I wanted to share my accumulated knowledge after many(!) hours of research including reading every battery thread on the forums.
The stock 51R is woefully underpowered for the Element, particularly with cold weather and/or any kind of electrical mod or add-on. Judging from the numerous threads on battery issues, I would recommend everyone upgrade their battery at least one level (56) at next replacement.
Below is a list of proven sizes of minimal effort:
Group Size (w/ EOC URL) : Effort : CCA : Notes
51R Dropin ~450 (OEM - avoid)
56 Dropin ~500
47 Width ~550
35 Width ~600
34R Width ~650 (less common size)
24F Width ~700 (may require longer J hooks)
**51R & 56 are "Dropin", require no adjustments
**47, 35, 34R, 24F require simple "Width" adjustments: removal of plastic tray, wider tiedown strap, and bending J-hook tabs
**EOC URLs include DIY step-by-steps and hints and tips - read all even if not for your selected size
Some (simplified) general principles for consideration:
Terminal Position
The reason the sizes above are listed and not others is both because of battery size, and because terminals come in a variety of positions. The positive (red/+/POS) and negative (black/-/NEG) can be anywhere. Imagine the top of a battery in a 4x4 grid:
1 2
3 4
The OEM battery cables are only so long and the OEM placement accommodates sizes only so well.
The ideal battery terminal arrangement without any mods is:
+ -
x x
This can also be accomplished by flipping a battery around! Where the "front"/sticker is doesn't matter:
x x
- +
All size listed above are in these arrangements. The "R" MUST be included - it means "reverse". Without out, a 51 may not fit, and a 34 is an absolute pain in the ass with lots of required adjustments.
Diagonal arrangements can be okay (but are less common and not included above.
+ x
x -
Middle arrangements can also be okay (but are less common). The Optimas below have middle terminals
x x
+ -
x x
Below is a list of proven sizes of more than minimal effort (bent/new tray, longer cables, longer hooks, remove and replace surrounding parts, etc.):
Group Size (w/ DIY URL) : CCA : Notes
34 / P4 ~750-900 (terminals wrong sides and obstructed)
http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67197
31R ~900 (monster, Optima 'red top')
31A ~900 (monster, Optima 'blue' or 'yellow top' only(?) because of terminals)
Backup Plans (highly recommended!)
I cannot recommend enough you get a battery jump pack. I've given away my jumper cables! This bad boy has saved me and others multiple times (Jump-N-Carry JNC300XLC).
.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC300XLC-Ultraportable-Starter-Compliant/dp/B00CMP3Z4E/
It'll jump a stock Element on contact, and has jumped a V8 in seconds. There are lots of jumper combo kits available which are all mediocre. For not much more you can get quality individual components: jumper, tire pump, and inverter, but everyone's priorities are different. BTW, avoid this crap tire pump (Slime 40022);
it worked three times then broke. Get this heavy duty professional compressor for just a few bucks more (Viair 00073).
Finally, if you can't risk a dead battery (critical response, remote travel, etc.) get a battery protector. They're expensive (~$80-100), but they shut off all draw from the battery if it dips too low but leaves enough power to immediately start the vehicle. They also extend battery life by not allowing batteries to drain.
Me
I have little to no electrical experience. My personal struggle/journey of discovery started almost 3 years ago when GetAround added their "Connect" device to my car, an always-on GPS/cellular unit that allows tracking, data gathering, remote lock, etc. Though a small draw, it would drain the battery to the point of being unable to start the car if not driven for 4-5+ days. Then, when the temperatures dropped my car was dying daily. Long story, I eventually replaced the battery. It has lasted 2 years but is in the same position as before hence my need for an upgrade.
The stock 51R is woefully underpowered for the Element, particularly with cold weather and/or any kind of electrical mod or add-on. Judging from the numerous threads on battery issues, I would recommend everyone upgrade their battery at least one level (56) at next replacement.
Below is a list of proven sizes of minimal effort:
Group Size (w/ EOC URL) : Effort : CCA : Notes
51R Dropin ~450 (OEM - avoid)
56 Dropin ~500
47 Width ~550
35 Width ~600
34R Width ~650 (less common size)
24F Width ~700 (may require longer J hooks)
**51R & 56 are "Dropin", require no adjustments
**47, 35, 34R, 24F require simple "Width" adjustments: removal of plastic tray, wider tiedown strap, and bending J-hook tabs
**EOC URLs include DIY step-by-steps and hints and tips - read all even if not for your selected size
Some (simplified) general principles for consideration:
- size 56 / ~500 CCA is fine for the average driver
- anything >500 CCA increases reliability and allows for electrical mods
- the higher the CCA the stronger the battery in cold temperatures and longer life when car is off
- higher CCA = larger battery volume and/or higher price
- CCA varies by brand, quality/level, and price - numbers listed above are a guide
- using size variations not listed above may not fit .evdl.org/pages/bcigroup.html
- Optima batteries tend to be smaller thus terminal position is more flexible, but they're expensive $$$
- Sears DieHard has wonky numbering - be sure to go by "group size" not product number e.g. C-14, P5, G34R, etc.
- assuming similar CCA, go by dealer warranty and price, not by brand - I have yet to see convincing evidence either way that expensive batteries last longer (plenty of Optimas fail in <24 months) or that inexpensive batteries won't last long (my OEM 51R lasted 6 years)
Terminal Position
The reason the sizes above are listed and not others is both because of battery size, and because terminals come in a variety of positions. The positive (red/+/POS) and negative (black/-/NEG) can be anywhere. Imagine the top of a battery in a 4x4 grid:
1 2
3 4
The OEM battery cables are only so long and the OEM placement accommodates sizes only so well.
The ideal battery terminal arrangement without any mods is:
+ -
x x
This can also be accomplished by flipping a battery around! Where the "front"/sticker is doesn't matter:
x x
- +
All size listed above are in these arrangements. The "R" MUST be included - it means "reverse". Without out, a 51 may not fit, and a 34 is an absolute pain in the ass with lots of required adjustments.
Diagonal arrangements can be okay (but are less common and not included above.
+ x
x -
Middle arrangements can also be okay (but are less common). The Optimas below have middle terminals
x x
+ -
x x
Below is a list of proven sizes of more than minimal effort (bent/new tray, longer cables, longer hooks, remove and replace surrounding parts, etc.):
Group Size (w/ DIY URL) : CCA : Notes
34 / P4 ~750-900 (terminals wrong sides and obstructed)
http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=67197
31R ~900 (monster, Optima 'red top')
31A ~900 (monster, Optima 'blue' or 'yellow top' only(?) because of terminals)
Backup Plans (highly recommended!)
I cannot recommend enough you get a battery jump pack. I've given away my jumper cables! This bad boy has saved me and others multiple times (Jump-N-Carry JNC300XLC).
.amazon.com/Jump-N-Carry-JNC300XLC-Ultraportable-Starter-Compliant/dp/B00CMP3Z4E/
It'll jump a stock Element on contact, and has jumped a V8 in seconds. There are lots of jumper combo kits available which are all mediocre. For not much more you can get quality individual components: jumper, tire pump, and inverter, but everyone's priorities are different. BTW, avoid this crap tire pump (Slime 40022);
it worked three times then broke. Get this heavy duty professional compressor for just a few bucks more (Viair 00073).
Finally, if you can't risk a dead battery (critical response, remote travel, etc.) get a battery protector. They're expensive (~$80-100), but they shut off all draw from the battery if it dips too low but leaves enough power to immediately start the vehicle. They also extend battery life by not allowing batteries to drain.
Me
I have little to no electrical experience. My personal struggle/journey of discovery started almost 3 years ago when GetAround added their "Connect" device to my car, an always-on GPS/cellular unit that allows tracking, data gathering, remote lock, etc. Though a small draw, it would drain the battery to the point of being unable to start the car if not driven for 4-5+ days. Then, when the temperatures dropped my car was dying daily. Long story, I eventually replaced the battery. It has lasted 2 years but is in the same position as before hence my need for an upgrade.
