TECHTALK

Batteries Explained

When designing or upgrading the electronics in your vehicle, one crucial step is your battery. But what battery do you upgrade to and what should you look for when purchasing a battery? There are two common types of batteries available in the market. The first is a lead acid battery that is standard in most vehicles. The other is a deep cycle battery that is perfect for car audio applications. In this article, we'll explore the latter.

To properly explain car battery technology and showcase a few examples, Kinetik Batteries was consulted. Kinetik Batteries have been powering up professional audio competitors and 12 Volt enthusiasts for years, including many world record holders such as Edge Audio's Scott Owens, the first and only person to break the 180dB mark and earn the title of the loudest car in the world.

Although average lead acid batteries and deep cycle batteries use exactly the same chemistry for their operation, the difference is the way each battery optimizes its design. A lead acid battery is designed to provide a very large amount of current that is needed to turn the motor during start-up. Once the engine starts, the alternator provides all electricity the vehicle may require, which means a battery may go through its entire life without ever being drained of more than 20 percent of its total capacity. Used this way, a car battery can last a number of years. A deep cycle battery is designed to provide a steady amount of current over a longer period of time. A deep cycle battery can provide a surge when needed, but nothing quite like the surge a lead acid battery produces. A deep cycle battery is also designed to be discharged over and over again. To accomplish this, a deep cycle battery uses different types of plates.

A car battery has a cold cranking rating, which is the number of amperes a battery at 0° F can deliver for 30 seconds and maintain a voltage of 1.2 volts per cell or higher. A cranking rating is the number of amperes a battery at 32° F can deliver for 30 seconds and maintain a voltage of 1.2 volts per cell or higher. The reserve capacity is the power available to run electrical accessories if the alternator fails. It indicates the number of minutes a fully charged battery at 80-degrees F can be discharged at 25 amps and not fall below 1.75 volts per cell. Typically, a deep cycle battery will have two to three times the reserve capacity of a lead acid battery, but will deliver one-half to three-quarters the CCAs. A deep cycle battery can withstand several hundred discharge / recharge cycles, while a lead acid battery is not designed to be fully discharged.

If you are thinking of competing professionally in the IASCA Stock or Pro Stock Classes, new rules state that the maximum physical size of the batteries a competitor is allowed to use must not exceed 14 x 8 x 10 inches in size. The Kinetik brand of batteries has been designed to meet these specific requirements. Another valuable feature is that these batteries are mountable in any direction. This comes in handy when height restrictions limit your install. Now you may be wondering what is Kinetik and what makes their batteries so special? Well, Kinetik uses AGM (Absorption Glass Mat) sealed battery technology which was originally developed back in 1985 for military aircraft where power, weight, safety, and reliability were vital considerations. AGM has continued to be developed with improvements over other sealed battery technologies and has become the next step in the evolution of both starting and deep cycle sealed batteries for marine, RV, and aviation applications. This next generation technology delivers increased safety, performance and service life over all other existing sealed battery types, including gel technology.

In an AGM sealed battery, the acid is absorbed between the plates and immobilized by a very fine fibreglass mat. Silica Gel is not even necessary. The glass mat absorbs and immobilizes the acid while still allowing the acid to the plates. This allows a faster reaction between the acid and plate material.

An AGM battery also has an extremely low internal electrical resistance. This, combined with faster acid migration, allows an AGM battery to deliver and absorb higher rates of amperage than other sealed batteries during discharging and charging. In addition, AGM technology batteries can be charged at normal lead-acid regulated charging voltages, therefore it is not necessary to recalibrate charging systems or purchase special chargers.

Kinetik's new 16 Volt battery has the power and performance SPL machines and race cars demand. Kinetik's experienced team of engineers has designed the 16 Volt battery using years of experience. Kinetik's 16 Volt sealed battery features AGM designs that deliver higher cranking amps, more reserve power, and corrosion-proof terminals. The AGM battery is also leak-proof. The 16 volt battery is designed to fit standard Group 24 trays and features triple posts for applications requiring 12-volt power and eliminates the need for step-down resistors. Also, this allows the battery to be used in secondary applications after performing their duty in the 16 Volt arenas.

Kinetik promotes the 16 Volt system to moderately enhance performance, but the end goal and result is to maintain performance and provide consistency for race car applications. The team at Kinetik is committed to enhancing battery performance and delivering the juice audio enthusiasts crave for professional and personal use.