Dead Optimas

Ben, I also have a Zivan NG1 that I bought from Electric Vehicle Convesions in CA for my motorcycle. The charger has some sort of pulsing algorithm on the last stage that I really didn't like. It would stay on for hours at end of charge and not shutting off, sometimes heating up the batteries, and causing one or more to outgas. This was even with powerCheq units installed. I think these chargers are fine for flooded lead-acid, but I wouldn't use one for AGMs again. However, an NG1 seems to have been working ok for my Dad's bike which is a 72v system with Hawker Cyclones, but it is an older model without any pulsing algorithm on the last stage.

I have since changed to a parallel charging scheme.

I recommend you buy a 12v Vector B&D smart charger and charge each battery separately to try get some charge in them for now. Eventually, a bank charging setup might work (6 12v chargers) better, or you might use a BattEQ equalizer with a charger that has no pulsing algorithm at end-of-charge (like a 72v Soneil). It sounds like your batteries are shot, but I wouldn't give up on them just yet.

Also, after you charge them, and get a better idea of their condition, it may be helpful to add a small amount of distilled water if you can remove the vent caps. I would start with 1 ml per cell. I bet the Zivan charger overcharged them causing gassing and loss of electrolyte.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=zivan+death+battery

apparently its a problem, one reason I'm building my own BMS/charger....

PFC, programmable battery type, programmable curve, built in monitoring and comm to a display...with equalizing when not being charged (while driving or while sitting). Working with Synkromotive on it.

Can you tell us about your charger. Is the charger located on the bike. What voltage do you notice when it is charging. What voltage is the charger floating the batteries at. Does the charger have temperature compensation, if it does where does it sense temperature. Here is a quote from one of the information sites your might find interesting.
(When a battery that is 90 degrees F in temperature is charged at the correct voltage for 50 degrees F it will be boiled dry in three months.)

Eric Fisher
www.SiliconeBatteriesUSA.com

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

those are AGM, they're sealed. You do NOT add water or otherwise maintain the sealed optimas.

That is for flooded batteries only (normal car batteries). They do better with maintenance.

SLA's, AGM's and gels are maintenance free, don't crack them open. The flooded batteries have a cap, you take off and add water.

Years ago I remember the Optimas not dealing with vibration well. Could this be the same issue?

I'm a little worried about cracking these batteries open. Is that something people do to sealed Optimas?

Not normally, but if the batteries were damaged due to loss of electrolyte and are not usable anyway, than it can't hurt to try and add some water. I would need to take a close look at an optima to find out how to take the vent cover off, and remove the vent caps. I can do this for all standard sized sealed AGMs and have done so to add water to restore life to UPS batteries which are often slowly overcharged and killed that way.

Optima and any other AGM manufacturer will not recommend doing this. That's because, provided the battery is charged within specs, this wouldn't ever be necessary, and doing so can hurt the battery. But, IF your battery is already bad, than you have nothing to lose by trying to add some water. That's why I said to do this AFTER you try and charge them with a Vector charger and get an idea of their condition.

It's important to only add a small amount of water, and only add distilled water. 1 ml is a very small amount, and you'll need a dropper to measure this, and add it to the cells through the vent. The electrolyte is fully absorbed in the glass matting between the cells so it will not, nor is it supposed to pool up like for floodeds. This also makes it difficult to determine the electrolyte "level". That's why you'll need to add water in small increments of 1 ml and test the battery by charging and load testing to determine any improvement.

Is anybody else, when they see this thread title, thinking of a rock band?