Replaced the 12V Battery with a generic Walmart Lead Acid

TLDR:
- 51R group size is the correct, direct replacement 12V lead acid battery for the 2013 Nissan Leaf (probably other years too). I couldn't find this information when I was googling and searching here earlier.
- I was able to fit a group size 35 lead acid battery, which is bigger and didn't fit the metal holder so I had to strap it down with a hack. But I was desperate because it was 1AM, the Leaf will be needed in the morning, only the 24hr Walmart was open, and there was no 51R in stock.



I'll post the longer version / more details later.

If you use a maintainer on it as needed (try once a week) it may well last as long as or longer than a 2013 OEM battery. The Leaf battery is usually under-stressed - the problem is that it's usually undercharged, too.

Oh, and make sure it's fully charged to begin with, ASAP.

I did the same thing and it helped a bit, but I still have problems. I did find the tray from a Rouge and hold down fit in the Leaf and the battery is a 34N. Here is my write up

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18129&p=439206#p439206

BrockWI said:

I did the same thing and it helped a bit, but I still have problems. I did find the tray from a Rouge and hold down fit in the Leaf and the battery is a 34N. Here is my write up

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=18129&p=439206#p439206

Click to expand...

Regarding that older topic, I'm wondering how the larger PbA battery is holding up after almost two years now. And has the intermittent 800ma battery drain ever been found?

Also, back in 2014, Nubo wrote "My choice for this application was the Sun-Xtender PVX-420T." So I'm wondering if there is a long-term update possible. I'm also interested, because that is an excellent battery, and I'm wondering how it would compare to an Optima, which is probably a bit more expensive.

I am still on the original 12V in the 2011 LEAF, so now almost six years old and in the heat of Florida, and I have to say I think it has been excellent. (I also like the original Ecopia tires and got 45K miles from them, but that's another topic.)

I have found I can go further between charges and I believe I have had the 12v run dead less often now than I did, but it still happens from time to time, very annoying. I think the larger capacity just gives me a bit more buffer if the load sticks on to when I can restart the Leaf and the 12v gets charged again. I do think the larger battery also matches the higher power charging the on-board charger. Basically when the car goes in to float it stays there a bit longer, which puts more power back in the battery.

But in the end what ever it is that is sticking on, still sometimes sticks on.

Doesn't matter how large/small the AHr capacity, any 12v lead-acid is problematic.
I understand it's expensive, but the only way to put 12v issues "to bed" is by getting the lead out; there are several threads on the topic (you can search on my name for one where I installed a LiFePO4).

I beg to differ. Any battery with a load on it that exceeds its capacity will run dead, it doesn't matter what the chemistry is. I believe the random load is the problem is really the problem, not that it is a lead acid battery. Which is also why some folks have no issue at all with their 12v batteries. Not that I am against swapping it out, I believe LiFePO4 to be a better battery, but a dead battery is a dead battery.

Stanton said:

Doesn't matter how large/small the AHr capacity, any 12v lead-acid is problematic.
I understand it's expensive, but the only way to put 12v issues "to bed" is by getting the lead out; there are several threads on the topic (you can search on my name for one where I installed a LiFePO4).

Click to expand...

Are you the guy who put a 5AH lithium battery in, only to have it drain and shut down in normal use? I too think that going lithium is entirely optional.

LeftieBiker said:

Stanton said:

Doesn't matter how large/small the AHr capacity, any 12v lead-acid is problematic.
I understand it's expensive, but the only way to put 12v issues "to bed" is by getting the lead out; there are several threads on the topic (you can search on my name for one where I installed a LiFePO4).

Click to expand...

Are you the guy who put a 5AH lithium battery in, only to have it drain and shut down in normal use? I too think that going lithium is entirely optional.

Click to expand...

Ummm...no. I put a 20 AHr LiFePO4 battery in about 3 years ago and it's still going strong.
You can search for the thread on it under my name.

I believe you. There IS a poster here who for some bizarre reason used a tiny little lithium battery, and found out that it wasn't such a great idea. I had no recollection of who it was.