Best Batteries For Diesel Trucks – Heavy Duty Commercial Truck Starting Battery

 To help you with your inevitable battery purchases, we’ve combed through hundreds of diesel truck batteries to come up with our top five picks.

What battery is best for a diesel car?

The specifics of the diesel engine have a direct impact on the battery requirements. If the battery is incorrectly selected, starting problems are likely to occur. Let’s consider in detail, what battery is better to buy for the diesel engine and why.

What battery is necessary for a diesel engine and why?

In comparison with the gasoline engine, the diesel engine has a number of features that determine the requirements for the battery. Briefly consider them.

1. Firstly, a higher degree of compression in the cylinders: in the gasoline engine the ignition occurs from the spark plug, and in the diesel engine the combustion chamber heats up before the fuel injection due to the compression of the air in it. This requires the creation of high pressure in the cylinder, to overcome the resistance of the compressed air. Therefore, more force is needed to turn the diesel engine crankshaft.
2. Secondly, the need to warm up the air in the cylinders with glow plugs (in winter). Glow plugs have a fairly high power, which determines the significant power draw from the battery even before turning on the starter.
3. Third, thick oil. Diesel lubricants are generally more viscous. The difference with gasoline oils becomes especially noticeable at low temperatures. Due to the thicker lubricant, viscous friction in the contact spots increases, which the starter will require additional power to overcome.

These factors have the greatest influence on which battery to choose for the diesel. It is obvious that with the same volume, a diesel engine will need a more powerful battery than a gasoline engine for a guaranteed start.

Best battery for a diesel truck

1. DieHard Advanced Gold AGM Battery
2. XS Power D3400 XS Series
3. NorthStar ELT-AGM31
4. Intimidator AGM
5. Optima Batteries 8002-002 34 RedTop Starting Battery

Battery For a Diesel Engine

Diesel trucks require batteries to start their engines, and most truck owners will agree that they want the best batteries for diesel trucks when they go to buy a new battery. We understand the desire to find the batteries that will perform the best, last the longest and provide the optimum amounts of power so that you can operate all of the bells and whistles on your diesel truck.

1. DieHard Advanced Gold AGM Battery

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These batteries are a good choice for trucks, RV, off-road vehicles, performance cars and so on. Batteries in these sorts of vehicles undergo more vibrations in normal operation than ordinary cars do. The DieHard Advanced Gold AGM Battery withstand these high requirements along with higher temperatures and increased amount of accessory power demands. The diesel engines are usually harder to start at low temperatures and it is good when your have the CCA a bit higher than needed. The battery has 850A CCA which is enough to start diesel engines in almost any conditions.

The main properties of the battery are: enhanced protection against vibration which adds to the service life of the battery; BCI Gp 49, CCA 850, 92 AH rating. Reserve Capacity (RC):170 ; Cold Cranking Amps (CCA at 0 deg.F):775; Spill proof design has additional protection for electronic equipment; Optimized power full-frame positive and negative plates prevent electrical shorts; Improved electrolyte suspension system absorbs more electrolyte and protects internal components.

This battery is designed for cars which can have a big number of additional electronic equipment and can demand more current. This battery meets all the mentioned requirements and allows you to not to think of complex manage systems when you add more accessories in your car for comfort.

2. XS Power D3400 XS Series

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XS Power has a battery for heavy duty with a wide selection ranging from 12 pound 12 Volt batteries to 14 Volt batteries for the street to 30 pound 16 Volt batteries. Using the highest energy density chemistry which may be known in AGM batteries, XS Power is now the battery of choice for diesel cars. Having passed differents tests e.g. in 300-plus MPH cars, off-road tracks, circle tracks and drag racing, the XS Power batteries are the batteries you need for powerful engines and for a big number of accessoires.

The main features are: 12 Volt battery with CA: 1000, Ah: 65; absorbed glass mat (electrolyte is suspended in fiberglass); ultra low internal resistance, mount in almost any position; packaging and marked sku may vary slightly; spill proof, sealed, valve regulated and vibration resistant.

XS Power D3400 XS Series characteristics

3. NorthStar ELT-AGM31

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The NorthStar ELT-AGM31 makes a great starter for higher powered diesel, having 925 CCA it ensures a good burst by starting diesel engines. These heavy duty batteries provide excellent vibration resistance, high reserve capacity along with huge cranking amps. The capacities of the battery are enough for additional current consumption and won’t make you to decide which of devices to use in your car. It is a good choice for for truly massive diesel engines.

The main features are: pure lead AGM technology for exceptional CCA ratings and reserve capacity cycling ability; approved as non-hazardous cargo for ground, sea and air transport; advanced AGM construction means no water levels to check or terminals to clean.

NorthStar ELT-AGM31 Technical data

NorthStar ELT-AGM31 Dimensions

4. Intimidator AGM Deka East Penn 8A31DTM

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The Intimidator AGM is another battery what is designed for heavy starts. Peaking with 800 CCA it allows you to start almost any diesel the enhanced service life and vibration resistant housing make this battery a good candidate for buying.

This battery is good for diesel engines as also for heavy marine house power, renewable energy powered equipment, electric vehicles , portable power needs.

Deka East Penn 8A31DTM Features

• Popular group 31 size fits most commercial truck applications
• Deep-pocket envelope separators protect plates from shorts and extends battery life
• Full-frame positive negative plates direct all of the available cranking power to the terminals
• Anchor lock elements secured to the bottom of the case resist the damaging effects of pounding vibration and extend battery life
• Maintenance-free flush covers for easy installation, replacement, and cleaning

5. Optima Batteries 8002-002 34 RedTop Starting Battery

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Optima 34 RedTop is designed to deliver high power cranking ability even in harsh weather conditions. This battery is great for heavy use by hot rods and off-roaders with its leak-proof, high power, and starting ability. The unique SpiralCell design provides a strong and clean power source, ensuring the safety of you, your family and the environment. The higher reserve capacity gives you a longer shelf-life to give you the power when you need it, where you need it.

• 12-Volt, 800 Cold Cranking Amps, Size: 10″ x 6 7/8″ x 7 13/16″ tall, Weight: 37.9 pounds, SAE Post
• Reserve capacity of 100 minutes for constant performance
• Optimal starting power even in bad weather
• Fifteen times more resistant to vibration for durability
• This item is not for sale in Catalina Island

The Optima YellowTop battery series consists of deep-cycling 12-Volt AGM batteries with up to 900 Cold Cranking Amps of power.

Optima Batteries 8002-002 34 characteristics

Best diesel truck battery for cold weather

Optima RedTop batteries are intended for use as common engine starting batteries where an alternator immediately monitors the state of charge and provides energy to the battery whenever it is needed. This would describe most stock vehicles.

RedTop batteries are optimized for delivering high currents during very short periods of time, typically from few seconds to 20, perhaps 30 seconds.

They are not intended for cycling use in any application and regular deep discharge cycling use can shorten their operating life significantly.

If you occasionally listen to the music in your car for shorter periods of time (10-20 minutes) while the engine is not working, but without trying to fry your sub-woofers and other speakers, Optima RedTop batteries can handle such load. If you like to listen to the loud music or there are similar demands for electric power while the engine is not working, consider YellowTop batteries.

KEY BENEFITS

• Strongest starting burst
• Up to 3X longer life
• 15 times more vibration-resistant
• Virtually spill proof
• Mountable in virtually any position
• Maintenance-free
• Faster recharging
• Optimal starting power

Here is a short description of four batteries available today on market

If the time has already come to buy a new battery, you have a very big choice of these from different manufacturers and with different properties. First of all don’t forget the you are looking for a battery in your diesel car. The diesel engines require more torque by starting because of higher compression, this means the battery is to be heavy duty to provide enough current at once and to make the engine start.

Top rated agm batteries for diesel trucks

Many of diesel vehicles are also used like utility cars with many electrical devices like pumps or additional lights, which have its own consumption and can remarkably run down a battery.

Battery charger for diesel trucks

For diesel engines it is crucial to get sufficient amps to start, this Cold cranking amps or CCA value is what you have to keep in mind and it is one of the key criteria by selecting a battery.

Here is a short description of four batteries available today on market

How to choose the best battery for diesel trucks

When it is time to look for a new battery in your diesel vehicle, you may keep some important points in your mind before you start your search. The most important – the battery must surely and easily start your engine. The manufacturer provides the CCA rating for its batteries and have to check it with the required one. There are larger diesel engines that may require about 600 just only for start.

Best battery for diesel tractor

If you park your vehicle for long periods of time, you’ll find that your batteries will start to discharge, and eventually, dry out to the point that they need to be charged before the vehicle can be started again.

You also have to know what electronics you have in the car, what is its the total consumption, how often you use it and so on. These additional accessories may drain the battery a lot. For the cases with high loads on the battery you may think of even a dual battery system or look for a single battery with sufficient capacity.

Best battery for diesel car review

Other point to consider is the size of a battery be sure that the already chosen one can be easily set in its place of your car. If not, the battery will require some extra preparations for functioning properly, this can be e.g. extending the cables, or setting new holders. for it.

Best batteries for diesel trucks video guide