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Topic: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V (Read 1294 times) previous topic - next topic

Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

After six straight days of towing the Honda and leaving it attached behind the coach, the battery was so run down that it barely turned over the engine on the sixth morning.  Fortuantely, I carry a Sears DieHard 3-stage charger.

I seem to remembers a solution to this involving running a length of #8 wire from the engine battery to the Honda battery with some sort of device in between.  I'd appreciate getting that list of materials again so that I can construct my own.

For those of you not in Texas, it is hot here.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #1 –
Toad charge. http://www.lslproducts.com/ToadChargePage.html
EASY Installation
I use the new 10 amp version & i have not had a weak battery since even after days of driving.
The old 5 amp was not enough because the Acura battery was draining.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #2 –
I second Barry's recomendation.  I learned that same lesson on the first trip with the coach two years ago.  Have not had a problem since.
Russell
'99 U320 CAI 40ft w/Xtreme Full Body Paint
Baton Rouge

The selected media item is not currently available."Tetons"

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #3 –
Hi Berry, Thanks for that post with the parts list attached. I tow a Dakota and have had the same problem never thought to ask how to fix.  I really like this new site it sure works nice...  :)
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Gerry & Brenda
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
1994 Grand Villa - # 4466
U300 Unihome - 6V92 Detroit
4 speed Allison - Jake Brake

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #4 –
A cheaper solution, although not as elegant or convenient, is to pull the accessory power socket fuse. Check your CRV manual. On my 2005 CRV the manual recommends pulling fuse 18 after having performed the transmission shifting procedure if you are going to be towing for long periods. Don't know how much this will reduce the battery drain.

If you don't pull the fuse or install a charger/maintainer, then make sure to at least open the CRV and remove the key at the end of each days tow.

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #5 –
Quote from: Bob McGee –
Don't know how much this will reduce the battery drain.

I have pulled the fuse before I installed the "Toad Charge" and it did remove the Battery Drain.
Only problem for me is I had to put in the Navigation Code and Radio Code every time I put the fuse back in.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #6 –
George - Here is our self-made permanent "charger" for our 06 CRV.

Attach a ring connector to 10 guage (red) automotive wire, and connect it to the post on the starting battery side of your FT isolator, and run/attach the wire along the side of your engine compartment  to the back of your coach - install a 30A self-reset breaker in this line.  Run a second piece of 10g wire from the the back of the coach, through the tow bar, to the front of the Honda.  Run a third piece of 10g wire from the front of the Honda to the positive post of the Honda battery - install a Roadmaster diode in this line just ahead of the battery.  Connect/disconnect these three wires with quick release insulated connectors.  If your connectors are not insulated, you will need to cover the connector at the end of the wire from the isolator with some electric tape when it's disconnected.  Mine sparked a couple of time against the tow bar in the stowed position on the back of the coach.

This set up keeps a full charge in my Honda battery whenever the FT is running.  No more pulling fuses - or hauling out the jumper cables - or hooking up a battery charger.  It has worked flawlessly since installation 18 months ago.

Bob Mulder
02 U270
Roy, WA
Bob Mulder
02 U270 3610 / 06 CRV
Spokane, WA

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #7 –
George,

When I towed an Accord, I replaced the bolt on the ground battery post connector with one from a bicycle seat quick release clamp.  It then took seconds to eliminate any battery drain and didn't require any wiring.

Regards,

Brett
Regards,
Brett

'99 42' Foretravel Xtreme
'14 Brown Motorsports Stacker
'05 Chevy SSR
'02 BMW R1150R

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #8 –
FWIW. 
A word of caution regarding pulling any fuses or installing battery disconnects on Honda products. 
Some you can and some you can't without risking transmission damage! 
Be sure to check with a Honda representative that you know and trust or find (and KEEP) an official Honda technical document before interrupting power and then towing!
After years of towing a pair of Honda Odysseys (2000 and 2003) and an Acura MDX (2001), I have intimate experience with some Honda quirks regarding solenoids that MUST remain energized in these transmissions in order to avoid transmission damage during a tow.
Honda Odysseys (and most MDX's as well, I believe) from 2000 to 2004 were approved for 4 wheels down towing, within the Honda specified instruction set.  In 2005, Odysseys and MDX's were removed from the Honda approved towing list.  Why?  Especially since the transmissions and transmission associated electrical controls were identical to 2004 and earlier.
Two trusted Honda Service Managers and a Honda Transmission Specialist have confided to me that owners were towing certain approved Honda products long enough for their batteries to go dead, solenoids were returning to their "shelf state" (the denergized state), transmissions were being damaged and the owners were not being forthright with their errors.  Thus,  Honda got out of the business of approving any towing of any vehicles that require energized solenoids in order to avoid transmission damage.  I believe that you will find that the CR-V does not have to have energized solenoids and some Accords do, some don't. 
By removing their approval, Honda also removed all future contests with the less than forthright owners in future model years.
For a while, REMCO sold annual insurance policies for post 2004 Honda Odysseys/MDX's and then provided the same exact instruction set that Honda had provided for the earlier years.  They don't now and I don't know what happened to that option.
Over the years, I have  found that with Honda Accords, Odysseys and Pilots, I could get faster and better technical answers from REMCO than I could from Honda, probably directly proportional to the size of their respective legal staffs.
FWIW
Neal

Quote from: amos.harrison –
George,

When I towed an Accord, I replaced the bolt on the ground battery post connector with one from a bicycle seat quick release clamp.  It then took seconds to eliminate any battery drain and didn't require any wiring.

Regards,

Brett
The selected media item is not currently available.
Neal (& Brenda) Pillsbury
'02 U320 SPEC, 4200, DGFE, Build #5984
'04 Gold Wing
'07 Featherlite 24'
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
MC #14494
Exeter, NH & LaBelle FL
Quality makes the Heart Soar long after Price is Forgotten

Re: Battery Discharged in Honda CR-V

Reply #9 –
I have enjoyed your answers and learned a few things.  It is doubtful that we will ever again do six days in a row of 300 miles per day without unhooking and using the Honda CR-V. So I will take the easy way out and do nothing.  I do have a high quality DieHard 3-stage charger that can be put to use very easily should it be needed.

This is a great forum and the addition of illustrations within a specific topic is very helpful.  Thanks to all of you who replied.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.