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Got a Blue Top Optima that will only take a half charge. This is my first Optima, and it's about 3-4 years old. Is this the beginning of the end of this battery?

Nope, it is the end of the end.
Time for a new battery. Sorry.
FF

buy a new one.

If you have a battery charger with a 50/60 amp jump - you can hit the battery for about 10 minutes...let it cool. It gets hot. Once it is cooled put it back on charge...your charger needs to be 10 amps or greater. They have a bad habit of building a memory from charging at half charges. This could bring it back. There is or was an article on the net describing the process in greater detail. Want to say Sams had them for $155 which I thought was low the other day.

Chalk is correct on the Optima's. They are like your mother-in-law. They don't forget. Always keep a trickle charge on them and don't put them to bed unless you hook them up. That is the only way to keep them ship shape. They will last for years. Ask me how I know. Been there, done that.

Chuck - you keep yours plugged-in all the time? Is that safe to do?

I have a Guest 2620A and I keep my boat in the garage of my house. Batteries sit right on top of 25gal of unleaded fuel. What do you think?

Yes I do. I have the same charger on the Cobia and the Hewes. That is what they are built for.

Atticus wrote:Chuck - you keep yours plugged-in all the time? Is that safe to do?

I have a Guest 2620A and I keep my boat in the garage of my house. Batteries sit right on top of 25gal of unleaded fuel. What do you think?

As long as you've got insurance, you'll be fine. Plus, as good of a lawyer as you are, you could probably make a case out of it and get Guest to give us a lifetime supply of Optimas. Think about your friends.

Haha. I thought about this over lunch and I think I will just charge them after I get back from fishing and then let them sit.

Not worth risking my life or my dogs' lives I can just buy new blue tops. Costco had the best prices I found last year. The first pair I had running my 80lb MK for 4 seasons. Not too shabby.

3-4 years old??? I thought for the price, those batteries would lastlonger than that. I have an Everstart battery that I bought rom Wal-Mart in July-2006 that still works after heavy use. I won't buy an Optima.

I have a red top since 1998 still going strong.

We aint talkin about THAT ya old fool