Where to purchase a 6 volt Optima Battery

[Phil Planck]

If one is worried about lead acid battery leakage and fumes you can get a battery box with a vent tube

www.taylorvertex.com/battery

The Miata battery, in the trunk like 356 has a vent tube routed to the outside, as do some motorcycle batteries.

I ran an Optima in my 55 coupe and it lasted years. Also ran a lead acid with a special mat. Optima will vent(not fully sealed) during serious charging, so leave trunk lid open if that is the case.

[Richard Sjolund]

So, I get to answer my own question: Where to purchase a 6 volt Optima Battery

My local AutoZone ordered one for me yesterday - and they have it at the store today. I'll pick it up tomorrow. The purchase requires a "Core" - and I have an even older Optima to give them.

It's great to learn that they are still being produced - and maybe, just maybe, my new one is a recent production.

Thanks to everyone who helped me in this search.

Richard Sjolund
Solon, (Iowa City), Iowa
Ruby -- 1964 (September 1963 build) 356 C Karmann Coupe (Ruby Red, color:6402)
On the 356 Registry cover- November, 2005; July, 2018
Ford F150 4X4 (Winter Snow Plow)
2015 Audi A4 Quattro (Wife's car)

[Charles H Jacobus]

I got mine from Batteries+

Chuck

[Richard Sjolund]

Yes - - that would have worked for me - -with a 10% off coupon

https://www.batteriesplus.com/productde ... pt8010=044

Richard Sjolund

[Jack Walter]

I bought mine from Summit. Also I highly recommend the Granite Digital battery charger/maintainer as it will handle a six volt AGM battery - the NOCO charger will not as I found out the hard way.

[Charles H Jacobus]

My NOCO 750 charges and keep my 6 Volt Optima fine, but my NOCO 3500 would not tend my 12V battery in the 993. It worked fine for a while, then stopped working and the car discharged the battery over a months time. the 750 did the same thing on the 12V 993.

Chuck

[jay abrams]

I get my parts from suppliers that support my club. I don't understand why anyone would go elsewhere. Different strokes I guess. I've only purchased my Optimas from Chatham, and will continue to do so.
Jay

[Richard Sjolund]

I get my parts from suppliers that support my club. I don't understand why anyone would go elsewhere. Different strokes I guess. I've only purchased my Optimas from Chatham, and will continue to do so.
Jay

I tried to find the Clatham website with no success. I found a FaceBook page filled with motorcycles and ATVs.
I also tried NLA and Stoddard - I've been their customer for 30 years -- and I'm a frequent shopper at half of the vendors on the Registry list.

if it were that easy I would not have posted the question...

[jay abrams]

I get that.....They are listed on the Vendors page under Accessories. Ph 540 381 0356
Jay

[Richard Sjolund]

I picked up my Optima 6 volt battery at my local AutoZone store today. They ordered it for me over the phone. It looks a little dusty - and a big sticker on the side says 10/15 .....

My guess is that I have a 3 year old NEW battery. It is on charge now, and I'm going to drive 1,720 miles to Arizona starting on Saturday (5 days from now).

Wish me well ....

[Jules Dielen]

safe travels Richard!

the 6v optima in my A is still going strong, it's a got a 7/09 sticker!

[Sean M Rooks]

Safe travels, Richard! i'm driving a scant 300 miles to the ECH this week and was hoping to bring a spare battery in the form of an Optima 6 volt to supplement my farm and tractor battery as a backup.

Hoping maybe I can find one on the way up...as no one in town has one in stock.

[Eric Decetis]

s-l225.jpg (6.54 KiB) Viewed 806 times

Hi Richard...Just found one on EBAY plus a cloaking device. Not sure if it is the real deal but seems legit.

Good Luck!
Eric

[David Jones]

If you are concerned at all about battery failure or generator failure be aware that if either one fails you can still drive for a long time with one or the other as long as you are aware of the pitfalls. A failed generator means you can only drive as far as the battery level of charge will allow but that also depends on failure mode. A bearing failure means not very far because of no cooling. If it is a mechanical failure of the generator and a 356 generator cannot be found then a VW 6 volt generator can be used to allow the fan to be operational until a 356 generator can be sourced. By means of splicing in to the VW generator output and field wires you can also use the VW generator to run the 356. Not pretty but at least functional.
If the battery fails you will now have to bump/jump start the car and a small sealed lead acid battery can be used to drive the ignition to get the engine running and run the ignition for an hour or so if necessary. These are small enough ( 6 volt 7amp) to fit in the glove compartment and will hold a charge for more than 6 months.
From what I can gather on Optima batteries the main problem with charging is not concerned with maintaining a charge but recharging a flat Optima. That requires a charger that can monitor the charge and adjust according to the state of the battery. This means that if you allow the Optima battery in your car to run down you could be in trouble and kill the battery by trying to charge it with the car charging system. It can also damage the car charging system if it takes too much charge and over taxes the generator.
If you do not drive your 356 regularly at least put it on a battery tender whenever you park it. I have done so for years and even my cheap farm supply batteries last 5 years plus.

[Charles H Jacobus]

If you are concerned at all about battery failure or generator failure be aware that if either one fails you can still drive for a long time with one or the other as long as you are aware of the pitfalls. A failed generator means you can only drive as far as the battery level of charge will allow but that also depends on failure mode. A bearing failure means not very far because of no cooling. If it is a mechanical failure of the generator and a 356 generator cannot be found then a VW 6 volt generator can be used to allow the fan to be operational until a 356 generator can be sourced. By means of splicing in to the VW generator output and field wires you can also use the VW generator to run the 356. Not pretty but at least functional.
If the battery fails you will now have to bump/jump start the car and a small sealed lead acid battery can be used to drive the ignition to get the engine running and run the ignition for an hour or so if necessary. These are small enough ( 6 volt 7amp) to fit in the glove compartment and will hold a charge for more than 6 months.
From what I can gather on Optima batteries the main problem with charging is not concerned with maintaining a charge but recharging a flat Optima. That requires a charger that can monitor the charge and adjust according to the state of the battery. This means that if you allow the Optima battery in your car to run down you could be in trouble and kill the battery by trying to charge it with the car charging system. It can also damage the car charging system if it takes too much charge and over taxes the generator.
If you do not drive your 356 regularly at least put it on a battery tender whenever you park it. I have done so for years and even my cheap farm supply batteries last 5 years plus.

Dave:
My generator can sometimes get to 7.5v. Is that going to hurt the battery (Optima). Right now, I've been turning the headlights on to get it down a little. It only happens, of course, at high rpm.

Chuck