully charged.

As the batteries had clear glass or plastic sides you could also see the bubbles forming on the lead plates and then floating up the top and fizzing.

This always happened and I never worried about it.

Did the diagnostics today. Battery was 12.5V without the car running, showed 12.5V at an idle and 14.4V at 3000rpm. Revved it and it never exceeded 14.4V.

Drove the car for about 45 minutes and no sounds.

It seems all is well and I'm probably loosing my mind...

Thanks to all, Chip

Thats how it all starts....a hissing here....a squeak there.....a low mumble now and then. Pretty soon you're in a nice white jacket and a soft room!!

Not that I would know.

Quiet!! I'm trying to have a conversation here!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Chip:
...I'm probably loosing my mind...

PROBABLY?

Chip my friend, it was a certainty when you purchased the Pantera!

George,

Eventhough we haven't yet met, that picture pretty much captures me at "one of those moments"

Started my day with a laugh...

Chip