Overcharged Battery; Replace also coil or VR or Alternator?

[karlusmagnus]

I had charged my Optima battery in order to get it going. I had a 6amp/12amp battery charger in the garage and used that.

After driving for a few hours (to and from Hershey), I smelled rotten egg smell.
With some research here and on pelican, it looks like i overcharged the battery.

So i searched some, not being a "lectrician" and found that i probably overcharged the battery, and will probably need a new battery.
Battery was moved by PO to smugglers box.
So i was thinking of getting either another Optima red top, or an Odyssey. Saw here about the odyssey, and I think John Cramer had spoken about these Hawker batteries being good.
Any difference in either of these?

I need to get a trickle charger for these. Chuck has said how he uses his all the time.

Then, from reading various posts, I should test the voltage on the battery, as is, cold (9V or so which is pretty dead, as 12V is only 25% charged).
Test it again once started.
I bought myself a little digital multimeter (this) at radioshack, so hopefully it is pretty accurate.
Next question is should i charge again my dead optima, in order to test voltage at start up etc, or am i flogging a dead horse, and should i get a new battery?
The reason to test battery at start up etc, is to diagnose if i have fried or damaged Voltage Regulator or Alternator? I read this interesting post, and several others on pelican, and some suggested that when a battery is overcharged and rotten eggs/boiling sulphur smell is detected, that new battery is required as well as new coil and perhaps new VR or Alternator.
Not being a strong point, I am wondering if I am on the right track with what i am doing?
Should i get a new battery instead of charging the old one again, and then start to diagnose various scenarios?

Thanks,

Karl.

[sithot]

Alas, all are on vacation out west. They don't give two ****es about us.

Tom

[304065]

Hello Karl.

Take the Optima out of the car and put it on the workbench. Measure the resting voltage.

Six amps for an Optima is no problem, even 12 is only slightly more than the recommended 12 amps. Unless it's a 24V aircraft charger I doubt that charging at home fried it.

I have a Sonnenschein for my '66 which I really like. They make one for the LWB cars that is a near exact replacement for the original battery. The one you want is the 512/40A. I would get that before a Hawker, although I like the PC680 in my race car, it requires a custom fab mount.

Rotten eggs means your VR gave up the ghost and overcharged your battery. So I would plan on a new VR at a minimum. Coil probably not needed.

Good luck!

[Gearbox]

I agree with John, I wouldn't jump to any conclusions yet. Charge up the battery and start the car and measure the votage at the battery. It should read about 13.8 volts DC. Also check for AC voltage, it should be negligible. If you getting much more than the 13.8 volts, then replace the VR. If you get AC volt readings, the diodes in the alternator has failed. You can check for amps, but the battery and the power accesories usage will dictate that reading given ohms law.

As John mentioned, the battery charger is not the culprit and the VR seems to be the key component to suspect first.

If you have to keep on charging up your Optima, maybe it's time for a new battery. I too use the Oddyssey PC680 and the PC545 in my race cars, and dual Oddysseys in my 71 911S. They fit perfectly in the twin battery compartments, abeit on it's sides, but they are great batteries. Had them sitting in a box for a year while restoring the car, installed them, charged them up, started up right away, drove the car maybe once a month in the summer, and it sat all winter in the cold without a charger, and they started right up the next summer.

While we are at spending your money, I strongly recommend the C-Tek charger. It's the new generation trickle charger made specifically for the Optima and Oddyssey battery. It even has a Optima charge setting. The difference in the charge is that it conditions the battery by pulsing the charge so the battery is charged and drained until the chip inside the C-Tek figures out the maximum charge and memory. This is of paramount importance in deep cycle batteries, like in race cars, but maximizes the storage capacity for any car. It also could revive some sulfated or dead batteries and you can leave it plugged in the car all winter. The circutry will maintain the charge, go into a hold pattern and soon as the voltage drops, it reconditions the battery again automatically. And for about $100, it's a great deal. Good luck and let us know how you make out, Allan

[Gumby]

Karl ~ Allen is correct ~ I strongly recommend the C-Tek charger. It's the new generation trickle charger made specifically for the Optima and Oddyssey battery. It even has a Optima charge setting. The difference in the charge is that it conditions the battery by pulsing the charge so the battery is charged and drained until the chip inside the C-Tek figures out the maximum charge and memory

[karlusmagnus]

Tom, I only wish I too was on vacation out west @ SLO. Next year hopefully.
Thanks for tips.

John/Allen/Ron, thanks to your good and sound counsel, I will refrain from the sport of conclusion jumping

And as it is always fun to spend other people's money, I will get one of those C-Tek chargers.

Now, IIRC, replacing VR requires open-shroud surgery?

Hope to meet up at EarlyS Meet at Lime Rock on May27th.
Of course there is always the possibility of repaying the kindness of sound counsel at places like McSorleys etc. When Jim Garfield and Peter Nunes came for an early911s meeting in October, that is where we convened

Thanks,

Karl.

[karlusmagnus]

I presume gents, we are speaking of the CTEK US3300 ($69.99)?

Thanks,

Karl.

[304065]

Egad, Karl. The very thought of McSorley's "rich, wax-colored ale" has made it impossible for me to work for several minutes.

What early S meeting at LRP? I never heard of such event?

I am going to organize a NY meeting one of these weeks, will be plenty of notice.

In any case, I have a "battery tender plus" that I like. I think the "optima-specific" thing is a spike in initial charging voltage up to about 15V. Optimas like to be hammered for a few minutes before they start to charge. Let me know how it works out for you, I could always use a fourth battery charger.

[karlusmagnus]

While you pause John, reflect on this post about LR and early S reg meet.

Apologies again for interrupting the work flow .. we won't speak of McS unless proper warning is given

[Gearbox]

Yes Karl, the CTEK 3300 is the one I have, but I would have spent a little more for the 7000 if it was out when I bought mine. Cheaper on e-bay, here's a 3300 for 55 bucks on e-bay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CTEK-...spagenameZWDVW

VR is cake, looks like a little relay box with a plug. Has two bolts holding it down. here's a link to Pelican so you can see waht it looks like. Soon as you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about. http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...FILTER_TOOL=ON Plug and play.

Good luck Allan BTW where are you located? I'm in Westfield, NJ, drop by if you need any help.