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It looks like my 12v batt is dying. I couldn't pump up one low tire after sitting a few weeks. I want an Optoma or some other nice AGM battery. Anybody know where to get one?

circuit city ;) I use one of these http://www.svrbatteries.com/audio_line.html

Specificaly http://www.svrbatteries.com/battery_page.php?bid=24 which is shoe horned into my engine compartment. You could probably go with somethign smaller. The company also makes motorcycle batteries but I'm not sure if they are agm.

Wow! Those are even more expensive than a full sized Optima!

Yup. A tad expensive. But if it allows me to FAS while listening to some hardhitting bass its all worth it in my opinion ;)

Tom,

I looked at that batt and it is MUCH bigger than stock. Did you do anything special to make it fit? Will a regular Civic battery fit with no mods?

I removed the plastic battery tray and cover. the battery is shoe horned in. You probably don't need the same model as i have. I have a couple of large amplifiers to feed. They have many on their site. They might even have a 51R on there for the civic. A 51R would be the replacement for a regular civic battery and will likely fit in the tray properly.

Hi Jason:

___Any number of replacements can be found and if IIRC, the std. Civic is the most widely installed HCH-I and Insight replacement? Do not hold me to this statement however … I picked up the Optima D35 for the 51R form factored OEM in the Accord and it will easily turn over the I4 at just 11.5 Volts whereas the OEM had trouble at 11.8 or under! She stays up at 12.3 or above with the accessories and lights at night under a FAS for an inordinate amount of time too ;)

___I had at first middling success w/ the D35 until Louis and Randall found some terminal corrosion and pushed them further down the taper. Fixed and all is 100% now.

___Either way, the std. Civic battery is a std. 51 and if the HCH-I is the same, a D34 (even more powerful then the D35 but also heavier) might fit given the positive post to the front left/right rear depending on orientation matching that of the 51.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

What is a FAS? JK, I'm FAS-masterson.

So does the 35 fit the tray or do you need a 51? The only 51 I could find is a yellow top. What do you think? (They also have a 51R)

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Batteries+%26+Chargers&pid=02827951000

Hi Lakedude:

___The Optima 51 and 51R Yellow Top’s are no longer available. You can verify this through Sears, Batteries Plus, AutoZone, PepBoys, whoever. I purchased a new tray for the D35 in the Accord but it is a completely different setup then the 51 in the Civic …

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Man finding a reasonably priced AGM in that size was a pain in the rear. I guess Johnson had trouble with the Optima in that size? I ended up going with a WestCo Miata sized battery for $89.95 no tax, free shipping!

http://www.westcobattery.com/miata.html

http://www.westcobattery.com/images/12V31M.jpg

Wow sorry for the very late response, somehow I missed this thread!

Mine went out last summer. It was so bad that my steering assist went intermittant in a long FAS. I'd apply the brakes and the load from the lights (and what ever else comes on) caused my radio to cut out!

I checked my dealer and his price was $95.
I did some shopping around and found one at Autozone for $58.
The OEM was much smaller than the battery box and the new one filled it up.

That WestCo battery already arrived a couple days ago. It only took perhaps 3 days to get it. Talk about fast service! It will go in this weekend. I wish it was a tad larger/high capacity.....

Still, an AGM battery has got to be an improvement over stock?

I've heard really good things about WestCo batteries. The one I have I think is re-branded but I believe it is made by them as well. I've had good luck so far ;)

Well I put the WestCo in today. It is shorter than the stock battery slightly deeper and about the same width (lenght?). I put a 2 by 6 cut down to a five inch width under the Westco and it fit perfectly inside the stock battery case. Nice and snug. The top of the WestCo is not flat and the cables need to be put on at a different angle so that you can snap down the cover over the positive terminal. This red cover is critical! Why you ask? Because the stupid hood holding rod goes directly above the positive terminal of the battery!!!! I never noticed until it I changed the battery out. What a crappy design!

Anyhow the WestCo is designed to be a Miata battery and I'm thinking it will actually have an easier life in a HCH because it will not be called upon to start the car like it would in a Miata. A deep cycle would have been a good choice. Hopefully the WestCo will survive my FAS happyness.