How Do I Know What Kind of Battery My Truck Needs?
- by Bryan Veldboom - updated on 5/26/2022
Are you having a hard time starting up your truck every morning? If so, it could be because of a bad battery. Truck batteries typically last between three and five years, although they can die even sooner if they aren't properly maintained. If you're having a hard time finding the right replacement option, Batteries Plus can help. When selecting a new battery, you'll need to pay attention to four things: size, voltage, chemistry and the number of cold cranking amps (CCAs).
What Size Battery Does My Truck Need?
The Battery Council International has broken batteries down into a number of different group battery sizes. These designations enable you to find a battery with the correct physical dimensions and terminal locations to fit your vehicle and will appear as a number, for example, Group 27. Your owner's manual or the manufacturer's website can provide you with the correct battery group size for your model vehicle.
What Voltage are Truck Batteries?
Starting batteries are responsible for turning over your engine. They do this by supplying large amounts of current for a short period of time. When selecting a new battery, you need to be sure that the replacement matches the voltage requirements of your vehicle. Most commercial trucks require a single 12 volt battery. Diesel engines require more power to start their engines and may need two batteries connected in parallel. If you have a commercial truck with a traditional gas engine though, one 12 volt battery should be sufficient.
What are the Different Types of Truck Batteries?
The chemistry of a battery plays a large role in how well it will perform in your vehicle. Batteries Plus offers two different battery chemistries for trucks, flooded lead acid and AGM (short for Absorbed Glass Mat). Flooded batteries are the more affordable of the two, however, they do not last as long or perform as well as an AGM option. Here is a breakdown of how the two chemistries compare.
Flooded
- Lower Upfront Cost
- Shorter Lifespan - will not last as long as an AGM battery
- Maintenance Required - Plates must periodically be topped off with distilled water
AGM
- Higher Upfront Cost - due to their longer lifespans, you will probably save money in the long run
- Longer Lifespan - lasts 2-3X as long as a flooded battery
- Maintenance Free - completely sealed & spill-proof
- Higher Voltage Output - provides more energy than flooded batteries for more reliable vehicle starting
- Faster Charging - recharges faster than a flooded battery
- Lower Self-Discharge Rates - holds its charge longer in storage than a flooded battery
- More Resistant to Vibrations and Extreme Hot & Cold
Do I Need a Flooded or AGM Battery?
For some model trucks, the chemistry of the battery you use is up to you. Other vehicles, such as those with start-stop technology, will require the additional cycling power of an AGM battery. If your original battery was an AGM, you shouldn't downgrade to a flooded battery. Consult your owner's manual for the manufacturer's website for recommendations.
How Many CCAs Should a Truck Battery Have?
A battery's CCA rating measures the amount of current it can discharge and sustain for 30 seconds at a temperature of 0℉ and still maintain a terminal battery voltage of 7.2 volts. If that's too technical for you, don't worry. Basically, the number of cold cranking amps your battery has, the easier it will start in extremely cold weather.
Your vehicle owner's manual will provide you with a recommended CCA rating. A battery with a 400 to 500 CCA rating is sufficient for most trucks, however, if you live in a particularly cold climate, you may want to select a battery with an even higher number of CCAs.
Which Battery is Best for a Truck?
If you're looking for the longest-lasting, best-performing battery brand for your truck, look no further than X2Power. Our X2Power batteries are made of thin plate pure lead with 40% more plate surface area. That gives them a greater reserve capacity, providing additional energy to power electronics and other onboard applications. They also have a higher number of cold cranking amps and a much lower corrosion rate than other batteries. Plus, they recharge faster and are 28 times more resistant to vibrations than a standard truck battery.
Trust the Experts at Batteries Plus
Visit Batteries Plus for all your auto needs. We carry a large selection of truck batteries, truck battery chargers, plus additional essentials like headlight bulbs and wiper blades in our Automotive Center. Be sure to take advantage of our convenient services, including free battery testing, expert truck battery installation (available on most makes and models at most locations) and key fob programming. You'll also find a variety of helpful articles in our blog. Learn "What Causes Battery Sulfation and Corrosion?" or read up on "6 Things That Can Drain Your Car Battery."