Optima Replacement Battery

[jcbesq]

i was perusing the optima battery page and as of now they do not list an I2 battery .... but ... they do list an I1 battery ...

Optima BatteriesOptima Batteries 8071-167 D51 YellowTop Starting & Deep Cycle Battery

.... would this work on the I2? I also noted a reverse polarity unit for the civic, which is identical in all other respects except for the reverse elctrodes - or would this be the one?

Optima BatteriesOptima Batteries 8073-167 D51R YellowTop Starting & Deep Cycle Battery (Reversed Post)

[Cobb]

Myself and a few others have gone to a group 51 battery. YOu have to remove the plastic sleeve and slide te batery over to the fender all the way.

I got mines from a local auto parts store and precharged the battery before installation.

The best battery would be a deep cycle one as the "alternator" or dc to dc converter on this car turns off and on as needed to charge the battery and the car starts from the hybrid pack.

Many of the i1 owners have gone to a dry cell or braille battery for weight concerns.

Ive had no issues with leaving a dome light on all day or the radio unlike the stock battery.

[nursemike]

I swapped my Optima yellow top into the I2 for awhile to "borrow" the I2's OEM battery for my '06 HCH II for another issue I'm having with that vehicle (crashing IMA battery every time it's started).

What I can report is an
Increase in mpg in the I2 with the Optima battery of 2-3 mpgs over a couple of weeks with my wife, a non hypermiler, driving the car most of the time.

[jcbesq]

other than the external dimensions being a tad bigger all around were the electrodes the same diameter and size? did the stock contacts go on easily?
thanks

[Cobb]

Yes. It basically uses the "civic" battery as the guy at the auto store will tell you. What I like is how much assist you can pull from the pack. It really brings the IMA system to life.

I am more interested in how can installing a smaller battery in the hch "fix" an IMA issue.