Optima life span?

There are many variables that affect battery life (heat, cold, the number of times the battery has been discharged due to voltage drains, method of charging, etc.)

I have heard of Optima's lasting 5 years+, but the longest any of mine have lasted is 4 years.

Robert Bills KG6LMV Orange County CA

Seems to be.

Mine that was made in 00 won't hold a charge overnight anymore.

I was thinking on seeing if it had just boiled dry and trying to re-hydrate it.

They are lead acid, but all the acid is held inside the plates. I figure if they get cooked by an over charge, the plates will likely dry out the same as any lead acid battery.

I am going to try pouring some distilled water in the vents and see what happens.

Mike

Dalewhite wrote:

I had one of these in my '94 YJ for 5 years and it was still going strong (replaced by yellow top). I put it in my neighbors old daily driver CJ in '01 and it's still going strong.

Mine lasted nearly five years before I got nervous enough (because I'm in the boondocks too often) to replace it with another.

Jerry

Yeah, that's what I did, I was certain when it decided to go toes up I'd be back in the woods 50 miles from the nearest anything. My neighbor appears to have gotten a very good battery for free, however, and seems reluctant to bring it up for fear I'd want rent or something.

I bought my CJ in 1998 with the Optima already in. I am still using the same battery after 5.5 years.

Ive had an optima for 3 months. I have heard people complain about them, but at 90 dollars at Costco. Why not. KH

I love mine. I wouldn't put another type of battery in a Jeep.