Battery Size H5(47) or H6(48) Topic is solved

Post by **Eddystone** » 08 Apr 2020, 20:51

I suspect that the battery in my 1998 V70 is a Group 47. It has the black plastic terminal cover often seen that fits into slots in the battery.

Question: If you go up to H6 (group 48) do you run into issues with air intake hoses or cable lengths? I know this battery is a couple of inches longer than the smaller battery. Smaller battery works fine where I live, but I always upsize. Not so sure this time because it's tight in there...

Post by **scot850** » 08 Apr 2020, 23:15

I normally upsize to H6 batteries due to the winters up here. No issues. Only issue you may find (and it can with H5 also) is sometimes they are not always the same length. That means the battery hold down lock may not be a tight fit. To fix this I have used small runner sticky pads to take up the gap.

H6's are a bit more difficult to get into the 2 fixed slots in the battery tray but they should do. I tend to use Interstate batteries as they are what Volvo supply.

Neil.

Post by **jreed** » 09 Apr 2020, 05:36

I started out with a Group 47 in my '97 855 and then decided to try out a Group 48 since it was larger and about the same price. The Group 48 is a tighter fit so it's a bit more work to get it in and out of the engine bay when you need to remove it. I didn't really see any difference in performance, and the lifetime of the Group 48 battery was about the same as the Group 47. When my Group 48 died suddenly during a hot spell last summer, I replaced it with a Group 47 and that has been working fine since.

Post by **Eddystone** » 09 Apr 2020, 12:13

Just went out to confirm, and I do presently have an H6 (48) in there, and it's tight. I thought I had an H6 (47) in there and THAT was tight. Where I buy my batteries, the two sizes are exactly the same price, so I will probably put an H6 in there. The battery has been fine until we let it sit unused for a while. It's sitting at 10.78 VDC and might be recoverable, but since it has a 2013 date sticker on it, I think I'll just replace it and not mess around as I did with my last battery in another car.

Post by **scot850** » 09 Apr 2020, 14:03

While I have had batteries last for up to 10 years, I think anything past about 6-7 years you are on borrowed time. It is like brakes, fluids and other consumables, it has it's time. If you live up here in the white north (yes we are to be down to -6C and snow again this weekend) then it makes sense to have the larger CCA (Cold Cranking Amps if you don't know) due to the greater strain on the batteries and turning the car over at -30C and below if you don't have a block heater or plug in. In warmer climes, where you don't get regular cold snaps you probably don't need the bigger battery and the extra weight. If the price is the same as well as warranty, then why not go for the bigger one?

Neil.

Post by **Eddystone** » 11 Apr 2020, 15:00

Just to tie this up, I just installed one of these from Advance Auto:

AutoCraft Gold Battery, Group Size H6, 730 CCA
3 YR FREE REPLACEMENT
Part # 48H6

I happened to get this because of price and convenience, but it is identical to the one that just gave out, and that one was installed in January of 2013. I hope they still make them the same.

Got the online 20% Easter discount. Went to the store, and they brought it out to me after taking my core and processing the discount. We are still approaching the CORVID-19 peak here outside of Philadelphia, and I really appreciated the service of the woman who both took my call and brought the battery out to me. I called back and got her employee number and emailed Advance Auto corporate headquarters with a complementary note. I often get my car batteries at the Walmart nearby, but when I went there it was like a scene from the Walking Dead, and I decided I could wait a day and not go into that mess.

Post by **abscate** » 12 Apr 2020, 04:32

I called back and got her employee number and emailed Advance Auto corporate headquarters with a complementary note.

I hope these corporations start treating these people differently after this ends. I know I’ll be watching.

850oldschool · Post by **850oldschool** » 12 Apr 2020, 09:44

I live in Minnesota. I have an H7: Assembling the air intake is a bit of a pain and I had to mod the clip a little, but it works.

Post by **Eddystone** » 12 Apr 2020, 12:30

850oldschool wrote: ↑12 Apr 2020, 09:44 I live in Minnesota. I have an H7: Assembling the air intake is a bit of a pain and I had to mod the clip a little, but it works.

I can see wanting an H7 in Minneapolis. I lived in Milwaukee circa 1980 when it got to like -26 F for several days. Neighbors were bringing their batteries into the house at night and reinstalling them in the morning. I had a 1971 Plymouth with a Slant Six engine and a JC Penney battery that was about three sizes up from what was recommended. My car ALWAYS started without bringing the battery in, and it really annoyed my neighbors. In fact, though, it wasn't so much the battery as it was the lack of engine compression that let the engine spin up easily even with ice cold standard oil. Used to use a quart of oil with every tank of gas.

Post by **abscate** » 14 Apr 2020, 06:30

My dowry was a 1979mVolare with the slant 6 225. Have to say it was bullet proof

I met my first wife on an oil change date, the 225 had an upside down oil filter which dumped oil on you when you cracked it

I thought she looked hot covered in engine oil.

She is still my first wife, 35 years later