Servicing A Battery

[hammer008]

I still have the factory battery on my 96 Lexus.

For some reason it discharged this morning so I had it recharged by driving for 30 minutes. The voltage is 12.52 V. after fully charged.

I brought it into Canadian tires and they said the battery was "heating up" while charging/testing and hence I needed a new battery...But isn't "heating up" when charging a battery normal...I know when I charge my laptop, the battery is very warm.

Anyhow they said the battery was "acting funny" and told me to buy a new one.

However, I said no to a new battery and put my old battery back in the car and drove home fine while stopping here and there for shopping.

Problem:

I noticed that water level was low on the battery....

How does one fill the battery with water....any procautions...is it dangerous? Is it worth it...

Or should I just get a Red top? Where is the cheapest? I saw it for $150-190 at walmart.

[steviej]

just get a new battery.

If the price tag of the Red Top is too high for your 8 year old car, then consider a DieHard for half the price.

steviej

PS, please stack the pics in your sig rather than having them side by each.

This is causing the thread to widen severely. Members have to scroll left to right and up and down on your threads right now.

[es300ed]

Last year the factory battery on my 96 ES300 "exploded". Actually blew it's top and burned some insulation on the inside of the hood. Looked and sounded like an explosion and I had thoughts of many dollars in repair costs. All it cost however was a new battery.

Do yourself a favor and get a new one.

Ed

[SW03ES]

The water level in the battery may be low, but I'm almost positive its a maintenance free battery meaning you can't actually add to the water level. If its the original battery from 1996 its WAY due to be replaced. I replace my batteries every 3 years as a maintenance item to avoid getting stranded, the rule of thumb is really that 3-4 years is the life expectency of the battery. Batteries are cheap why not change it early to avoid problems like you're having now?

Unless you have a system or something else that causes serious drains on the battery the Optima batteries are overkill, go Diehard thats what I always use.

[hammer008]

It is maintance free but it also says on the battery to "add distilled water" when the indicator shows.

I guess I will get a Diehard or an Energizer before winter sets in.

[SKperformance]

Batteries get warm when charged, it is normal.

Maintance free are not really that.they just go ad with no maintance you can do for free.

Get a yellow top sam's club has them for 183 which is dirt cheap.

Their is a new one opening in Cambridge shortly.

Let me know i have a merbership if needed.

[steviej]

hammer, thanks for stacking the pics in your sig. It eliminated the side to side scrolling.

steviej

[amf1932]

Unless you have a system or something else that causes serious drains on the battery the Optima batteries are overkill, go Diehard thats what I always use.

Agreed! I have always replaced my batteries with Diehard Gold and I have never been sorry. ;)

[hammer008]

Batteries get warm when charged, it is normal.

Maintance free are not really that.they just go ad with no maintance you can do for free.

Get a yellow top sam's club has them for 183 which is dirt cheap.

Their is a new one opening in Cambridge shortly.

Let me know i have a merbership if needed.

←

I am told that Orbital extreme sold by Canadian tires for $CAD179 is is the same as yellow tops by a Canadian tire employee...anyone know if this is true? Apparently, Exide and Johnson have a joint venture for these spiral batteries.

Also noticed that Can tires is also selling amsoil oil and trans. fluid...expensive though. $12 for not even a litre and no french on labels.

[SKperformance]

The exide is a version of the design of the rolling of lead cells instead of flat plates for increased surface area.

They are good but not as good to an optima check their rating out and it is also smaller.