what is the Cold cranking amps of a tubular battery

solarking
solarking Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭
What is the CCA value of the deepcycle tubular battery(similar to trojan). Can a auto battery tester be used to check the health and internal resistance of a deepcycle battery?

Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    I read in a battery faq that a deep cycle flooded cell battery has about 80% of the CCA of a similar (physical) size "car battery".

    A properly rated tester (i.e. 12 volt tester on a 12 volt group of cells) should work well.

    A car battery is only 60-80 ah or so... your battery bank may be 400 ah, so the voltage drop (good vs bad) calibrations may be off).

    - Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Estragon
    Estragon Registered Users Posts: 4,496 ✭✭✭✭✭
    CCA is not a relevant stat for a deep cycle battery. It's used to describe the ability of a starting type battery to deliver large initial current in cold conditions. Deep cycle batteries aren't designed to be particularly good for that application.

    For the same reason, an automotive battery tester isn't going to be all that useful. What you really want to know is how long a deep cycle battery can sustain a constant smaller (C/20) load, not whether it can provide a high current for a short time.
    Off-grid.  
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  • solarking
    solarking Registered Users Posts: 67 ✭✭
    edited June 2017 #4
    Thanks, is there any other way to test the condition of the battery other than checking the specific gravity?
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you have the gear & know how to Load Test, you can.  But SG is best/easiest
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  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭✭
    A basic capacity test will tell you a lot. You simply put a constant load on a fully charged battery and measure the number of minutes it takes to reach 0% charge.  25 amps and 75 amps are two common standards, but you can use other numbers that align with the manufactures ratings.

    Pleas note that I didn't say 0 volts! Zero charge on many batteries is 1.75v per cell. Be sure to charge it right back up to 100% after testing.

    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.
  • Marc Kurth
    Marc Kurth Solar Expert Posts: 1,142 ✭✭✭✭
    BB. said:
    I read in a battery faq that a deep cycle flooded cell battery has about 80% of the CCA of a similar (physical) size "car battery".

    A properly rated tester (i.e. 12 volt tester on a 12 volt group of cells) should work well.

    A car battery is only 60-80 ah or so... your battery bank may be 400 ah, so the voltage drop (good vs bad) calibrations may be off).

    - Bill
    Bill,

    In my experience with dealing with thousands of AGM batteries per year, that 20% difference in CCA is a great guideline to use as an average. Good advice.

    Marc
    I always have more questions than answers. That's the nature of life.