Battery Capacity/Accessory Usage
 

New work schedule has me sitting in my Fit for 1/2 an hour for lunch. I don't usually eat.
Long story short, I'd really like to be able to listen to the radio during this time. But The Fit is the first vehicle I've owned where I'm worried about the battery capacity, and using it for even 10-20 minutes to listen to the radio.

So I'm either in accessory mode, with no other accessories turned on, and listening to the radio, but worrying about draining the battery prematurely.
Or I'm sitting in Park, with the engine idling, listening to the radio but worrying about wasting gasoline.

I suppose the simple solution is just to buy a portable radio, and use that.

But my question is, am I being too paranoid about draining the battery?
Is 15-25 minutes per day going to kill it?
Or should I indeed idle the engine while listening?

The Fit battery is so small, and I've read so many threads about people leaving dome lights on, and then having to replace the battery, that I'm very hesitant to even use accessory mode.

I use my iPhone and some Bluetooth headphones to listen to music when I’m working in the garage or around the car. Batteries last longer.

Yeah, I know that's probably "The Answer" but my question is...
at 15-25 minutes a day...roughly 5 days a week, is The Fit Battery so small and weak that it would be a problem?

Ultimately, yeah, I'll just use some other option. But I'd still like to know if I'm being too paranoid about the battery capacity.

Split the difference, and idle for the last five or so minutes to keep it charged for the rest of the day?

You are not being paranoid. Any standard car battery's life is reduced if drained and not recharged.

Draining it and then letting it sit till the end of work before restarting is not a good idea. It's exacerbated when adding in that the battery is really small.

I like both ideas above.

I've sat in my car for hours at a time listening to the radio, typically while waiting for an estate sale to open. But I don't do it for five consecutive days for 1/2 hr. at a time.

u know i have batteries that have lasted over 12yrs in excellent working condition and there is a reason for that. i don't let them drain and maintain them properly. draining kills batteries prematurely.

do what uncleG said. BT headphones and ur smartphone is the day to go. excellent advice

speaking of BT headphones i have these $400 sony's that i use in the plane every week that sound fantastic. sounded better than the Bose

I think it shouldn't be a big deal as long as it's the stock system without an amp and subwoofers. Just in case bring a jump pack lol

As I understand it, idling doesn't really charge the batteries.

Well I did ask the question.
I know in this day and age I could easily use other options.
But if the reality is that I can't or shouldn't be able to use my Honda Fit radio, in accessory mode for 15-25 minutes a day, without significant risk to the battery?
That's kind of sad.

I could buy a transistor radio with two double A batteries that would give me a week or two without problem.
Hard to believe the Fit battery is so vulnerable.

It's not just the Fit. Battery life is diminished when a battery is drained and not charged.

You can easily do what you're asking with the Fit or any other car. Just plan on replacing the battery more often.

Edited to add...I sit at my Son's bus stop every day with my other car that has a huge battery. I listen to the radio with the car turned off for 15 minutes or so every day. It's a 2013 model and on its third battery. All under warranty.

Yes.
What you and other people are forgetting is that whatever power you draw from the battery every day will be easily replenished by the alternator when you drive to work in the morning and back home later in the day, assuming that your drive is more than just a couple minutes back and forth. The battery will recharge and be ready to repeat the process next day. A standard stock car radio doesn't really draw much power as long as you don't have the volume cranked to the ceiling.

A few days ago I found that I had left one of the interior front ceiling lights on all night and into the afternoon of the following day. No problem. car started as normal. Car batteries aren't as fragile as some people seem to think.

That was what I was wondering.
But....
Seems like we definitely have two camps. Those that think it's a totally harmless operation as far as impact, and those that think it will lead to premature battery failure.

I suppose, really with a duality of opinion the best answer IS to simply use some other option. In this day and age, it's easy enough.

I tend to lean towards however, that at 15-25 minutes a day, and JUST the radio? I'd probably be perfectly fine.

unless it is a deep cycle battery, regular car batteries tend to loose the ability to recharge to full after it is drained. keep it up and the battery will die prematurely.

if u have even a tiny 2A charger connected to the battery while you're draining it (stereo or accessories, watever), the battery maintains the ability to charge to full again. i am no battery engineer, but this is wat i found through decades of working with car batteries.

if u consider your car starting as the only way to gauge whether your battery is charged or not, then best you keep a budget for your next battery. GL

How much power do you think a little radio use takes vs. starting the car? If this is akin to starting the car one extra time each day, followed by charging by being driven home, I don't expect it'd make much difference.

Just to help you sleep at night, you could invest in one of those lithium ion battery starter/boosters. I've seen them at Harbor Freight for less than $75 USD.
https://www.harborfreight.com/4-in-1...fQ%3D%3D%0D%0A

Consumers Reports has tested them, too...

For not much more you could just buy the oversize group 51 battery with much larger capacity and just ditch the OEM golf cart battery that Honda puts in.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart...e-51R/28275660

Costco price would probably be cheaper.

-One Camp

-The Other Camp


I'll probably look at doing this when my battery does eventually fail.