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I have 6 volt Optima's in our 40,47, and 48. Recently following the Texas Packard Meet, the 48 failed and it was less than a yr old. Replaced it and 4 months later it failed. Advance Auto refunded my money as they could no longer source them. I use a trickle charger on them and start them at least once a week. Do they need a maintainer or some other charger or am I just charging too much? Or, are they no longer dependable?? Tommy

Others have mentioned they have had less than expected life with their red top batteries but as to whether lower battery quality or improper charging is the cause is open to debate.

Optima has a support page where they have several categories on battery storage and charging. While it does not specifically cover low use once a week driving situations it does have some good overall suggestions. Perhaps the page would be of some help in your decision about trickle vs maintenance chargers.

Thanks, I will check it out,

I am of the opinion that, if the electrical system and battery are both in good condition, we probably charge our batteries to death. I have only a wet cell in the '46, and it started just fine in June when I was last visiting it. Yesterday, I started mt redbelly Ford tractor which hadn't been touched since April and it fired on the second revolution.


And they both could be dead as the proverbial doornail when next I crank them, so only Gaia knows for sure.

Tommy, when i asked for the most suitable in the late '90s, an Optima tech suggested a CTEK UC 800 level sensing trickle charger, which is still out in the garage doing its thing this afternoon.

I've never gotten less than a decade from an Optima 6-volt Red Top battery w/ 800 CCAs, whether made in their Colorado plant or the one not far from Mexico's border where 90% of our neighbor's manufacturing due to ease of shipping and (not enough) trade agreements with us, the latter in the win-win-win reducing illegal immigration of those generally having larger families making it still harder for many of us to enjoy our Packards over the "open road" once in a blue moon.

BTW, why do you start your engines once a week? Never do that unless blistering heat. Doing so or short drives around the neighborhood only creates carbonic acid, varnish, sludge.
In one of their Service Counselors issued to dealers, Packard in the '40s urged pushing cars by hand rather than starting the engines briefly.

Thanks, I will see if I can find that charger. I am in South Texas where we have had 13 days in a row of triple digit weather. I have a friend with a large collection 20 0r more of assorted makes that has issues with stuck engines. That and wanting to make sure the batteries are charged is why I start them.

Starting cars and running them for a short time, especially without driving them, is a very bad practice.

It's hard on batteries, it wastes fuel, and it contributes to carbon deposition, sludging, internal engine rust, oil dilution, crankcase moisture deposition, and exhaust system corrosion, among other negative effects.

If you're going to start it, drive it for half an hour or more, preferabley on the open road at moderate speeds for at least ten miles. More is better.

An engine will not get stuck sitting, even if it sits for years, under any ordinary circumstance.

It can be beneficial to press the brake pedal several times once a month on a car that is in storage. A half dozen applications of the brake will prevent cups and shoes from sticking, and will restore residual pressure in the system, which will help keep cups seated, thus preventing fluid leaks and air intrusion. It's also a good idea to set and release the parking brake a few times.


Note that a car started and garage or driveway run, especially in cool or cold weather, is not warmed up just because the temperature gauge shows some heat.

If you leave a battery on a charger for an extended period of time, you need to use a good quality "float" type charger/maintainer that is intended to be left connected. Most ordinary battery chargers are not designed to be left connected for extended periods of time.

Tommy, I have an Optima Red Top battery in the 32 Ford Coupe hot rod. It has been in the car since 2007. The car has a battery disconnect switch which I turn to OFF when the car is not being driven and a battery maintainer which is connected then too. The battery continues to function with this procedure. I also have a 99 BMW Z3 Roadster which also has a maintainer connected when the car is not being driven. The battery is a wet lead acid type which is 5 ½ years old and does not show any signs of giving up. When I do start them I will drive them for 20 miles or so to keep condensation and other bad things from accumulating in the engine. My experience for what it is worth.

JWL adds another cogent point, Tommy. A master battery disconnect switch is a must on any vintage or special interest car. But don't get one of the cheap ones that mount on a battery post requiring you to open and close your hood constantly.

I like the brass Cole Hersee marine-grade M284, available at any NAPA outlet; the one auto parts chain all old car folk should patronize because they generally have better stuff as low or even lower than the other chains. Of course, you can also shop around online.

Note you have '40, '47, and '48 Packards. On my '40 One-Twenty, mounted the Cole Hersee just ahead of the underfloor battery box, so you only had to reach down by the front of the driver's seat to switch it on and off.

Below is a picture of the Cole Hersee installation in my '47 Super Clipper, which of course will suffice for your '48 as it shares much the same inner structure. This way, you just reach under the dash to where the handle protrudes from the firewall well above the clutch, brake, gas pedals.

As mentioned many times, always use double aught (00) solid copper wire to and from the battery, starter, engine ground, ends both crimped and soldered.
You can get this at any big rig supply house. Never settle for "heavy duty" battery cable at any auto parts store in today's 12-volt world, because it will still be too skimpy.

Whatever disconnect switch you buy, make sure it's rated for more amps than your starter draws. The Cole Hersee will handle up to 36 volts but at our mere 6 will handle still more amps.

Ours are luxe road cars, so there's naught luxe about constantly opening and closing our hoods, esp. w/ our timely, oft irritating one side at a time arrangement shared with Buick ... Dear God, how the mighty have fallen.

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