Different battery sizes11/14/2023 ![]() What’s the advantage? They won’t spill, they’re temperature resistant when the heat is on, and they won’t evaporate, either. Therefore gel cells have gelled electrolytes. Wet cell batteries have wet electrolytes. Off-roading, 4x4s (think about those big banks of lights above the cab).“Get it and forget it” people who want long life and zero-maintenance.You should also expect to pay a premium, perhaps twice what you would for a standard Wet Cell. Expect a long life from your AGM battery. (It also means more people coming back to the dealer for expensive service visits on weirdly placed batteries.)ĪGMs are great for holding a charge during prolonged periods of disuse and degrade very slowly. This gives vehicle manufacturers a lot of versatility when it comes to design. They’re lighter than traditional lead-acid batteries, and, as mentioned above, they can be installed in places other than under the hood, and at unusual angles. Electrolytes are held in mats of glass, rather than free-floating around the battery. And because they’re sealed, they won’t release acid in all but the most catastrophic accidents Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM)ĪGMs are the latest thing in the world of automotive batteries. VRLAs are widely seen as the safest lead-acid batteries on the market.īecause they don’t vent gas, they can be installed in enclosed spaces, such as trunks and under seats. That means they don’t vent any gasses, and they cannot be serviced. The second major category of lead-acid batteries consists of VRLAs. Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid (VRLA) Batteries Make your choice based partly on budget, but also partly on your level of comfort with performing service on your own battery. Ironically, your Maintenance Free battery can still be topped up to extend its life.Īn MF type should last longer than a serviceable battery but may cost a bit more. There may still be some evaporation, especially during times of extremely high temperatures. When this happens, the battery will need to be topped up with distilled water.Ī Maintenance Free, or MF, (or even “sealed”) battery uses a partially solid electrolyte to cut down on evaporation. Over time, some of the acid will evaporate. Inside a Wet Cell battery, you’ll find diluted acid. Great for day-use camping, and small RVsĪ Note on Serviceable vs.Power-hungry vehicles used at rest, like RVs, show cars.If that’s the case, a dual-purpose battery might be right for you.Īs you might expect, these batteries are more expensive than a standard SLI. Maybe you take your van or truck to the lake, or to tailgating parties and want to listen to music, or power external devices. You might want a dual-purpose battery if you are often in situations where you need power for a long time without turning on the engine. Even if your vehicle is off, there’s usually enough power in the battery to run these systems for a short period. Since every vehicle has an alternator to run the audio system, power windows, GPS, etc., you don’t typically need deep-cycle capabilities. So why doesn’t everyone just have one of these?īecause you get dual performance with a compromise – it isn’t as good at either function as its single-function counterparts. You’ll sometimes see these referred to as ‘marine batteries.’Īs you might have guessed, these are not the batteries you’d typically select for your car or truck.Īs the name implies, these batteries combine the starting power of an SLI battery with the gadget-driving power of a deep cycle. The most common applications for deep-cycle batteries are boats, golf carts, RVs, and ATVs. They aren’t so great at delivering the big surge of power needed to start a large engine, however. They’re great for powering lots of electrical/electronic devices when the engine isn’t running. They are so named because they can be run down repeatedly and recharged without damage, something not possible with an SLI battery. These batteries deliver sustained power for extended periods of time. Many vehicles come from the manufacturers with this style installed. While the engine is running, the alternator takes over the job of powering the electricals. It delivers short, quick bursts of power to get the engine running and the systems started. Within this category, there are two main types of vehicle batteries, plus a hybrid style. Probably your parents and grandparents used them too. ![]() These are the old-school lead-acid batteries we’ve been using for years. Here’s a look at both categories and their respective sub-groups. There are many different kinds of batteries out there, even if you ignore everything but the 12V automotive varieties.įortunately, they can all be lumped into one of two main categories: 9 Final Thoughts on Car Battery Types & Group Sizes.6 Car Battery Group Sizes and the Battery Council International.4 Valve-Regulated Lead-Acid (VRLA) Batteries.
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