Batteries

[OAP]

Sorry to ask such a simple question on here, but electrics are a mystery.

Presumably it is better to use the highest amperage battery - all other things being equal - as this will have more lasting power, for example when starting?

[OliverSedlacek]

Batteries come with two ratings. The first is the ampere hour (AH) rating, which is usually in the 40-100 range. This means that the fully charged battery will supply one amp for some number hours until it is flat. This is important if the car isn't used for long periods of time, as things like the immobiliser drain the battery.

 

The other rating is the cold cranking current rating, which should be something like 300A to 400A. This tells you how good the battery is at spinning your engine when you try to start it.

[john g]

So am I correct in assuming that you can go to 'small' on a battery but not to 'big'?

[Roger Ford]

You mean "too small" and "too big" I assume? (I'm not being a spelling nazi, I had to read that several times before I understood what you meant).

 

The only problem with too big is that it's extra weight to carry around. You can't have too many AH or too many cranking amps.

 

 

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[OAP]

So it makes sense to have first, the highest cranking amps, second the highest amp hours, when choosing between batteries of similar size and weight, irrespective of the car?

[john g]

*confused*Thanks Roger - had a drink