[kylejorourke]

Just replaced my original 2016 HR-V LX battery (purchased in late 2015), 30,000 miles. The cranking seemed to be getting weaker so I thought it would be a good idea since the battery is 5 years old and winter is near. Bought the 51R Interstate battery at Costco for $77 with 36 month warranty. This one is rated at 500 CCA (more than enough for this small car) and had a 10/20 date code. Very easy DIY job; everything is 10mm.

Awesome, about to do the same. So mine is pretty covered in battery acid. Did some cleaning of it with a baking soda/water solution and wire-bristle brush. Someone is telling me I need to replace the entire negative connection... Pictured below (NOT MY PICTURE)

Is there somewhere this unit/connection is sold specifically for our cars? Haven't been quite able to find the exact piece.

 

[CalgaryHRV]

It's cool in Calgary this week (-10C/14F ) and the battery in our HRV died on my wife.
I had tested it after taking the HRV out of summer storage but I did not charge it.

I charged it up for several hours, load tested it again and it seems ok.
The battery in our used HRV is not original. It looks near new, Honda 51R 500CCA. Identical to the pic John35G posted in post #28 of this thread. There is no date on it anywhere I can see.

So while I give it a few days to see if it's going to be ok, I got out the tape measure to see what will fit.
Installing another small wimpy 51R battery is not the solution.

The 56R battery, Slowfosho installed above, is a good fit because it's only 6inches wide.
Michael613 confirmed above that 6 inches is the maximum width that will fit easily.
But I cannot find a 56R battery available anywhere. Plus it only specs at 590 CCA which is not enough IMO for a winter rig in Calgary.

I cannot find any other battery that is only 6inches wide with a CCA of 650 or greater.
Most are 6 3/4 inches wide or greater.

A 24F or a 124R both of which are similar in size, 700CCA and readily available are both 6 3/4" wide.
To fit it one needs a different battery top clamp. It has to be wider than the original HRV one.

So now I'm on the hunt for a wider battery top clamp and possibly longer J-hooks.
I want to have it all ready to go in case the original 51R battery gives us anymore issues.

 

[CalgaryHRV]

I've been watching the 51R battery in our HRV like a hawk. It is definitely weak, usually less than 12.0V 1st thing every morning.
It looks new but has no date code on the top of it. But when I removed it, it has a May/2019 date code sticker on the side of it. It's only 1 1/2 years old but it's done. It's a Honda battery and likely has warranty but I don't want another tiny 51R.

After removing the 51R battery, it can be seen that the metal bracket/shelf under the battery will only accommodate a 6.0 inch wide battery.
To fit a larger/wider battery in a common size of 6 3/4" wide is going to require some fabricating of that bracket.
Plus to re-work an ECM support bracket.

This means there is no good solution for a battery upgrade for the HRV.

The 56R battery is only 6 inches wide and a drop in but it's an oddball/obsolete size and only 590CCA.
You won't find a 56R at Costco, Walmart or Canadian Tire in Canada. I called up an Interstate battery distributor here in Calgary and it's a 2 week special order and CAD$180.

But any larger battery is going to need some fabrication to make it fit.

I have to think on this before I buy anything.

 

[TwoWheelsDown]

What impact is there if the battery is disconnected? For example, is there a radio code needed? does the lost of power cause loss of memory of systems that would be a problem?

Is it recommended to use a memory saver when disconnecting the battery? If yes, any recommendations for a good memory saver?

Old post, but for anyone else that may see this, I can confirm that no radio code is needed on the LX. I parked the HR-V for just under four months and left the negative terminal disconnected the entire time. When I reconnected it, the time was lost, as well as radio station presets. Trip meters were still there. The red light to the left of the CD slot was still flashing after I set the time. I pressed the power button for the radio and got the message "press and hold power button for 2 seconds to turn on". Did that and the radio turned on.

I got an Interstate 51R from Costco earlier this year I think. $88 out-the-door over here. Just about the least-expensive 51R around.

I let the original battery run flat by keeping it connected with the car parked for a month or two, and I think that was the nail in the coffin. Warranty is great, but I just keep the water level up and test it monthly. Once the State Of Health drops to less than 80%, I'll replace it.

Even if I replace it yearly, that's $7.33/mo to have a less-than-year-old battery at any time. I think I can skip one fast-food meal a month for the convenience.

 

[cloudwalker]

Why don't people use these new battery tenders a little more often? That should extend their life a little longer...and quit using the "auto" setting on the headlights

 

[Dammit]

How does the auto setting on the headlight impact the battery life on a vehicle that has been sitting for an extended period? Yes, the lights stay on for a few seconds when the vehicle is initially shut off. After that, it probably ends up saving the battery due to repeated occurrences of forgetting to shut off the lights.

 

[CalgaryHRV]

I agree, there are other options than installing a larger battery in the HRV.

Replacing the 51R battery every year. Using a trickle charger every nite, carrying around a battery pack, etc.

However, some of us are a little more creative and ambitious than that!

 

[spacewrangler]

My previous car was an 07 Fit. It had a 151R battery (not much bigger than a motorcycle battery). After the battery warranty was over, I replaced it with a high end 51R and never had battery problems for the rest of the 11 years I owned it. I do live in the southern US, so extreme cold was usually not an issue.

 

[spacewrangler]

I have one of these. It makes testing your battery easy. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Car-Truc...-Type-6V-12V-Mechanics-Display-Volt/759488869

 

[Michael613]

I agree, there are other options than installing a larger battery in the HRV.

Replacing the 51R battery every year. Using a trickle charger every nite, carrying around a battery pack, etc.

However, some of us are a little more creative and ambitious than that!

You inspired me to post my latest project -

My version of a cold weather package using a magnetic plug

Many of us agree that the OEM 51R battery can be underwhelming. Unfortunately, finding a larger sized battery seems too difficult. After having to deal with a dead battery a few times, I decided to try and find a solution and this is what resulted: Zip-tied to the bumper is a VoltSafe magnetic...

www.hrvforum.com

 

[CalgaryHRV]

You inspired me to post my latest project -

My version of a cold weather package using a magnetic plug

Many of us agree that the OEM 51R battery can be underwhelming. Unfortunately, finding a larger sized battery seems too difficult. After having to deal with a dead battery a few times, I decided to try and find a solution and this is what resulted: Zip-tied to the bumper is a VoltSafe magnetic...

www.hrvforum.com

Lol, I can totally be a bad influence/inspiration when it comes to modding cars!


I thought you installed the XS Power 51R battery per your previous post in this thread?
It was another option (650CCA) but at US$321/ Cdn$428 not many will choose it.

I installed a large 700CCA battery in our HRV about 5 days ago.
So far zero issues but I will give it more time before l post up details, advantages and disadvantages.

So I tried installing a group 24F battery and it wouldn’t fit because the airbox and the transmission bolt are in the way.

After doing some measurements, the maximum width shouldn’t exceed 6in which rules out a group 35.

I think I’m going to go for the XSPower 5100R which is the same size as the original 51R. Somehow, they managed to pack more power in there as it’s got 650CCA!

D5100R - 12V AGM Battery

Group 51R, Max Amps 3,100A, CA: 745, Ah: 60, 2000W / 3000W

4xspower.com

If anyone else in interested in the same setup, you’ll also need part# 580 which is the short SAE terminal posts.

 

[Michael613]

Costco's $199 AGM with a 60 month free replacement warranty won over the $428+ XSpower in the end.

I made a realization after looking into the battery blanket.

They say:
Batteries lose their ability to provide full cranking power in temperatures lower than 80 °F (27 °C). In freezing temperatures, a battery can only provide 65% of its full cranking power, and in extreme weather, an unheated battery's cranking power may fall to 40% or lower.

So I'm not getting the 650CCA that the XSpower would have had but I should be getting at least 540 cranking amps with a warm 51R.

I also realized it's probably best to have Costco's no hassle warranty in case something goes wrong with the project but so far - no issues .

Congrats on getting a larger battery to fit (with 700CCA?!) Many of us did not think it was possible.

 

[CalgaryHRV]

Don't congratulate me yet!

We discussed the Costco 51R AGM battery recently in another thread:

Or get an AGM battery. Costcos in canada sell them. Someone here got one.

https://www.costco.ca/Energizer-51R-AGM-Battery-.product.1824696.html

I don't think that battery is a good option.

The Costco Kirkland 51R flooded lead acid battery is 500CCA, Cad$109, 4 year replacement warranty.
That Costco Energizer 51R AGM battery is 435CCA, Cad$199, 5 year replacement warranty.

500CCA is already inadequate capacity. That little 435CCA will also make you late for work one morning!

I'm still trying to decide what is the best option to install a larger battery in our HRV.

 

[CalgaryHRV]

So after way too much research and back and forth, I finally installed a much larger battery in our HRV.

As I detailed above, there is no perfect solution for a larger battery in the HRV.


Here is a comparison of 3 flooded lead acid batteries:

51R --- 9.5L x 5.0W x 8.75H --- 500CCA --- 28lbs --- C$109. --- Costco 4yr warr

56R ---10L x 6W x 8.3H -------- 590CCA --- 34lbs --- C$180. --- Interstate 2yr warr

124R --10.3L x 7W x 8.5H ------ 700CCA --- 40lbs --- C$124. --- Costco 4yr warr.


For most everyone, I would recommend the 56R just like Slowfosho did. 590CCA and it's a virtual drop in.
The original upper hold down bracket works, just flatten the small tab and original J-hooks are fine.
You will have to remove the plastic tray and trim off the sides so the 56R will drop in. Done.

I'm stubborn and we use our HRV for skiing all winter and after I discovered that the HRV charges the battery at low levels at times, a much larger battery was my choice.

Details on the HRV charging strategy in this thread: HR-V Battery Problem

IMO, the small 51R battery and with the variable charging voltage of the HRV combines to cause the HRV battery issues. So installing another 51R battery is not a permanent solution.

Our 2006 Acura TSX came with a 51R battery and it lasted a long time with no issues. When it failed I installed a larger Group 75 700CCA battery when it failed 3 or 4 years ago.

To install a battery wider than 6.0" inches you will have to do some mods.
It is possible but not easy to reverse the mods. You would have to purchase or re-mod the battery metal shelf.
It's not a common Honda part and not cheap.

1. The forward ECM support bracket bolts to a tab on the metal battery shelf. You will have to cut the tab off the battery shelf, move the ECM towards the headlight and then fab up a new support bracket.
It took me a while to fab up a "Z" shaped bracket, attached and screwed to the relay box bracket.
This gets the ECM secure, out of the way and now independent of the battery shelf bracket.

2. You will need a longer upper battery hold down bracket. The original one is too short. It needs to be 7.0inches ctr to ctr between the bolt holes. I found a random one at our local autowrecker, cleaned it up and painted it.

3. You will need 1 longer J bolt, about an inch longer than the originals. Available everywhere or pick up a good used one.

4. Once the battery and plastic tray are removed, 4 more bolts and the metal battery shelf comes out.
It has metal guides on both sides that are 6.0 inches apart. Too narrow for a larger battery.
I flattened out the guide nearest the headlite. Welded on an L-shaped support, numerous test fits, cleaned it up and painted it. Plus cut the sides off the original plastic battery tray.

5. Drill a hole in the metal crossmember for the new longer J-hook to fit. Clean and paint the new hole.


All this took me longer than I care to admit. About 4 hours. Of course, I could now complete it in an hour.


5 days later and all is fine. The 124R battery is 12lbs more than the original 51R right at the front but you can't tell.
Plus I have already removed the air intake resonator and ex resonator to compensate for the extra weight!

The new battery is rock solid. Never below 12.4V every morning now. No worries, no doubts now.
The goal was to eliminate any HRV battery issues for a long time.
The 124R battery is common and available anywhere. One application if researching online is a 2012 Hyundai Veracruz.
After the mods, the procedure to replace the 124R battery is exactly the same as replacing the OEM 51R battery.

I'm not much for taking pics in the middle of a project. I should have taken pics of the modified battery shelf.
The battery is much larger but it looks OEM in the engine bay. It would take a trained eye to notice the difference.
It's solid and doesn't move, tight but doesn't touch anything. The ECM is closer to the headlight.
Again, I would recommend the 56R battery for most people instead!


1 pic shows grease on the battery terminals and J-hooks for corrosion resistance.
Weird lighting in my shop. I'm a much better mechanic than photographer!

 

[Hawgryder]

My 2018 fact HRV battery died last week without any warning at all. I was sitting in the car while the wife was shopping and I heard this clicking sound under the dash. I had no idea what it was. Turned the key over and battery was dead. Got a jump, went to the auto parts through, put in a Diehard Gold and no issues since. The 51R battery is small compared to every other vehicle battery I’ve ever owned. I ride a motorcycle from May to October so the car might get used once a week during summer. I’m certain I’ll put a Battery Tender on it this year because the battery is actually in use without the car being ran.

 

[CalgaryHRV]

My 2018 fact HRV battery died last week without any warning at all. I was sitting in the car while the wife was shopping and I heard this clicking sound under the dash. I had no idea what it was. Turned the key over and battery was dead. Got a jump, went to the auto parts through, put in a Diehard Gold and no issues since. The 51R battery is small compared to every other vehicle battery I’ve ever owned. I ride a motorcycle from May to October so the car might get used once a week during summer. I’m certain I’ll put a Battery Tender on it this year because the battery is actually in use without the car being ran.

What was the date code on the failing battery? It should have had a sticker with month/year on it.
What is the in-service date of your 2018 HRV?


As a quick update on the new 124R 700CCA battery in our HRV: Zero issues.
Voltage still great. The battery hasn't moved, still snug and solid in the modified battery shelf.

No surprise as the 51R 500CCA Honda battery had zero issues for 1.5 years until it failed.

 

[Hawgryder]

Didn’t bother checking. The battery was 3.5 years of ownership old. Ironically my wife’s car non Honda is 7 years old on the original battery still going strong . Most batteries show signs of wear ie slow crank in cold weather. This factory battery Failed with no sign. It just died on the spot.

This vehicle is driven roughly once a week from May to October as my main commuter is my Harley. That’s not good for any modern car and why I’ll use a trickle charger this coming riding season.

 

[Einz]

Never heard of it.

Best Car Batteries for the Money

Consumer Reports' extensive tests reveal the best car batteries for the money, highlighting models that balance performance and price.

www.consumerreports.org