Sears Optima Batteries?

"Bill Tuthill" wrote in message

>I was at Sears getting a new battery for my 14-year old Trooper today,
> and spotted a line of batteries called "Optima" (Red-Top for starting,
> Yellow-Top for deep cycle) using gel-cell technology.
>
> Evidently Costco offers a similar product, their "Dry Cell" battery.
> Some reports say Costco sells Optima for about $99.
>
> Anybody used these for automotive applications? They are lighter
> than ordinary car batteries, purportedly hold their charge better,
> and do not evaporate fluid in hot desert temperatures.

Optima is not a Sears brand. They are widely available at many stores. They
are good batteries, but they cost twice as much as conventional premium
battery and 3-4 times as much as conventional low-end battery.

Ever try Google?
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

Mark A wrote:
>
> Optima is not a Sears brand. They are widely available at many stores. They
> are good batteries, but they cost twice as much as conventional premium
> battery and 3-4 times as much as conventional low-end battery.
>
> Ever try Google?

No, what's Google?

I really didn't find any useful information that way. Eventually
one site said that Optima batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
That does me a lot of good! Actually JC aquried Gylling in 1999.
Another site said they're not gel cell, but lead wrapped in something.

The Consumer Report writeup didn't appear, which is typical of Google.
It's often a huge waste of time, especially when asking questions about
commercial products. Used to be great, but no longer.
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

"Bill Tuthill" wrote in message

> Mark A wrote:
>>
>> Optima is not a Sears brand. They are widely available at many stores.
>> They
>> are good batteries, but they cost twice as much as conventional premium
>> battery and 3-4 times as much as conventional low-end battery.
>>
>> Ever try Google?
>
> No, what's Google?
>
> I really didn't find any useful information that way. Eventually
> one site said that Optima batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
> That does me a lot of good! Actually JC aquried Gylling in 1999.
> Another site said they're not gel cell, but lead wrapped in something.
>
> The Consumer Report writeup didn't appear, which is typical of Google.
> It's often a huge waste of time, especially when asking questions about
> commercial products. Used to be great, but no longer.

Then, YOU are not using it properly. Google is a TOOL, not a solution.


>
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

larry moe 'n curly wrote:
>
> Consumer Reports tested Optima several years ago and rated it highly,
> especially for its lifespan test (simulates hot underhood conditions).

Gone from their website. Search doesn't find the article, anyway,
only stuff about the Kia Optima and the Optima gas grill.
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

"Bill Tuthill" wrote in message

> Mark A wrote:
>>
>> Optima is not a Sears brand. They are widely available at many stores.
>> They
>> are good batteries, but they cost twice as much as conventional premium
>> battery and 3-4 times as much as conventional low-end battery.
>>
>> Ever try Google?
>
> No, what's Google?
>
> I really didn't find any useful information that way. Eventually
> one site said that Optima batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
> That does me a lot of good! Actually JC aquried Gylling in 1999.
> Another site said they're not gel cell, but lead wrapped in something.
>
> The Consumer Report writeup didn't appear, which is typical of Google.
> It's often a huge waste of time, especially when asking questions about
> commercial products. Used to be great, but no longer.
>

The last couple of CR reports have leaned toward Interstate batteries. You
can find them with that name, and they also manufacture for other companies.
I don't recall which, though.
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message

> "Bill Tuthill" wrote in message
>
>> Mark A wrote:
>>>
>>> Optima is not a Sears brand. They are widely available at many stores.
>>> They
>>> are good batteries, but they cost twice as much as conventional premium
>>> battery and 3-4 times as much as conventional low-end battery.
>>>
>>> Ever try Google?
>>
>> No, what's Google?
>>
>> I really didn't find any useful information that way. Eventually
>> one site said that Optima batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
>> That does me a lot of good! Actually JC aquried Gylling in 1999.
>> Another site said they're not gel cell, but lead wrapped in something.
>>
>> The Consumer Report writeup didn't appear, which is typical of Google.
>> It's often a huge waste of time, especially when asking questions about
>> commercial products. Used to be great, but no longer.
>>
>
> The last couple of CR reports have leaned toward Interstate batteries. You
> can find them with that name, and they also manufacture for other
> companies. I don't recall which, though.

Toyota dealers sell Interstate batteries.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

> No, what's Google?
>
> I really didn't find any useful information that way. Eventually
> one site said that Optima batteries are made by Johnson Controls.
> That does me a lot of good! Actually JC aquried Gylling in 1999.
> Another site said they're not gel cell, but lead wrapped in something.
>
> The Consumer Report writeup didn't appear, which is typical of Google.
> It's often a huge waste of time, especially when asking questions about
> commercial products. Used to be great, but no longer.

http://www.optimabatteries.com
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

Mark A wrote:
>
> http://www.optimabatteries.com

Yes, that and other websites lead me to believe that Optima batteries
do not have higher capacity, longer life, or more cold cranking amps
than ordinary car batteries, they just cost more.

Plus you can turn them upside down! So they would be good for SUVs,
which roll over all the time.
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

Bill Tuthill wrote:

> larry moe 'n curly wrote:
> >
> > Consumer Reports tested Optima several years ago and rated it highly,
> > especially for its lifespan test (simulates hot underhood conditions).
>
> Gone from their website. Search doesn't find the article, anyway,
> only stuff about the Kia Optima and the Optima gas grill.

Here are the ratings from the 10/2002 issue:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/377158819_2588affebd_o.jpg

Some libraries have Consumer Reports available for free online.
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

Bill Tuthill wrote:
> I was at Sears getting a new battery for my 14-year old Trooper today,
> and spotted a line of batteries called "Optima" (Red-Top for starting,
> Yellow-Top for deep cycle) using gel-cell technology.
>
> Evidently Costco offers a similar product, their "Dry Cell" battery.
> Some reports say Costco sells Optima for about $99.
>
> Anybody used these for automotive applications? They are lighter
> than ordinary car batteries, purportedly hold their charge better,
> and do not evaporate fluid in hot desert temperatures.

I bought a used pickup truck in 2001, that had an OPTIMA battery in it.

on two different occasions, due to my health, and hospital visits, the truck
sat for a month,

when I went out to start it, it cranked over, like it had been parked the
night before

I sold the truck in 2004, with the same battery, and I have not had to
replace a battery in a vehicle since then, If I ever do, I am sold on the
Optima
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

"betrtimes@green acres.farm" wrote in message

> I bought a used pickup truck in 2001, that had an OPTIMA battery in it.
>
> on two different occasions, due to my health, and hospital visits, the
> truck sat for a month,
>
> when I went out to start it, it cranked over, like it had been parked the
> night before
>
> I sold the truck in 2004, with the same battery, and I have not had to
> replace a battery in a vehicle since then, If I ever do, I am sold on the
> Optima

My 1998 OEM battery (Panasonic?) lasted until 2005 when I replaced it as a
precaution (there was nothing wrong with it that I could see). Several times
the car sat for 30 days when I was out of town, and the car started normally
when I returned. I did make sure the battery had enough distilled water
about once every year or two.
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

larry moe 'n curly wrote:
>> >
>> > Consumer Reports tested Optima several years ago and rated it highly,
>> > especially for its lifespan test (simulates hot underhood conditions).
>>
> Here are the ratings from the 10/2002 issue:
>
> http://farm1.static.flickr.com/180/377158819_2588affebd_o.jpg

Thanks!

I take it the columns represent price, overall rating,
longevity of charge, cold cranking amps, ???, ???, and warranty.
The Optima is warrantied for 36/100 now at Sears.
 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries? 

On 31 Jan 2007 13:18:05 -0800, Bill Tuthill
wrote:

>I was at Sears getting a new battery for my 14-year old Trooper today,
>and spotted a line of batteries called "Optima" (Red-Top for starting,
>Yellow-Top for deep cycle) using gel-cell technology.
>
>Evidently Costco offers a similar product, their "Dry Cell" battery.
>Some reports say Costco sells Optima for about $99.
>
>Anybody used these for automotive applications? They are lighter
>than ordinary car batteries, purportedly hold their charge better,
>and do not evaporate fluid in hot desert temperatures.

DO NOT buy them. They will NOT last when used in an automobile!

I'm a retired telecommunication technician with battery maintenance
experience. Up until about 10 years ago, all telecom companies used
wet-cell or flooded-cell batteries for their emergency back-up power
sources. The equipment actually runs on 48 VDC and a regulated
battery charger supplies all the power under normal conditions with a
48 v battery string floating across the power bus (like your 12v car
battery floats across your electrical system while your engine is
running). When the commercial power fails, the batteries take up the
load with no interruption.

The EPA has declared sulfuric acid as a hazardous material and
required everyone who uses flooded cell batteries to install a dam
around the batteries (in case of a case leak) and build a disposal
containment device (separate holding tank that the dammed area drains
into). This is expensive to retro fit and maintain. So all of them
have gone to gell-cells or reduced electrolytic cells.

They have a limited lifetime of some where around 5 to 10 years when
used in float applications (flooded-cells will last over 50 years) and
one deep discharge ruins most cells. They will not recover capacity
after being subjected to a deep discharge. Frequent shallow
charge-discharge cycles also will greatly shorten their life.

In short, they are not suitable for use in cars. Stick with the old
tried-and-true wet-cell batteries.

Jack


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 >> Stay informed about: Sears Optima Batteries?