Discuss your 2000-2005 Bonneville SE, SLE, SSEi, Buick Le Sabre 00-05 and Buick Park Avenue 97-05. Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.
i emailed Optima's Support and they answered the question for us all!
Nick,
My compliments to you for the nice detail about your application. Unfortunately, we do not have a battery to fit your application today. Your car calls for a group 100 size battery. However, we will have a group 78 with provisions for your factory vent setup coming in about 30 days.
The group 100 has a side terminal only and it is 10 1/4" long by 7 1/16" wide by 6 11/16" tall.
The new Optima group 78 is a side terminal only and will be 10 1/4 " long by 7 1/16" wide by 7 5/16" tall.
Height may be an issue. Do you think there may be 10/16" (5/8") extra space to fit?
Sealed batteries like Optima should always be vented if they are installed in the passenger compartment. Under normal use they will never vent gas. However, we must be concerned about such unplanned events like an alternator failure. If the alternator were to fail and severely overcharge the Optima, it could vent gas. This is why it should be vented.
I did the same as Iceweasal last year when this question was brought up and got basically the same answer. It's a sealed battery, but as was mentioned, those round things on the top are like an emergency vent in case the battery is over charged. So theoretically it probably would be fine in the 2000+ cars as long as the charging system is in order, but I sure wouldn't take that chance.
Sirius wrote:Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.
I had a similar dilemma when I bought my car used. The battery in it was dead, and I got the used car dealer to replace it (they brought a "new" one to my house). Of course they don't bring a vented battery, just an Interstate Econo Power one with no vents on the top.
Anyways, I put it in about 4 months ago and have had no problems with it at all. I've taken it on long trips and never smelled anything or died of gas poisoning (yet). None of the seat foam or plastic seat belt things look like they have been damaged by any gasses, and the floor pan the battery sits on is clean and dry. I'll probably run this battery awhile then break down and buy the $100 vented one eventually if I notice anything or my battery charge guage runs high (it never seems to go much past middle).
I have been running with a red top Optima for a couple of years now and I have not connected up the vents.
This battery is very similar to a rechargeable AA battery.
It can be mounted on its side if you wanted to without any acid leaking out because there is no liquid acid in it, just like a AA battery.
The vents are there to blow out in case of malfunction overcharge as a safety relief.......but if you're watching your gauges, this should never happen.
This battery holds a 12.4 v charge for a very long time considering the amount of time the car spends idle in the garage.
My charging voltage has always been 14.5 - 14.9 v
2000 SSEi - SilverBullet - 78,000 kms, 4" "straight shot" custom headlight ram air inlet, TOGs, 1.9's, Lsd, 2.9-3.4"MPS 10-15 psi, Ported GenV, EGR eliminated, OR pushrods, oil volume kit, trani cooler & shift kit, Titanium retainers, 90 lb springs, 160 Stat, 42# injectors, Fuel pump voltage increase, Wideband O2, 3" to dual 2 1/2" Magnaflows, Snow Meth/water injection, after SC temp gauge, 255/50WR17, timing commander set 15-18*@WOT, 2 speed Fan over-ride, disabled DRL, Solid motor mount, Meziere Electric water pump, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, Drilled & slotted rotors/ceramics, GXP sway bars and STB, Upgraded and rebuilt transmission with ZZP 2500 rpm stall TC, Pioneer Bluetooth stereo with sub and 800 W amps, PB 13.5 quarter, (April 2014 car of the month)
2000Silverbullet wrote:I have been running with a red top Optima for a couple of years now and I have not connected up the vents.
This battery is very similar to a rechargeable AA battery.
It can be mounted on its side if you wanted to without any acid leaking out because there is no liquid acid in it, just like a AA battery.
The vents are there to blow out in case of malfunction overcharge as a safety relief.......but if you're watching your gauges, this should never happen.
This battery holds a 12.4 v charge for a very long time considering the amount of time the car spends idle in the garage.
My charging voltage has always been 14.5 - 14.9 v
interesting, so perhaps its ok to run the red top in there... even if it isn't "recommended"?
well, i already own one, so that's not an issue. i've had it for several years now, but just recently got the bonne! i'm switching it over from my 94' GP
Sirius wrote:Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.
Well, if you already own one, it's a no brainer.
I got the largest red top and it fits fine. I just left the vent tubes in place.
Cost me about $200 for the Optima. Not a lot more than a premium wet cell battery but without the acid vapours.
2000 SSEi - SilverBullet - 78,000 kms, 4" "straight shot" custom headlight ram air inlet, TOGs, 1.9's, Lsd, 2.9-3.4"MPS 10-15 psi, Ported GenV, EGR eliminated, OR pushrods, oil volume kit, trani cooler & shift kit, Titanium retainers, 90 lb springs, 160 Stat, 42# injectors, Fuel pump voltage increase, Wideband O2, 3" to dual 2 1/2" Magnaflows, Snow Meth/water injection, after SC temp gauge, 255/50WR17, timing commander set 15-18*@WOT, 2 speed Fan over-ride, disabled DRL, Solid motor mount, Meziere Electric water pump, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, Drilled & slotted rotors/ceramics, GXP sway bars and STB, Upgraded and rebuilt transmission with ZZP 2500 rpm stall TC, Pioneer Bluetooth stereo with sub and 800 W amps, PB 13.5 quarter, (April 2014 car of the month)
From what i can tell, as long as your charging system is up to snuff, the optima will be fine for now, just maybe pay more attention to your voltage gauge.
Bye Bye: RIP sandrock
Sirius wrote:Think about it. You’re tooling down the road in your Prius, knowing full-well that this thing being green is as big a sham as federally mandated ethanol-enriched gas, Russia pulling out of Ukraine, and Obamacare.
2000Silverbullet wrote:I have been running with a red top Optima for a couple of years now and I have not connected up the vents.
This battery is very similar to a rechargeable AA battery.
It can be mounted on its side if you wanted to without any acid leaking out because there is no liquid acid in it, just like a AA battery.
The vents are there to blow out in case of malfunction overcharge as a safety relief.......but if you're watching your gauges, this should never happen.
This battery holds a 12.4 v charge for a very long time considering the amount of time the car spends idle in the garage.
My charging voltage has always been 14.5 - 14.9 v
Yes, and the same thing could be said for seat belts. If you drive safe and take precautions you shouldn't need to wear one. But things happen and you could die from flying through the windshield. I don't think I'd want to take that chance.
I could see your concern if we were talking about a conventional lead acid battery. These are known to explode and spray acid and combustable hydrogen gas.
This is why NHRA rules say that the battery needs to be in a sealed and vented box when inside the passenger compartment or in the trunk.
The optima battery with its dry cell technology does not have the same potential for catastrophic damage, compared to the conventional battery.
There are no vents to purge from. It doesn't need them. It's a dry cell. It doesn't produce gas.
It is unlikely to ever be overcharged by your alternator....if anything, it will be undercharged.
Only potential is if someone trys to manually charge or boost a drained battery incorrectly.
2000 SSEi - SilverBullet - 78,000 kms, 4" "straight shot" custom headlight ram air inlet, TOGs, 1.9's, Lsd, 2.9-3.4"MPS 10-15 psi, Ported GenV, EGR eliminated, OR pushrods, oil volume kit, trani cooler & shift kit, Titanium retainers, 90 lb springs, 160 Stat, 42# injectors, Fuel pump voltage increase, Wideband O2, 3" to dual 2 1/2" Magnaflows, Snow Meth/water injection, after SC temp gauge, 255/50WR17, timing commander set 15-18*@WOT, 2 speed Fan over-ride, disabled DRL, Solid motor mount, Meziere Electric water pump, adjustable fuel pressure regulator, Drilled & slotted rotors/ceramics, GXP sway bars and STB, Upgraded and rebuilt transmission with ZZP 2500 rpm stall TC, Pioneer Bluetooth stereo with sub and 800 W amps, PB 13.5 quarter, (April 2014 car of the month)
