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#1
11-01-12, 01:05
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Thanks - I had been pondering the Optima batteries but the smaller capacity put me off. At the moment I have a big-ass 160Ah truck battery, but these top out at around 50Ah. Given the benefit in technology though I may have to reconsider when this battery gives up on me (assuming it hasn't already
 )I got the new cable through today (ouch copper is expensive) and it looks more up to the job so now I just have to find the time (and more importantly, the "get-up-and-go") to fiddle around out in the cold. 
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#2
11-01-12, 07:11
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Hi Lauren,those optima batteries are good,we were restoring a 1936 Ford that had one fitted,and with sitting around for 6 months it still had plenty of cranking power.
The ford was in our workshop for 3 years and the battery was only recharged once during that time.
__________________
kenney
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#3
11-01-12, 18:24
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Question about the Optima Batteries
Hi All
Lauren your original question as spawned an interesting discussion. What has been peoples experience with the Optima batteries concerning the following: Post corrosion Charging rates encountered on the CMPs with the High Amp charge rate regulators Good high grade regular batteries seem to last 4-5 years in my trucks and then one day they just seem to stop holding a charge. Or their cranking voltage drops off steeply. One of the problems I have noticed on the last couple of batteries is that though they will crank the engine over for a long time they drop below about 4.5 volts very quickly like 20-60 seconds. This is a problem because below 4.5 v the ignition spark is pretty weak. Cranking time to start is really important if the carb is dry and you have only a mechanical fuel pump. Cheers Phil
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Phil Waterman `41 C60L Pattern 12 `42 C60S Radio Pattern 13 `45 HUP http://canadianmilitarypattern.com/ New e-mail Philip@canadianmilitarypattern.com Last edited by Phil Waterman; 11-01-12 at 18:25. Reason: word smithing
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#4
11-01-12, 20:21
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I would guess that we have had an Optima battery on one of our F30s for 5 years. It is still as good as new and there is no corrosion on the terminals. We use the quick release clamps so we can disconnect when we put it away for winter. My other three 12 cabs all have Optima batteries and so does my Jeep. I will be putting one on my next Jeep project too.
My supplier is not too far from you in Norfolk (UK).
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#5
10-06-12, 17:48
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Follow-up
This week I finally got the weather and time to swap out the battery cables. It's made a *huge* difference. Starter now cranking 2-3 times faster. I used 70mm2 high-flexibility cable (very fine cores in the wire).
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#6
12-06-12, 08:48
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I am glad we all could help.
__________________
kenney
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#7
16-06-12, 17:04
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Can I check how folks are routing the cable down to the solenoid?
I've followed the routing of the old cable, across the clips by the twisty grease doodah, around the edge of the edge bay to the handbrake area and then down close to the doghouse spring clip immediately above the solenoid. With a bit of wobbling the cable has moved close to the exhaust manifold (actually to the point of touching an old earth cable that was about to get very hot....) hence this is clearly not the best routing. There's a smaller diameter cable loom running through some metal clips in the area that look battery cable sized - are these supposed to be for the battery cable?
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