In the United States, there are more than 1 million car battery installations that have been used for 5 years or more. Over 70% of them are still working, however, car batteries tend to wear and tear easily and fast without proper battery maintenance. Replacing the battery is sometimes better than trying to recondition it.
In this article, I am going to answer whether or not car batteries are universal.
Are Car Batteries Universal?
all batteries aren’t the same. there are a lot of things to consider when you’re buying a car battery.
you should consider these variables:
1. battery type: where there s more than one type of battery available from the manufacturer, the type designation in the model number is especially important to obey when considering compatibility with your vehicle.
2. arrangement: batteries are designated as either front access or top post. this specifies where the connection posts are relative to your vehicle s location on a horizontal plane (relative to gravity).
Can any car battery go in any car?
In theory, yes. However, there are battery technologies out there that do not work well in certain vehicles or situations. For example, they may be too heavy, or if you have a sport vehicle that does not have the same height as most cars and trucks. In this case, it would be best to have a mechanic or auto parts dealer check your car before buying an appropriate new battery.
What happens if you put the wrong size battery in your car?
exactly what you would expect: the car won’t start. What happens if you put the wrong voltage in your car? In some cells, the voltage is fixed at 1.44 volts.
In these cases, there are no other choices except to use that cell and risk damaging your battery and causing it to fail prematurely or by dangerous over-discharge.
Do different cars need different batteries?
yes, they do. the battery size and voltage requirements of each vehicle are different. However, the old rule of thumb that a battery will fit in only one place is no longer valid for all vehicles.
For example, some Ford vehicles have multiple places where a battery can be placed inside the engine compartment so you may want to consult with the car manufacturer or an automotive parts dealer before you buy a replacement to ensure you get the right one for your car.
A good example of this is older Ford vans that use an E6TE9/E6TZ9 group 24R sized battery and mid to late-model Ford cars and trucks that use group 34R sized batteries.
How do I know which battery fits my car?
It’s a long answer to the question of which battery fits your car but I’m going to give it a shot.
First off, it’s hard to say that as long as you have the correct size (namely any size of) battery you’ll be OK but in general larger batteries (24R and up) can handle higher outputs with more draw and will typically last longer. A 24R 6V deep cycle battery has a very high capacity of some 200-220ah and is designed for shorter duty cycles over time.
Does CCA matter on a battery?
Yes, it does. CCA stands for Cold Cranking Amps and is the number of amps of current the battery will provide, off a fully charged battery, at 0F below the freezing point of water. The higher the number, the more cranking power a battery has.
Example: Regular batteries have a CCA rating between 80-90 while marine batteries have a rating of 210-500. This can be determined by reviewing your vehicle’s battery information sticker or by looking up your VIN on an internet search engine with an “automotive parts compatibility list.” Note that most shop manuals specify an amp hour rating rather than just cranking amps which is what I show here for simplicity’s sake.
What is the best car battery to buy?
For your best car battery to buy it depends on the type of vehicle you have and what battery you need. For instance, if your vehicle is a late model with a lot of electronic accessories that require power AND is also a high-performance sports car, then you are going to need more performance from your battery than in an older family-style sedan.
So if the answer is the best car battery to buy, it’s really going to depend on the year, make, and model of the vehicle as well as what kind of driving you expect your car or truck to do.
If this information isn’t available then I’d recommend speaking directly with someone at a parts store with access to an automotive parts catalog.
Conclusion on are Car batteries Universal
As explained, in theory, you can use most car batteries in your vehicle but sometimes that is not the case as some batteries are large and have a high voltage than others, so it’s important to choose the right size battery that fits your car.
Robert Anderson is a world class motorhead who rebuilt his first carb at age 10, his first engine at age 15, and completed his first full hotrod build when he was just 18! Previously, he has ran a part warehouse, delivered pizzas, and managed the service department for a $20 million/year revenue dealership. Robert knows cars like few others and he is passionate about sharing his knowledge.