Information is accurate and true to the best of AutoZone’s knowledge, however, there may be omissions, errors or mistakes.īe sure to consult your owner’s manual, a repair guide, an AutoZoner at a store near you, or a licensed, professional mechanic for vehicle-specific repair information. When possible, store your battery in a cool, dry location.Īdvice, how-to guides, and car care information featured on and AutoZone Advice & How-To’s are presented as helpful resources for general maintenance and automotive repairs from a general perspective only and should be used at your own risk. High temperatures will also accelerate discharge rates. If it is not possible to use a maintenance charger, disconnect the battery from the vehicle during storage to prevent small electrical drains from discharging the battery. Therefore, we recommend using a type of “ battery maintainer.” This is a device that will monitor your battery and keep it fully charged while in storage to extend the battery life and ensure that it will start later. An Optima batteries has a much lower self-discharge rate than conventional batteries, but all batteries will lose voltage over time, especially if there are any small electrical drains (alarm clock, stereo memory etc.).

If your battery is in a vehicle that is not used regularly and you do not use a battery maintenance device (voltage monitor/trickle charger) your battery could be slowly discharging. The most important consideration when storing any battery is to make sure the voltage never drops below 12.4 volts.

What are storage recommendations for Optima batteries?

Optima battery reviews