BASIC OF A BATTERY
All the Things You Probably Think You Already Know
WE GET THE SAME QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME WHEN IT COMES TO BATTERY TECHNOLOGY AND BUYING CHOICES. “What’s a gel battery?” “How are they better than stock?” “Do I really need one?” A valve-regulated lead acid (VRLA) battery is a type of lead acid battery characterized by a limited amount of electrolyte absorbed in a plate separator or formed into a gel.
There are two primary types of VRLA batteries: absorbent glass mat (AGM) and gel cell. Gel cells add silica dust to the electrolyte, forming a thick putty-like gel. AGM batteries feature fiberglass mesh between the battery plates, which serves to contain the electrolyte and separate the plates. Both types of VRLA batteries offer advantages and disadvantages.
Due to its construction, the gel cell can be mounted in any orientation and does not require constant maintenance. The term “maintenance free” is a misnomer as VRLA batteries still require cleaning and regular functional testing. They are widely used in large portable electrical devices, off-grid power systems and similar roles, where large amounts of storage are needed.
The main difference between gel style and AGM batteries is the charge rates. AGM batteries can handle higher charge and discharge rates than gel batteries. Nearly every lead-acid battery in a vehicle today is either a flooded lead-acid battery or an AGM battery. Gel batteries are primarily found in stand-alone power applications and not automotive applications.
Here are three things to consider when buying a battery for your truck:
1
BUY THE CORRECT BATTERY SIZE FOR YOUR VEHICLE.
Most batteries will be going right into the same tray in the same location as the battery that came from the factory, so getting a battery that fits in that spot is important. That includes getting a battery that has provisions for external venting, if the battery is located inside an enclosed area, like the cab of a truck or the trunk
of a car. Physically modifying a battery to fit in a location it wasn’t designed for is never a good idea.
You don’t need to overdo it on buying a battery based on cold cranking amps, especially if you live somewhere that rarely sees sub-zero temperatures. But know that a battery that doesn’t at least meet the OE requirements for your vehicle could leave you stranded.
If you have a truck equipped with two batteries and one of them goes bad, you need to replace both of them at the same time. That doesn’t mean you can’t continue using the other good battery in some other application, but any vehicles that use two or more batteries in series or parallel applications should always have batteries that are identical in age, size and type.
2
BUY THE CORRECT TYPE OF BATTERY FOR YOUR VEHICLE.
If your truck has a winch, car alarm or other significant electrical accessories that may end up deeply discharging the battery, make sure you buy a battery designed for that type of application. However, just because you have a battery that can be deep cycled doesn’t mean you should let your alternator do all the heavy lifting when it comes to recharging a deeply discharged battery. Most alternators are designed to maintain batteries near a full state of charge, so if you know you’ll be deeply discharging your battery and you’d rather not accelerate the demise of your alternator, buy a quality battery charger.
3
BUY A NEW BATTERY FROM AN AUTHORIZED RETAILER.
In racing, there’s an old saying that if you have a $100 head, buy a $100 helmet. In other words, if you value your personal safety, don’t cut corners. The same is true for batteries. Having a battery fail at an unexpected moment can be far more than inconvenient. It can put you in a very dangerous situation. If you need a battery, buy a new one from a reputable retailer, who can provide you with warranty service, if you ever need it.