Battery technology has made considerable advancements in the past decade. I am not talking about lithium-ion batteries. I am talking about Absorbed Glass Mat or AGM technology. AGM technology has allowed automakers like GM to improve the fuel economy and comfort of a vehicle.
Absorbed glass mat technology improves how a battery can store energy, discharge and even recharge. The secret is glass mat technology that holds the electrolyte solution. The battery shape and group number will not tell you if a battery is an AGM battery. You have to look at the battery label or the catalog to find out if it is an AGM battery. Here on this ACDelco Gold AGM battery, you can see it is an AGM battery by the label.
Let’s look at the label a bit more. This battery has a Reserve Capacity of 200 minutes. This means the battery will last with the headlights left on or a 25 amp draw while maintaining at least 10.5 at 80 degrees Fahrenheit for 200 minutes. It also has a rating of 920 cranking amps and 800 cold cranking amps. The cranking amps rating for the AGM battery will be typically higher than a conventional battery. But, an AGM battery delivers the power to the vehicle faster due to a lower internal resistance.
The AGM battery has made stop-start technology a reality.A stop-start system on a GM vehicle can improve fuel economy by five to seven percent. An AGM battery delivers more cranking amps and can cycle deeper than a conventional flooded battery. This allows the car or truck owner to run the air conditioning and play the radio when the engine is stopped. On the starting side, an AGM battery can quickly deliver the cranking required to start the engine and pull away from a stop.
If you install a conventional flooded battery into a stop-start vehicle, chances are the battery’s life will be measured in months, instead of years.
Before you replace a battery, make sure to look at the label to see if it is an AGM battery. Also, confirm with the catalog if the application requires an AGM battery.
Just remember, a battery may fit the application, but it might not perform like the original. To find out more, visit ACDelco.com/parts/batteries.
This video is sponsored by ACDelco.
