Howard Community College/Battery Glossary

AGM: Absorbent Glass Mat. Refers to a type of sealed lead acid battery that does not need to be filled with water and has a low emission rate.

Charging voltage: The voltage needed to begin charging the battery. This is higher than the rated voltage in order to bypass the internal resistance of the battery itself.

CA: Cranking Amps: The ability to deliver current at 0 degrees C.

CCA: Cold Cranking Amps: The ability to deliver current at -17.8 degrees C.

Cycle: Period of activity, in which the battery is used and discharged, then re-charged.

Deep Cycle: Designed to discharge to about 20% voltage while still maintaining capacity.

Float Charge: Low, long-term charge, used to combat the natural discharge of the battery.

Gel Cell: Check the specifications of the product. This may refer to original gel cell batteries or to AGM batteries, which are often considered superior.

Reserve Capacity: Minutes for which the battery supplies 25 amps in 80 degrees

VDC: Volts of Direct Current.

VPC: Voltage Per Cell. Larger batteries are made up of a collection of individual cells to store the energy.