As of May 1, 2013, there are three major automotive starting flooded battery manufacturers in the United States. There are four absorbed glass-mat (AGM) starting battery manufacturers and there are four flooded deep cycle battery/major deep cycle battery manufacturers in the United States.
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) is a test conducted at 0 F (-18 C) for 30 seconds without falling below 7.2v at the battery's CCA rating.
Marine Cranking Amps (MCA) is a test conducted at 32 F (0 C) for 30 seconds without falling below 7.2v at the battery's MCA rating.
Connecting batteries in parallel is commonly used in golf car and RV applications. The total cold cranking amp (CCA) and reserve capacity (RC) changes to the sum of all the batteries connected in parallel.
To explode, a lead-acid battery has to have two primary components and actions operating simultaneously:
A deep-cycle battery can be used to start a vehicle if the battery equals or exceed the vehicle's original equipment (OE) cold cranking amp (CCA) requirements. However, a deep cycle battery will not produce anywhere near the same number of total starts, so it is not recommended.
Keeping your battery clean is a great way to extend its life. Keep the terminals and the battery case clean. Visually inspect the terminals and cables for signs of corrosion at least once a year, especially in hot temperatures. Keep the top of the battery clean of heavy dirt and oil to reduce the risk of electrical transients between the positive and negative posts, which will result in a quicker discharge.
Whenever you're handling or working with a lead-acid battery, consult your vehicle and battery owners' manual for instructions and safety precautions.
Lead-acid batteries contain hydrogen-oxygen gases than can be explosive and sulfuric acid that can cause severe burns. To help avoid risk of danger and injury, observe these precautions when handling or working with a lead-acid battery
The further a battery is discharged, the longer it will take to recharge. Usually, it takes several hours to effectively recharge a battery.
If a battery is almost completely discharged, it can take up to 12 hours or more to recharge. If the battery becomes hot to the touch while recharging, then immediately stop charging. Follow these steps when recharging a battery.
Battery failure can happen for a variety of reasons.
Listed below are a few examples:
Getting the longest battery life can depend on how you balance three factors: the vehicle, the battery and the climate. Fortunately, there's technical information that guides us to make the right battery buying choice.
There are certain common rules to long battery life, such as:
