Car battery is an extremely important part for the car. Without it, many parts will not work, including the engine won’t start. Choosing a car battery comes with some requirements for drivers.
You can also find battery requirements in the car manual, and also, when it’s time to change the battery many drivers pay attention to parameters such as capacity (A / h), starting current, date of manufacture, but they don’t know or ignore another aspect that is important for a battery, its size.
Car owners see this aspect when they will want to install the new battery. It just won’t fit in its place. Either there is not enough space for the battery, or the wires connecting it simply do not reach the required terminals.
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Car battery sizes are different
When you want to change the car’s battery and think about its size, the first thing you need to do is the geographical region. Yes, where exactly was your car made? The dimensions of car batteries differ depending on the geographical area.
In addition to the fact that the size of the battery depends on its power and capacity, and also to a small extent on the manufacturing technology and type, there are several standards for compliance with the country where the car was made, which also determines the dimensions of the battery.
In Europe, there are some dimensions, in Asia other dimensions, North America as well, etc. For example, a battery from a car that was produced in Asia will not fit in a car that was produced in Europe because of its external dimensions.
Only car batteries from South America are similar in dimensions to those in Europe, so they will work.
For example, on engines made in Japan, batteries are smaller in width and length, but higher in height when compared with their European motors. So keep in mind, that you have to be careful when you need to replace a battery in an Asian car, you will need to search for a branded product.
In addition, In the US and Canada, the location of terminals from the car battery is on the long side and not on the top like batteries on EU cars. Most likely the batteries offered in car shops will turn out to be incompatible with its wires and terminals. In this case, you should look for or order an original battery of the American standard
So, be careful when choosing a car battery if you have an American car.
Other important characteristics that affect the ability to install the battery in the engine compartment are the location of the terminals and their size. The first parameter reflects the relative position of the battery terminals relative to its case.
- straight polarity – when the positive (+ sign) terminal is on the left, and the negative (- sign) is on the right;
- reverse polarity – when the terminals are swapped.
Another important aspect regarding to battery size, without a doubt, should be considered the dimensions its standard mount in the engine compartment. Ignoring or not knowing that you car has a place for the battery with fixed sizes, will force you to change the battery or buy a new one.
I know drivers who changed their car battery and bought one without caring about its size and when they tried to install the battery in that special spot in the engine compartment, the battery would simply not fit.
Because of this, they decided not to change the battery, but to make some “room” for them by cutting the walls of that special spot or other elements that will stop the battery from moving while driving. The result was a total failure because the battery could no longer stand still in the engine compartment.
So, we should note that battery size ensures the relative stability of the battery and the safety of its operation. However, the inevitable vibrations and bouncing on bumps are unlikely to prolong the life of car batteries. In addition, in the event of an emergency, it is not known where and in what condition the loose battery and its acid will be
This is another reason why you should buy the recommended battery for your car. A little research can get you rid of further battery size issues in the future. If you are not sure about the battery size, just take the old one with you when going to the shop and buy a new car battery, or take some notes on a piece of paper about the dimensions of the old one.
Standard car battery sizes
There are quite a few battery sizes, dimensions that we will list below.
Asian companies that are producing car batteries with the capacity between 35 and 70 A/h have the following sizes:
- width: 127 to 175 mm (5 – 6.89 inches)
- height: 190 to 227 mm (7.48 – 8.93 inches)
- length: 187 to 261 mm (7.36 – 10.27 inches)
Car batteries that have bigger sizes, between 90 and 120 A/h have a fixed length, width and height: 306, 173, 225 mm (12.04 , 6.81, 8.85 inches)
In Europe, car batteries between 40–70 A / h have the following dimensions:
- width: 175 mm (6.89 inches)
- two heights: 175 and 190 mm (6.89 and 7.48 inches)
- length: 175–242 mm (6.89 – 9.52 inches)
European car batteries with a capacity of 70-225 A / h have the following sizes:
- height: 175–242 mm (6.89 – 9.52 inches)
- width: 175–240 mm (6.89 – 9.44 inches)
- length: 278-518 mm (10.94 – 20.39 inches)
Common American car batteries with a capacity of 70-225 A / h have the following sizes:
- height: 192–229 mm (7.05 – 9.01 inches)
- width: 173–190 mm (6.01 – 7.48 inches)
- length: 230-381 mm (9.05 – 15 inches)
Conclusion
When it is time to change the car battery, choosing its size is very important, so you should consider this aspect as well.
