Cold Crank Amp Myth

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Hey Guys,

So i was speaking to the Odysseys rep the other day about which battery would suit my project mr2 build . Like most when you look at the spec they do perform very well . but the CCA rating werent all that high compare to your run of the mill battery. so after some emails and phone call i got this :

Cold Cranking Amps: Is defined as a rating used in the battery industry to define a battery?s ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. The rating is the number of amps a new, fully charged battery can deliver at -18 degrees Celsius for 30 seconds, while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2V, for a 12V battery. The higher the CCA rating, the greater the starting power of the battery. Now that you know what CCA is, how does that affect Odyssey batteries in relation other batteries in comparison?

The Myth: Odyssey batteries have a lower CCA rating to other batteries even if the PHCA (Pulse Hot Cranking Amp) is quite higher.
This statement is in fact not true. The Odyssey battery is manufactured unlike any other battery in the industry and because of its unique qualities it is has different characteristics. The Odyssey battery range is listed by PHCA in its part number, for example a PC680 derives its part number from the 680 amps it can deliver for 5 seconds. ?So what is the difference between CCA and PHCA? you might ask, well HCA (hot cranking amp) is the same as CCA , except the temperature at which the test is conducted. HCA tests are conducted at 26.7 degrees Celsius rather than the -18 degrees for CCA. PHCA rating does not have an official definition; however it is the HCA of the battery tested at 5 seconds rather than 30 seconds. PHCA is a short duration (5 seconds) of high rate discharge. We believe this is more realistic in today?s market as most vehicles have electronic ignition and will normally crank over within this time. A car starter is not designed to withstand 30 seconds of straight cranking and will cause damage to a vehicle if operated in this manner.
Odyssey batteries are made of Thin Plate Pure Lead Plates and so we can fit more plates into our batteries than can conventional batteries of the same size. For example, a PC925 has a CCA rating of 380 amps, and the dimensions are 169 X 179 X 128, and it weighs 12KG. A conventional battery with the same CCA rating of 360 amps can be 238 X 129 X 225 (NS60WC) and as you can see is larger in size. The Odyssey battery offers a great CCA as you would have to find a significantly larger battery to match the CCA rating. The Odyssey is designed this way so that customers can save size and weight if desired and still perform the starting function. If you compare the Odyssey battery CCA to a conventional battery in the same physical size, the Odyssey will have a greater CCA. Myth busted.

When choosing an Odyssey battery these factors need to be taken into consideration as it might be confusing sometimes. This should clear up any misconceptions on CCA ratings in reference to the battery range. As we save size and weight with making the battery the way we do, you will sacrifice the reserve capacity as a conventional battery with the same CCA rating will have more reserve capacity as it is larger in size. For vehicle use this is not normally an issue with standard cars as the battery is used for starting; however with big stereo systems and other components the customer will need to decide if the battery will have enough reserve capacity for the intended use with the car turned off to meet their requirements.

hope this help you guys aswell .

John.