Elise S3 battery Recomendations

[slartibardfarst]

With the recent cold weather and the car often sitting idle for a number of days, my battery is struggling to hold it's charge and probably needs replacing.

 

Any recommendations for good strong batteries that will fit?

[average-mph]

Lead acid batteries are pretty much all the same, they have a limited life span. When buying one you need to get from a supplier that has a good stock turn over, you don't want one that as been sitting around for a few months.

Halfords is a good buy, but if you want a brand then Varta and Exide are also good.

You could also go Lithium Ion but they are expensive.

[slartibardfarst]

Is it better to get a larger capacity battery if a car is sitting a while.  Whats the most powerful unit you can get that will fit without changing the mounting bracket?

AGM batteries?

Calcium batteries?

[timbo]

Rather than fit a larger battery, I'd advise keeping it connected to a charger with a trickle function. This will prevent drain whilst standing. They don't need to be costly - I've been using the Aldi version for a number of years now and Lidl also have a similar unit priced at around £14.

Both have settings for motorbike, car and car (winter) charging - the winter setting runs at a slightly higher voltage - and charge normally until peak capacity then switch automatically into trickle mode. They're based on a standard charging-monitor IC that is probably the same one found in a lot of more expensive units.

[slartibardfarst]

Thanks timbo.  I actually do already have a ctek charger that will trickle charge.  If I don't intend to use the car for a week+ then i'll connect it.  My battery was failing to start the car after 3 days sitting idle.  I think it may well be the original battery so no harm in changing it.

 

For anyone else in this situation, a larger 075 spec (242mmx175mmx175mm) battery will fit.  I had to modify the hold down bracket to give more adjustment but i now have 62Ah rather than the old 44Ah.  Weight difference seemed negligible really.

 

Calcium batteries seem quite ubiquitous these days and will work and charge just fine.

AGM batteries are for start/stop cars.  They will work also but not worth the extra cost in an elise really.

[The Cakes]

AGM batteries aren’t just for start stop cars. For example Odyssey AGM batteries which a lot of us have switched over to, purely for their weight saving are fantastic batteries. If you’re putting your battery on a trickle charge then Ah is irrelevant, it’s the batteries cranking ability that’s more important. Odyssey batteries from memory weigh about 8kg less that the standard battery but have the same cranking ability. I’d have an AGM battery everyday over the big standard type. Allows me 8kg of weight gain over the Christmas period. 

[timbo]

13 hours ago, The Cakes said:

AGM batteries aren’t just for start stop cars. For example Odyssey AGM batteries which a lot of us have switched over to, purely for their weight saving are fantastic batteries. If you’re putting your battery on a trickle charge then Ah is irrelevant, it’s the batteries cranking ability that’s more important. Odyssey batteries from memory weigh about 8kg less that the standard battery but have the same cranking ability. I’d have an AGM battery everyday over the big standard type. Allows me 8kg of weight gain over the Christmas period. 

I'm assuming the last sentence might be connected with your ID..?

[slartibardfarst]

I did look into Odyssey AGM batteries thanks to this but as I don't have the car garaged and although can and do run a charger out to it, I really don't want to be doing that every few days.  Having decent capacity to me is very important.

The larger calcium battery I went for had a weight penalty of 3.8kg.  Perfectly acceptable for ~40% extra capacity.

To get the same capacity from an Odyssey battery would cost £250+ and added over 8kg.

[The Cakes]

11 hours ago, timbo said:

I'm assuming the last sentence might be connected with your ID..?

I am partial to a Victoria sponge 

 

6 minutes ago, slartibardfarst said:

I did look into Odyssey AGM batteries thanks to this but as I don't have the car garaged and although can a do run a charger out to it, having decent capacity to me is very important.

To get the same capacity from an Odyssey battery would cost £250+

Fair enough, did you look at these? This would have done the trick: 

https://www.tayna.co.uk/forklift-batteries/lucas-48v-packs/2pzs160/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkpLViOXF3gIVR_lRCh24DwD4EAQYAiABEgJkwfD_BwE

 

[slartibardfarst]

 48v, it wouldn't sadly.

 

[The Cakes]

2 minutes ago, slartibardfarst said:

 48v, it wouldn't sadly.

 

Apologies, bored watching cricket highlights! 

[timbo]

21 hours ago, The Cakes said:

I am partial to a Victoria sponge 

 

An excellent choice sir!

Have to say one of the best aspects of Christmas is the consumption of cake...