Battery question

[D]

I bought my boat in a private sale the boat came with three optima blue batteries, my number 1 battery is already taking a dump. These batteries are a little over a year old,,,,there are no receipts can I replace the bad one with like a interstate as long as the battery has the same rating as the optima?

[fishwithron2]

ttt

[mark poulson]

Before you dump them, contact Optima and see if they can help you.
Also, there is a company, I think it is run by Raymond Tak, that rejuvenates batteries. PM me for his cell number.

[aNNieNsaLTIE]

i herd of optima batteries not lasting that long if they stay connected to a onboard charger to long. Meaning if your boat is in storage and you keep it plugged in just because you don't know when your going to get around to your boat again...

But then again it could be all batteries.

[Randy Walker]

Hey D,
A few things..

As suggested, I would contact Optima to see if there is anything at all they can do to warranty the battery for you. The Blue Top has a 2 year warranty, but usually you will have to have the original receipt of purchase, which I know you don't have... but a phone call would not hurt.

If your running a 24 volt system and your number one battery is the starting battery then you should be fine with using any brand battery since it would not be ran with any of the Optima's. If your running a 36 volt system and your Optima is one of your 3 trolling motor batteries, if you are unable to replace with a new Blue Top and your starting battery is a match (all 31 Optima's for instance) to your trolling motor units, then you may want to swap it for the bad one and buy a new starting battery. Hopefully you can get assistance with the Optima. I have been running them for years and know a bunch of folks that also run them and have not heard of a Blue Top going bad after just one year, but any brand can have a unit that had a problem I guess.

In regards to charging Optima's, it's recommended to use a 10 amp charging system for the Optima's. Using a 15 amp system could possibly have the battery(s) wear out sooner than normal. If you have a 15 amp system I suggest charging your batteries for a couple hours after you get off the water and then for 6 hours or so before your next trip. The Optima's charge really quick and you don't have to leave them hooked to power for days on end.

Check out
http://www.optimabatteries.com/en-us/su ... /charging/

I hope this helps in some way and good luck... hopefully you can get this worked out.

Randy

[fishwithron2]

I have a NOCO on board charger 3/10 cuz I only need 24 volts. NOCO has 4/10 and sells for $359.00 which might be what you need as the previous reply would be better for your Optima battery. I'm also running blue top optima.

[eagle123777]

[quote="Randy Walker"]Hey D,
A few things..

As suggested, I would contact Optima to see if there is anything at all they can do to warranty the battery for you. The Blue Top has a 2 year warranty, but usually you will have to have the original receipt of purchase, which I know you don't have... but a phone call would not hurt.

If your running a 24 volt system and your number one battery is the starting battery then you should be fine with using any brand battery since it would not be ran with any of the Optima's. If your running a 36 volt system and your Optima is one of your 3 trolling motor batteries, if you are unable to replace with a new Blue Top and your starting battery is a match (all 31 Optima's for instance) to your trolling motor units, then you may want to swap it for the bad one and buy a new starting battery. Hopefully you can get assistance with the Optima. I have been running them for years and know a bunch of folks that also run them and have not heard of a Blue Top going bad after just one year, but any brand can have a unit that had a problem I guess.

In regards to charging Optima's, it's recommended to use a 10 amp charging system for the Optima's. Using a 15 amp system could possibly have the battery(s) wear out sooner than normal. If you have a 15 amp system I suggest charging your batteries for a couple hours after you get off the water and then for 6 hours or so before your next trip. The Optima's charge really quick and you don't have to leave them hooked to power for days on end.

I hope this helps in some way and good luck... hopefully you can get this worked out.

Randy[/quote
this is good info as I have 4 blue tops and going strong for 3 years but like most batteries never any info when you buy them...thks

[Rich hamilton]

Read the battery FAQ on the optima site it is very helpful. There are some good youtube videos out there about bringing back deeply discharged AGM optima batteries like the one you spoke of.

For me the batteries are the heartbeat of my boat so making sure all of them are good is the way to go. I understand they are expensive. You can mix and match but I would try to have everything similar. Bass pro shops carries the optima's.The customer service technicians can be helpful as well at optima.

Bottom line is you can only tell how good your deep cycle is under a load and it sounds like you never had a good baseline (initial purchase) the warranty is two years and your looking at about $300 for a group 31 per battery. With proper charging and discharging/maintenance your new optima's should last a long time.

So to be clear if you have three batteries that are blue top they are specifically for your 36 volt trolling motor? I run a group 31 yellow top for starting and 3 group 31 blue tops for my trolling motor. call me or send me a PM if I can be of any help, Richie Rich

[Otay Michael]

I did some research to replace my Optima Blue Tops and realized they may not have lasted as long (7 years now on one, 5 on the others) had I not resorted to charging them sometimes with 'regular 10 amp' chargers (my three bank had a bank go out years ago). Those don't have 'float' charges and can overcharge and shorten life!

So I found a MinnKota charger, their NEW 'PC' (Precision Charger) style four bank, that has a 'smart charger'- you can set which battery style on EACH bank. I got a four bank one (comes in 2 and 3 bank also) so I can charge up a separate one I hand carry to the front of the boat to run my depth finder, then two for the 24volt and one for the lead acid starter! Just got it two days ago, good deal off Amazon- something like $377 total w/ shipping when retail is like $480.

Also, on looking for info I found there are so many options on Blue Tops -was getting them at Costco, they only carried one- the D34M- (weighs 43lbs).

Since mine is a 24v trolling motor, I found I could also order a D31M, which weigh 59lbs ea. (= more longevity per run). Just got the first of two delivered today. (Amazon and/or eBay find 30% off retail in many cases).



Minn Kota MK 440 PC

Technical Features for Minn Kota MK440PC
The Minn Kota MK440 PC 4-bank on-board charger provides you with charging flexibility and multiple options to meet all your trolling requirements. This features a waterproof, shock and vibration-resistant construction, and delivers fast charging recovery, even in extreme conditions avoiding overcharging. This charger makes use of on-board mounting that eliminates the hassle of traditional portable chargers.

The MK440 PC Precision On-Board Charger is engineered with a High Frequency Digital Design that gives 10 Amp true-rated output on each bank which gives fastest recovery time. MK440 PC on-board charger also boasts Unparralled Durability which provides rugged, fully corrosion-resistant construction. This charger cleans and conditions batteries with each charge cycle, thus improving battery life . This charger mounts easily in the battery compartment.

MK440 PC Features:

Product # 1834400

On-Board Battery Charger
40 Amps Total Output
Convenient On-Board Mounting
High Frequency Digital Design
Automatic Temperature Compensation
Cleans & Conditions Batteries w/ Each Charge Cycle
Unparralled Durability
- Rugged, Fully Corrosion-Resistant
Low-Line Voltage Compensation
Protected From Short Circuit, Reverse Polarity, Arc & Ignition
AC Plug Holder
Automatic Temperature Compensation
- Precision Chargers Sense & Adjust Temperature Fluctuations
User Selectable Battery Type By Bank
-Gel, Flooded Lead Acid, AGM, Full Equalize
LED Indicators
-Indicates % Charged by Bank
-Connection/Charge
-Status/Power
-Status/Battery Type
Automatic Multi-Stage Charging

[Rich hamilton]

Just be careful with the return policy from non Optima vendors. There are some review horror stories out there there is a reason why they are cheaper!

[Otay Michael]

Just be careful with the return policy from non Optima vendors. There are some review horror stories out there there is a reason why they are cheaper!

What kind of horror stories?

[Rich hamilton]

sent you a PM