Managing and maintaining a semi-truck can be extremely taxing. There are routine maintenance schedules to stay on top of, unexpected downtime and problems that need fixing, and the constant desire to keep prices down. With so much to manage, it’s important to choose a long-lasting and reliable battery for your semi-truck in order to power your truck and all its faculties as well as avoid additional problems in the long run.
With the right battery, your semi-truck will be able to run better for longer without any costly downtime. Here are our five recommendations for buying the best battery for your semi-truck:
1. Determine your truck’s power need
There is a myriad of different battery types available for fleets, the most common being flooded lead acid and sealed Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM). Depending on the type of truck you drive, different batteries will be better or worse suited.
Flooded lead acid batteries are best for day-cabs, dump trucks, and other similar vehicles that require a high starting power and minimal cycling. These batteries will require regular servicing, watering, and equalizing.
Absorbed Glass Matt batteries are a better bet for newer trucks that cycle a battery more often as they offer premium cycling and battery power. AGM batteries offer advanced Thin Plate Pure Lead technology that is advantageous in commercial applications. This is because the technology offers more power for higher cranking speeds. When you come in for your semi-truck repair, our team can advise on the type of power your engine needs.
2. Determine your safety needs
Almost all battery types use a similar chemical formula: lead and sulfuric acid. Because of this, it’s very important when using semi-truck batteries to follow the users’ manual to avoid damage to yourself and the battery. However, Absorbed Glass Matt batteries have one advantage over other flooded batteries in that they come in a sealed case, which prevents any acid spills from happening.
3. Determine your maintenance needs
Conventional flooded lead acid batteries require regular maintenance, water, and equalizing. This can be tedious, time consuming, and can potentially lead to battery malfunction if not attended to regularly.
An advantage of Thin Plate Pure Lead technology in AGM batteries is that it allows for slower rates of self-discharge. Meaning it takes a lot longer for it to run out of battery. The average shelf life of an AGM battery is roughly two years before recharging is required, which is three times longer than a conventional lead acid battery. AGM batteries are also very quick to recharge, which saves you time and money. They’re also built for 400 charge/recharge cycles at 80% Depth of Discharge. This means less semi-truck repair appointments and more time driving!
4. Reserve Capacity
The reserve capacity of any truck battery refers to the number of minutes it can deliver a consistent 25 amps of current at 26°C before it is down charged to 10.5 volts. It’s useful to buy a truck battery with a higher reserve capacity if your semi-truck has a lot of accessories that all require battery power. Whether it’s a winch, auxiliary or off-road lights, or an upgraded audio system, a battery with a higher reserve capacity will be beneficial for keeping your truck on the road without a dead battery.
5. Buy the correct battery!
Different battery technologies are designed for different types of trucks and every battery has a different internal resistance. If flooded, the lower resistance batteries in a truck will have to work a lot harder to operate. This can result in confusion, down-time, jump starts, and other general problems with your truck.
Using the wrong battery can cause a number of different issues with your truck. For example, using a battery that is too low in cold cranking amps (CCA) at 0°C can result in premature engine no start. Also, mixing an old battery with a new battery will drop the new battery’s capacity to the old battery’s capacity. Therefore, it’s best to ask about battery options during your semi-truck repair. We’ll always offer an unbiased opinion for the one that best suits your situation.
Need semi-truck repair?
Buying a battery suitable for your semi-truck can alleviate a lot of potential problems; you can save a lot of time, effort, and money. If problems ever do arise, you can always get in touch with our team Dieseltech. Located in Coquitlam BC, we offer the best semi-truck repair and mobile fleet maintenance services in the area!