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Post by ksm on Oct 24, 2017 22:33:31 GMT -5
I think my Optima Redtop finally gave up the ghost. It's been marginal for years and I've had it on life support with the maintainer/tender. At one point, the resting voltage after sitting overnight with no connections dropped to 12.17. An Optima rep had me deep cycle it a few times by taking it down to 11V and hitting it with a 10A charger and then discharging again (rinse, repeat). Improved; but final resting voltage never got above 12.56 and that was years ago. Now, the tender light is green; but no power coming from the battery. Won't start the car; doesn't seem to handle a load. 9-year-old battery. Not a bad lifespan! Fortunately, found out when the car was in the home garage. I've had an 18,000mAH charger sitting in the car just in case (although, maybe now's a good time to try it out -- rule out that it's not really the starter that's bad).
Have been putting off replacing the battery as the goofy allen head bolt holding the battery down is stripped. Why are some of the biggest problems tied to parts that cost less than a dollar (like with not being able to get into your multi-year-mortgage house because you forgot your lousy, got-a-copy-made-for-75-cents house key)?
Have been toying with the idea of a smaller battery; but will probably run with another Redtop.
Either way, time to work on that bolt.
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Post by ksm on Oct 30, 2017 19:52:19 GMT -5
Got the bolt out. Wound up hitting it with a center punch for a few minutes and then hammering a 5mm allen key into it. Once loose, came out pretty easily.
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Post by ksm on Nov 12, 2017 21:14:41 GMT -5
Changed my mind about another Optima and am going small. As a bonus, the labeling matches the car!
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Post by rdgrcr on Nov 13, 2017 9:12:42 GMT -5
Changed my mind about another Optima and am going small. As a bonus, the labeling matches the car! Congrats, nice up grade!
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Post by ksm on Apr 9, 2018 6:25:07 GMT -5
Had started making my own bracket; but then I got a hold of a used Sector one. Installed it on Sunday: Not as custom-fitting as the NCI bracket; but after some 1/4" foam and weatherstripping, the battery's installed, snugged and cushioned (I've got weather stripping at the bottom, too). I feel like I need to extend the bracket such that it can better secure the back of the battery, using the wheel well bolt, as well.
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Post by ksm on Jun 23, 2018 23:02:28 GMT -5
Rain all day and I couldn't get the Lotus out. But for the Lotus Rally Day (http://novalotus.club/post/1489/thread), I at least worked on it. For the battery maintainer connections, I swapped out the alligator clips connector for the screw-to-the-battery-terminals connector and I re-wired the positive in the process to make it mount to the top (technically, the side post mount) such that the wires ran towards the back instead of straight up. With respect to protecting the positive terminal, still not quite happy yet, though. I've got the lower, lego-looking piece, which came with the battery, double-stick taped to the lower part of the terminal and I know it'll stay; but I'm concerned about the top connections as it'll be easy for something in the trunk to find its way underneath the larger terminal cover. Maybe I'll wrap those connections with electrical tape. Anybody has any other ideas, please let me know!
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Post by cyow5 on Jun 26, 2018 7:07:35 GMT -5
What about heat shrink? You can cut a slit for the post, and then pinch the hot heatshrink shut wherever there is an opening when it is hot. It is pretty malleable when hot, so you might be able to basically make your own little boot.
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Post by ksm on Jun 26, 2018 20:31:17 GMT -5
What about heat shrink? You can cut a slit for the post, and then pinch the hot heatshrink shut wherever there is an opening when it is hot. It is pretty malleable when hot, so you might be able to basically make your own little boot. I like the sound of that and it would be less sticky than electrical tape, too, particularly upon removal.
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Post by ksm on Jul 1, 2018 10:10:18 GMT -5
Wound up doing a sort of hybrid solution. Silicone tape.
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