[wrench]

I have a 2009 CRV with 106400 miles. Based on the comments in this forum I decided to buy a battery maintainer, a NOCO Genius 5. I measured the current draw after the CRV was parked for several hours and it was 60 mA. It does not seem excessive to me, but since the CRV can sit in the garage up to 3 days a battery maintainer seemed to be a prudent investment.

I have it clamped to the battery terminals however, it is cumbersome to raise/lower the hood, clamp/unclamp the connectors every time the CRV is used. I noted that NOCO has an X-Connect OBDII Connector, part number GC012. One end connects to the OBD connector and the other end connects to the Genius 5. This appears to be a much more convenient connection method than the clamp on connectors. There is the following warning on the web site for this connector, “Do not use if the vehicle’s OBDII fuse is below 10A and/or shares a fuse with the ECU or other sensitive equipment. “

I checked the owner’s manual and could not find a fuse that supplies the OBD connector. Can anyone help? I would like to know where it is located, the rating, and what other components are connected to the fuse. An electrical schematic would be appreciated. I have the same question for a 2020 Civic, which I will post on the appropriate forum, unless someone here has that information.

 

[kloker]

Welcome to the forum! I did a Gen 3 battery upgrade thread, which you can find at the top of the Gen 3 section. In it I also showed my install of a NOCO Genius 5, with pictures and details. I used a NOCO supplied connector cable that has 6mm hole connectors for the battery terminals, and replaces the one with the clamps, which is a much better and easier solution than the OBD port connector. Here's a link to it:

Amazon.com: NOCO GC002 X-Connect M6 Eyelet Terminal Accessory For NOCO Genius Smart Battery Chargers,Black/Red: Automotive

I mounted the tender on top of the air filter box with double stick adhesive-backed velcro, making it easy to move when changing the air filter. There are pictures in my thread here:

Gen 3 Group 24F Battery Upgrade + NOCO Genius 5

Scroll down to post # 3, first picture, to see what that looks like installed. I am working on some further upgrades to this install, but haven't gotten them done yet, so I haven't updated the thread, but I will when I get it done, soon. Hope this helps.

 

[wrench]

I took a look at your upgrade. There are a few areas that cause me concern. I will follow the link and post them there for you to review. I prefer to use the manufacturer's accessories in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

 

[Theman5]

Why does a 'battery maintainer' need a fuse over 10amps?? That is more a charger...

 

[wrench]

My mistake. I called it a "maintainer" and according to the manufacturer it is a "smart charger".

 

[Theman5]

My mistake. I called it a "maintainer" and according to the manufacturer it is a "smart charger".

Makes more sense then, but why would a charger need hooked up all the time.

 

[kloker]

Makes more sense then, but why would a charger need hooked up all the time.

It's a smart battery tender. It stays plugged in all the time because it uses 115v AC house current to keep the vehicle battery properly charged, so that it does not sulfate and the charge does not get low enough to damage the battery, in situations where the vehicle is not driven frequently. It keeps the battery healthy and fresh.

 

[kloker]

I took a look at your upgrade. There are a few areas that cause me concern. I will follow the link and post them there for you to review. I prefer to use the manufacturer's accessories in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

I fully appreciate your concerns, but I'm not the least bit worried. I've been doing this for many years, with no issues.

 

[Theman5]

It's a smart battery tender. It stays plugged in all the time because it uses 115v AC house current to keep the vehicle battery properly charged, so that it does not sulfate and the charge does not get low enough to damage the battery, in situations where the vehicle is not driven frequently. It keeps the battery healthy and fresh.

Why would you ever need s charger and not just a maintainer/tender on your car battery in the vehicle? Shouldn’t ever need to ‘charge’ it unless it get depleted from using it without charge by alt.

 

[wrench]

I did an internet search for a battery maintainer and found many that were maintainers as well as chargers. The NOCO Genius 5 ( NOCO - 5-Amp Smart Battery Charger - GENIUS5 ) was one I found. It did all I needed it to do, received good reviews, and was reasonably priced. So, I bought two, ended my internet search, and continued my other tasks. I probably could have continued searching the internet to find just a maintainer and when I needed to charge a battery I could have used my Sears charger/starter. Maybe I could have saved a few dollars, but the price of the NOCO Genius 5 was not excessive, somewhere around $60 to $70

 

[kloker]

Why would you ever need s charger and not just a maintainer/tender on your car battery in the vehicle? Shouldn’t ever need to ‘charge’ it unless it get depleted from using it without charge by alt.

What we are talking about IS a tender, and NOT a plain old charger. There are many who need this type of device, especially now. Why? The virus lockdown, unemployment, furlough, no school, no work, no nothing. I need it for all those reasons. I am retired and no longer work, so I don't need to drive daily. During the lockdown I am not going out more than once every 7-10 days. Many people are stuck at home too. In this summer heat, a battery will go bad in a short time if not driven, maybe even a week. Battery quality is way down these days.

The NOCO Genius 5 is basically a computerized automatic smart battery tender (maintainer). It also has charging and desulfating functions. Mine is working quite well, and keeping my battery in perfect condition. It is smart, so it only does any charging when it is needed, and only as much as is needed and no more. It automatically senses the conditions and does exactly what is needed.

 

[Wildcat]

Just to add...

A charger is what we would use when a battery is very much discharged--it should return the battery to a full state of charge.

A trickle charger is a cheap way to allegedly "maintain" a battery, but since it provides a constant trickle, it can overcharge a battery.

Maintainers work similar to a trickle charger, but they use technology to activate and deactivate the maintenance charge so it does not overcharge the battery.

A battery desulfator allegedly dissolves the sulfate crystals from the plates inside the battery that are caused by age and various charge conditions (it's the result of a chemical reaction inside the battery). I've read of some users reviving older batteries with it, but I've used one on three different batteries (newer, older, didn't matter) and it made no difference whatsoever. It works as a maintainer so it wasn't a total waste of money.

 

[kloker]

Just to add...

A charger is what we would use when a battery is very much discharged--it should return the battery to a full state of charge.

A trickle charger is a cheap way to allegedly "maintain" a battery, but since it provides a constant trickle, it can overcharge a battery.

Maintainers work similar to a trickle charger, but they use technology to activate and deactivate the maintenance charge so it does not overcharge the battery.

A battery desulfator allegedly dissolves the sulfate crystals from the plates inside the battery that are caused by age and various charge conditions (it's the result of a chemical reaction inside the battery). I've read of some users reviving older batteries with it, but I've used one on three different batteries (newer, older, didn't matter) and it made no difference whatsoever. It works as a maintainer so it wasn't a total waste of money.

Agreed! I class that desulfation stuff as "legend." Whether it contains a grain of truth or is a complete fairy tale doesn't factor in for me, as I'm using it on a new battery anyway.