Did you know that car battery terminals vary in sizes? Battery companies have grouped them according to these sizes. Depending on the kind of vehicles that you used, most batteries have different terminal sizes.
Though there is a standard size for most cars and vehicles, there are those which comes in a different size. The battery placement in the car also determines the kind of scale that you will be using for your battery.
Do car battery terminals differ in sizes? Yes, car battery terminals have different sizes. Both the side terminals are similar, but top posts terminals are not equal and the same. For top posts batteries, the positive posts are more extensive and more prominent.
Some people can stretch the negative terminal of the cell and connect it on the positive post. You could also overtighten the positive terminal to squeeze the negative terminal. The variation in sizes matters with the car or vehicle size too.
Why Do the Positive Terminals on Batteries More Prominent in Sizes?
The simple reason for this is to prevent mixing up. It will cause too much trouble if you will be reversing the polarity of the battery. It will damage and destroy all the electrical gadgets connected to your car.
It includes your radio, navigation system and other things. It is going to be much more expensive. That is why battery manufacturers have purposely made the positive terminal larger than the negative so you can easily spot which one is positive and negative.
What Are the Different Battery Terminal Sizes?
The most common battery terminal size is 10 mm ring size, other sizes may come in 8, 11, 12 and 13mm. Most car battery terminal sizes are in 11mm and 13mm for the battery posts. They have 13mm for the terminal on bolt.
Nissan, for example, uses 10mm for the battery terminals and the brackets. For the traditional Top post battery terminals, it uses a ½” or 9/16”, this one is less common.
Why Do You Need to Connect the Positive Terminal First?
We connect the positive terminals first so the voltage will only run across the two positive ends. The negative cable of the jumper is not at all connected in the wire circuit. The idea here is to free it from sparks and grounding. And when you finally connect the negative terminals, you can eventually stabilize a path where you can ground the wires to lessen the resistance against your body.
You will minimize and alleviate the sparks you made while you are making good contact with the battery terminals. It will reduce the risk of flash, explosion, and eventually, a fire. This point is right in jumpstarting cars and will also hold when you are installing a new battery. Always connect with the positive cable connections first.
This particular sequence lessens the chance of the voltage passing through your body and electrocutes you.
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Which is a Better Battery Terminal Brass or Copper?
Battery connectors can significantly enhance the connectivity of the battery to the vehicle. It can provide the most optimal way of connecting a 12 or 24 V cables to a lead-acid battery.
Copper Connectors are said to be better than the brass connectors. A copper connector has the highest form of electrical conductivity and strength. However, brass battery connectors are suitable for marine used and for corrosive environments. Copper terminals are created to resist and fight corrosion. It is easily soldered and crimped. It comes in available sizes of gauge 6 to 4/0 gauge/.
Brass Battery Connectors are found to be harder than copper and lead. The best thing in a brass connector is its effectivity to work against corrosion. Lead terminals are the easiest to use and can be attached by using essential and straightforward tools only.
Different Types of Battery Terminals
There are different types of battery terminals. Each one varies and has a definite purpose and usage. These battery terminals also bear its features which is significantly unique from one another.
● Brass Terminal. This terminal type is the one advisable to be used in a corrosive environment. The brass terminal is the one used for marine type batteries because it is prone to corrosion because of its wet exposure.
● Copper Terminal. This battery terminal type has the highest form of conductivity. This particular terminal comes in different kinds of configuration: the straight barrel left and right angle and the parallel nature. These configurations are used in connecting multi-batteries in a battery bank system. If you want a reliable supply of electricity, use a copper terminal.
● Lead Terminal. Lead type terminals are made from a lead alloy which is composed of antimony. Antimony is the material that ensures that the terminal will provide tensile strength and certain hardness that will meet the significant electrical demand from the battery.
Lead terminals are considered the universal terminal because it works for both positive or negative battery post. If you want a smooth installation of your battery cables, get yourself a lead type terminal. It can be attached easily without the use of special tools.
● Specialty Terminals. Specialty terminals are explicitly made to dress up your car’s electrical system. It can provide a high-end look and performance. It adds more functionality to your vehicle’s electrical system.
These specialty terminals have a built-in digital voltmeter for the positive terminal. It also allows the multi-wire and cable connection to the battery terminal.
The Positive Terminal of My Car’s Battery Accidentally Touched a Metal Bracket and Shorted, is the Battery Damaged?
If the battery is shorted and it remained that way, then there is an excellent possibility that it is toasted. If it was a quick short circuit which didn’t stay long, then the battery could still be ok. If the short happened while the engine is running, the alternator could have been damaged.
We should be careful with our actions when dealing with car batteries. A slight error could cause enormous damage like an explosion. Be sure that your battery terminal would not touch any metal parts of your car.
Does Battery Terminal Size Affect the Performance of the Battery?
The battery terminal size does not affect the battery’s performance. But the type of terminal does. It greatly matters if you are using brass or a copper terminal. Depending on what purpose you will be using the battery for, an appropriate battery terminal should be used.
Car battery terminal sizes comes in different sizes. It vary depending on the type and kind of batteries you will use for your vehicle. However, you need not worry about the effects of the terminal size to the battery’s performance. Look for the voltage and the CCA rating of the battery to note how powerful it is, not the terminal size of the array.
Sources:
1. How to Replace Battery Terminals – The Family Handyman
