Dual battery

Submitted: Friday, Mar 12, 2021 at 21:36
ThreadID: 141239 Views:7677 Replies:6 FollowUps:15
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I have an Optima d34 battery in my 150 series that is 4 years old. Should it be replaced before going on a 4 week outback trip? Any suggestions on batteries to replace it?
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Reply By: Batt's - Friday, Mar 12, 2021 at 23:46

Friday, Mar 12, 2021 at 23:46
If it's been looked after it should be good for a few more years yet as I understand Optima are a very good brand and reliable.

I just replaced my 2 agm batteries which were around 5yrs old but not an expensive brand only because I've noticed over the past 6 months the voltage has been dropping I have a small voltmeter in line to check them. They usually sat around 13v but at the end were 12.7v and the fridge seemed to drain them faster than usual. So I had time to research what I was getting to replace them.
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Reply By: Member - jeremyhu - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 00:21

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 00:21
I’ve just replaced both of my batteries that were 4 years old. The auxiliary deep cycle started to fail on my last trip when put under load with the fridge on freeze. It couldn’t keep it on freeze but still kept everything cold enough for a week. When I got back had both tested and auxiliary was buggered and guy from battery world told me the main had no more than 6 months left in it. Lasted another month then flat. So it seems four years is a good life so may pay to change it and have a good trip or have a backup.
Safe travels
Jeremy
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Follow Up By: Member - McLaren3030 - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 08:37

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 08:37
Battery longevity is determined by discharge/recharge cycles, and Depth of Discharge. Battery longevity has everything to do with how you manage them. This is particularly important with AGM’s and other Lead Acid type batteries. If you do not let them drop below 12.5 volts they will last much longer than if you let them drop to 12.3 volts.

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Reply By: Joe G2 - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 07:52

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 07:52
My experience with Optima batteries which I have had quite a few over the years in different vehicles and boats and "if" it has been looked after, it is around half life.
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 08:39

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 08:39
Get them checked by an Auto. Elec. that knows what he is doing. He will be able to give you an idea on if they are continuing to fully charge and hold charge.

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Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 10:09

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 10:09
.
Lloyd, Optima are a good battery and if looked after will last more than 4 years.
It is rare for any battery to just fail without warning so you should experience failing performance before it needs replacing.

You could carry out a test at home before you go on a trip by simply leaving the fridge running on the fully charged Optima without any charging happening for a period until the battery falls to 11.5 volts or until the auto cutout in the fridge turns it off. That will give you a fair idea of whether the health of the battery is acceptable to your needs.
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 14:06

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 14:06
Optima say you should keep a battery above 12.4v so why would you deliberately run a battery down to 11.5v which can diminish it's capacity and shortening it's life that doesn't make sense to me but I'm no battery guru either.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 14:29

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 14:29
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Yes Batt's, "keeping" a battery above 12.4 volt is good practice, but it will do no harm to go down to 12 volts so long as it is rare and not "kept" there but promptly recharged.

I actually meant to say "12 volts" but had "11.5" in my mind as that is the usual cutout setting of a fridge.
I doubt that Lloyd had a voltmeter available to test battery level on discharge so suggested using the auto lo-volt cutout of the fridge instead, as a sign of battery depletion. Sometimes, compromises are necessary even if it means bending the rules. lol

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Follow Up By: qldcamper - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 15:12

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 15:12
Rules bend, it is records that break.
Too many people take rules of thumb as law, but thats forums for you.
How many times do you see batteries run down and forumites( not necessarily this one) advise the poster to throw it away.
Makes me wish I still retailed batteries.
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 19:50

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 19:50
No worries Allan B

Nothing to do with forums qldcamper just info from battery companies maybe they`re wrong about their own products.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 20:28

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 20:28
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Well, as to data, specifications and recommendations, you need to remember that they are endeavouring to sell a product in a competitive market. So..................!
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Follow Up By: qldcamper - Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 10:46

Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 10:46
People put bigger wheels on stressing drivelines, steering and brakes then chip the engine depleting the manufacturers safety margin but heaven forbid letting the deep cycle drop below 12.3 volts because thats what the supplier said.
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Follow Up By: Batt's - Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 13:34

Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 13:34
Yes but does that mean if you do mods to your own car beyond spec and have no problems that you can confidently tell others they will have no problems not knowing how they drive or treat their vehicle or how well a battery is looked after or how often it gets used. Or do you inform them that it comes with possible risks that's all I getting at.
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Follow Up By: RMD - Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 15:58

Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 15:58
QLD
Isn't towing a trailer similar/same to fitting larger wheels/tyres, no more stress on the driveline other than that already able to be applied bt the power unit. While steering may steering affected? and it is simply the brakes are less capable of stopping the same weight but are they really stressed more than is normally possible? Not sure it is a true analogy to battery discharging.
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Follow Up By: qldcamper - Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 16:42

Sunday, Mar 14, 2021 at 16:42
Yep and then they go and to as well.
If people wish to believe that if they run their battery down to 11.5 or lower once or twice they need to replace it then its up to them.
Miss information that is parroted on forums is responsible for a lot of money being wasted.
Go on a caravanforum and say you accidentally left your fridgo on over night and run it down to 10 volts and ask the best way to recharge it.
You can bet within the first dozen answers one will come up saying " throw it away you have killed it".
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Follow Up By: Gronk - Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 08:55

Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 08:55
Yeh, if you let the battery run down to 10V, you certainly could kill it, even if it was the 1st time you did it. But unlikely.
I've had one car battery in the last 40yrs just cark it, but all the others usually give you a warning, like slower cranking, the same as AGM's, they won't run the fridge as long as they used to until the battery gets down to that magical number......12.2.....12.3.....12.4......?

If the battery hasn't done anything different to the last 4yrs I wouldn't even give it a thought.
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Reply By: Member - LeighW - Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 17:50

Saturday, Mar 13, 2021 at 17:50
Optima used to be good batteries but of recent years their reputation has gone down hill. In the past four years I went through 3 optima batteries and was not impressed with any of them. I would do a capacity test on it as they will still crank if down to 50% but won't have much reserve.

I have just replaced the last one with a super start battery to see how it goes, found it to crank much more energetically than the Optima's ever did so far and they are a very reasonable price.
AnswerID: 635574

Follow Up By: Gronk - Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 09:44

Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 09:44
I've recently replaced the 2 starters in my 200 series with Century ( Aussie made ones ), mainly because the Toyota dealer ( cheaper price than the auto stores ) only stocks that brand.

As you said, quality these days is hard to find.....and too many still trading on the hype surrounding their supposed good names.
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Follow Up By: qldcamper - Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 10:16

Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 10:16
Gronk,this is a question not a challenge, because I am trying to update my knowlege on the subject.

10 years ago no batteries were manufactured in Australia. They manufactured the polly case in Australia which they showed the process of and they fitted the cells and glued the lids on but production of the cells wasnt allowed any more some time prior to that because of cost and hazardous wastes. At that time all Australian assembled batteries sourced their cells from a small hand full of manufacturers. Most even imported the cases too hence many different brands having the same case but vastly different inners.

Has this changed allowing claims of Australian made or are they still Australian assembled with a minor component locally produced?
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Follow Up By: Gronk - Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 11:31

Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 11:31
I can't answer that 100% ? Googling Century only comes up with them saying made in Australia...Queensland I believe.
They say manufactured and built in Australia, but take that any way you like ??
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FollowupID: 913175

Follow Up By: ian.g - Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 16:23

Monday, Mar 15, 2021 at 16:23
Century are manufactured (Assembled) at Wacol a Western suburb of Brisbane, if the components are also manufactured in Australia, I don't know but could easily be from completely imported components. They also have a retail outlet there.
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