Alternate to Size 48 H6 Battery

[ddetingo]

I store my ’21 Sport Badlands for several month in a place outdoors with no electric outlet. I’d like to remove the battery and bring it indoors to put on a trickle charger. However, removing the battery requires first removing the air intake manifold and the engine air filter pan. This is necessary because the Sport Size 48 H6 battery has a bottom flange which necessitates sliding the battery out of the battery pan slot before lifting it out.



Does anyone know of an alternate to the Size 48 H6 battery that does not have a bottom flange, i.e., the battery has straight sides? This would allow lifting the battery straight up out of the engine compartment after removing the hold-down bracket.

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[mikldom]

Thought about any smart chargers powered by solar? Most solar chargers that plug into the lighters are flat out junk. I haven't done the research myself but I would think that there is a smart solar charger out there with about a 30 watt panel. If not, what a market idea.

 

[NMhunter]

You can put a 10 watt solar panel on a battery without a charge controller. I have a 20 watt on my Superduty with a charge controller (it has 2 batteries). It plugs into the cigarette lighter, which is always connected on my old truck, but probably isn't on the Sport. You might need to run it directly to the battery.

I use the same system on my travel trailer, and it keeps the battery at 100%.

Google "10 watt solar panel with charge controller" and you'll come up with several inexpensive options. The first one that came up for me was a 20 watt, which would work fine.

 

[Major Kong]

solar charging will work considering that you keep panels snow free
you would be disassembling a filter assembly for battery replacement
really it's only adding a minimal amount of effort to the task
the flared battery bottom is probably there for a good reason
may want to check into that

 

[ddetingo]

Thank you. I'll look into a solar charger. I do, however, have some reservations about the security of the solar panel in the location of the stored vehicle.

 

[NMhunter]

You can keep the panel on the dash, and run the wires through the firewall.

 

[Unicorn]

Thank you. I'll look into a solar charger. I do, however, have some reservations about the security of the solar panel in the location of the stored vehicle.

The panels can be on the dash and will still maintain the battery. This is what I do with my F150 that is used only occasionally and was bought as a cheap beater for things like going to the dump, picking up dirt, and the like. It sits for weeks. I have two 20 watt panels on my dash ( a single one wasn't able to keep it charged in the overcast 7 hours of sunlight we get in the winter) with a charge controller.

 

[ddetingo]

Thanks, Unicorn. I'd probably go this route except the BS is wrapped in an EZShade cover and the windshield is covered. The only way to use a solar charger would be to lay it on the hood portion of the cover and take my chances of it being stolen. (The BS is stored in a condo parking lot.)

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Sorry about hijacking your thread. Has anyone tried one of those standalone power supplies and wall wart trickle charger? I have a similar problem with my Lexus. It’s stored in a building without power or sunlight. It sat for 6 months with a 5 year old battery this year and started with a jump box but it’s a pain when it goes completely dead.

 

[Me3]

Dick, back to your original question, you should be able to use any battery type of approximately the same dimensions and terminal orientation, provided it has the appropriate CCA, or cold cranking amps, which should be at least 760. The hold down bracket has been used for ages to keep batteries in place, I’d say there is minimal risk not having the flange.
Measure your battery and tray, go to a parts store and look for an AGM battery with no flange that fits the tray. The height and width need to be very close to the original battery. Take a pic of your battery in place, so you can make sure the hold down bar that goes across is able to cross the replacement battery unobstructed, and pos and neg are in the right spot.
I would assume some company would still build batteries for old cars, farm equipment, boats etc. that don’t have the flange, hopefully you can find what you need.

 

[jkernitzki]

Check out https://batterycouncil.org/battery-facts-and-applications/bci-group-sizes/ for specs on batteries that may still cover your need. All batteries with in a Group size have identical dimensions & specs, regardless of who makes them.

 

[ddetingo]

Thanks, Me3 and jkernitzki. This is what I was looking for.

 

[Me3]

Sorry about hijacking your thread. Has anyone tried one of those standalone power supplies and wall wart trickle charger? I have a similar problem with my Lexus. It’s stored in a building without power or sunlight. It sat for 6 months with a 5 year old battery this year and started with a jump box but it’s a pain when it goes completely dead.

Trickle chargers work well. Newer ones turn on and off as needed. I'm not sure with low powered ones if you need ventilation in an enclosed space. I have a one amp Noco charger that I use, but only outside the garage, as our furnace is in the garage. Batteries will put out flammable gases when being charged. I'm not sure if a very small amp charger will cause enough gas to be a danger, but I play it safe and charge outside only, since there are no windows to open.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Trickle chargers work well. Newer ones turn on and off as needed. I'm not sure with low powered ones if you need ventilation in an enclosed space. I have a one amp Noco charger that I use, but only outside the garage, as our furnace is in the garage. Batteries will put out flammable gases when being charged. I'm not sure if a very small amp charger will cause enough gas to be a danger, but I play it safe and charge outside only, since there are no windows to open.

I was thinking more about one of these standalone battery driven power supplies. I suppose I could just do the math based on it taking a few hours to charge using my wall wort trickle charger.

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