Getting ready to replace the Hema HN6 Battery

The Hema HN6 Navigator is a GPS which is capable of navigating on or off road. For on road navigation there is the iGo Primo with Camps 6 or 7 and for off road navigation there is OziExplore CE which uses Hema’s own maps. The Hema HN6 may be operated on its own internal battery for a short period or may be plugged into a cars 12 volt power socket. The Hema HN6 is a pretty good unit for on/off road navigating and comes preloaded with the full range of Hema’s digital maps.

Caution follow this guide at your own risk and responsibility.

Update: I have now done a YouTube video that shows how to change the battery on the Hema HN7 and the Hema HN6. Check it out if you would prefer to watch a video of the Replace the Hema HN7 / Hema HN6 battery. Maybe read this article then watch the YouTube video to get a more thorough understanding of the procedure to replace the Hema battery

The Hema HN6 internal battery will overtime stop holding charge and fail. This at least with ours started causing problems such as, locking up the screen with a garbled display, the Hema HN6?dropping out when the external power was?interrupted.

Hema states that there is no user serviceable parts and should be returned to Hema for service.

Well, you could return the Hema HN6 to Hema with all the risks/costs involved in sending a $700 product through the mail (I have heard that Hema charges up to $150 for a service although I have not confirmed this myself) or you could replace the battery yourself for about $16 or less.

If the Hema HN6 is under 12 months old then get the battery replaced under warranty,

as replacing the battery using this guide could void your warranty.

Note: This guide may also work with the Hema HN7 but I can not confirm this.

First track down a battery of the required type. The original battery in the Hema HN6 that we have is a PL524559 3.7 volt 1500 mAh Lithium ion polymer also known as a Li-I non, lipo or lipoly battery, with date of manufactured of 1/2/2013. To break down the battery code the the first two numbers – 52 – is the thickness of the battery the next two – 45 – is the width and the last two – 59 – is the length, so PL524559 is a battery 5.2mm thick x 45mm wide x 59mm long. These batteries can readily be found on the internet, eBay being a good start.

Note: Australia Post will not transport Lithium batteries by air only by road.

Any size/capacity battery that is a Lithium ion polymer type and of the correct voltage that can fit into the Hema HN6 case may be used.

As the original battery was not taking advantage? all the space inside the Hema HN6, I chose to have a larger size and capacity battery installed.? I brought a GSP 585460 2000 mAh Polymer Li-Inon. So the size of the battery is 5.8mm x 54mm x 60mm, this being about the maximum size that fits in the Hema HN6 comfortably. Although you could probable squeeze in a larger one. Just make sure to measure careful to ensure the battery will fit paying care that its not too thick. Double sided tape is used later on to attach the battery to the back cover, this needs to be taken into consideration when determining how thick a battery will fit into the Hema HN6

Of interest is the date of manufacture of the battery, 1/2/2013. I brought the Hema HN6 in December 2013, meaning the battery was already 10 months by the time I got the unit. The battery lasted until about February 2015, about 2 years from the date of manufacture for the Hema HN6 battery, ineffect I only got 14 months out of the battery.

The battery chosen comes with a 2 pin JST connector, you could wire in JST pins and have the battery unplugable, but I choose not to mess around doing this. When you get your battery make sure to checked the voltage of the new battery just to make sure its good. You don’t want to solder it to the Hema HN6 only to find the battery is faulty.

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