I've seen booster packs that claim to do up to 2.5l petrol engines and yet state CCA of 400.
Any batteries quoted for my car seem to start at 480 CCA. Does even a flat battery lend some CCA when jumping?
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I suppose that is why they are called 'boosters' they boost your main battery which will still have a CCA of over 80. But in any case, you don't need all of that CCA capacity every time you start.
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Also, on a slightly different note, I've been trying to monitor the battery, when I checked it this morning, it read 12.62v. Which I believe is pretty close to fully charged but it took a wee bit of weak turning over before it started.
Should I be measuring amps to work out how charged the battery is?
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Are you referring to a booster battery pack or a mains powered pack.
Measuring the voltage is a measurement of the state of charge not the capacity of a battery, that can be done my a motor factors wthat uses a device that takes large current pulses from the battery and measures the current and the effect on the voltage to indicate the state and capability of the battery. It's free go and get it tested. Regards Peter
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Not the most satisfactory of devices-most can be manipulated to tell you that you need a new battery.
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Measure the voltage while cranking (starting) the engine.
The Cold Cranking test calls for a minimum voltage of 1.2V per cell (so 7.2V for a nominal '12V' battery) - for 30 seconds at 0degF.
7.2V is still a bit low (IMO) - I'd be looking more for 10V minimum for decent starting at this time of year. The best tester I've used for this was an oscilloscope on a very long timebase (40seconds), but a DVM or AVO should give a good enough idea.
When the battery on my bike is dying the clocks reset during a start attempt. That's when I know I have to buy a new battery for the bike !
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If the battery is having problems turning the engine over in the summer its not going to be much good in the winter and unless the operator is a magigian how are they going to fiddle a discharge test if you are watching.
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How to fiddle it?-usually by the quality of the connection of the clamps/spikes to the terminals.You and I know what we are doing but there are plenty of people even on these fora that will be shown a needle/light in the "RED" and buy a new one.
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