Heavy Truck Battery

FAQ

1. How to Figure Out Which Battery is Best for truck

If you’ve never shopped for a semi truck battery replacement before, you may not fully understand some of the terms you’re looking at. Here’s a quick glance at some of the details behind different batteries and what they mean.

Amp Hour Rating

Amp hour ratings tell you how much power the truck battery can hold. The higher the rating, the larger capacity the battery has to hold energy. This usually translates to your battery needing to be charged less often . The rating is measured over a longer discharge period.

CCA Rating

The CCA rating, or cold cranking amps rating, tells you how much energy the engine needs to start in colder weather. Higher CCAs tell you the battery will produce power faster, so batteries with high CCA ratings are better for colder climates. Keep an eye on this number if you travel to colder places often.

Voltage Rating

This rating tells you what the largest amount of voltage the battery can handle before it’s damaged. Make sure your truck runs below the voltage rating of your new battery.

2. How to Make Truck Battery Maintenance a Priority

In most cases, batteries last three to five years, depending on the weather conditions they operate in, electronic demand, driving habits, and maintenance. 

Truck battery maintenance should occur as vehicles come in for regular preventive maintenance. Maintenance measures should include:

• Checking and confirming the hold-downs. When technicians do not secure the battery properly, Brady said, the extra vibration and jolting will damage the battery.
• Cleaning all terminal connections (Group 31 studs or posts or cable lugs). Road dirt, grime, and grease will reduce charge acceptance, Brady said. He also recommended testing battery cables for wear and damage and replacing them as necessary. 
• Use charging adapters on all stud battery posts when recharging. Technicians must screw the adaptors tight on the stud so there is a good lead-to-lead contact between the post busing and charging adapter. 

3. Undersanding Truck Battery Types

The medium-duty Class 6-8 truck industry relies mainly on Battery Council International (BCI) Group 31 batteries, which comprises three main product classifications:

• Starting (wet/flooded).
• Cycle Service (flooded).
• AGM (Sealed Absorbed Glass Mat). 

Each truck battery type has its place, and the one a fleet manager ultimately selects depends on the application, the environment the battery operates in, and the fleet budget.