How much energy is stored in a 12V car battery?

How Does Your Car Start?: When you insert the key in your car’s ignition and turn the switch or push the button to ‘ON’ a signal is sent to the car’s battery. Upon receiving this signal, the car battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy. This electrical power is delivered to the starter to crank the engine. The battery also provides power to the car’s lights and other accessories.

Battery Voltage: Voltage refers to the amount of electrical potential your battery holds. The standard automotive battery in today’s vehicles is a 12-volt battery. Each battery has six cells, each with 2.1 volts at full charge. A car battery is considered fully charged at 12.6 volts or higher. When the battery’s voltage drops, even a small amount, it makes a big difference in its performance. The table on the left shows how much energy remains in a battery as the battery voltage reading changes. Though not fully charged, a car battery is considered charged at 12.4 volts or higher. It is considered discharged at 12.39 volts or less. Note: A fully charged specific gravity of 1.265 corrected to 80°F is assumed.

Chemical Reaction: Electrical energy in a battery is generated by a chemical reaction. In the case of a lead-acid battery, a mixture of sulfuric acid and water, known as electrolyte, reacts with active material inside the battery. A battery’s voltage largely depends on the concentration of sulfuric acid. To get a voltage of 12.6 volts or higher, the weight percentage of sulfuric acid should be 35 percent or more. As a battery is discharged, the reaction between sulfuric acid and active material forms a different compound and the concentration of sulfuric acid declines. Over time, this causes the battery’s voltage to drop.

Cranking Power: Vehicle engines require cranking power to start. The power needed depends on many factors such as engine type, engine size and temperature. Typically, as temperatures drop, more power is needed to start the engine. Cold cranking amps (CCA) is a rating that measures a battery’s cranking power. It refers to the number of amps a 12-volt battery can deliver at 0°F for 30 seconds while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts. For example, a 12-volt battery with a 600 CCA rating means that at 0°F, the battery will provide 600 amps for 30 seconds without dropping below 7.2 volts.

A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. A dry-cell flashlight battery consists of an electric cell, but larger batteries are made up of a group of cells that are connected to act as a source of direct electric at a given voltage. A cell consists of two dissimilar substances, a positive electrode and a negative electrode, that conduct electricity, and a third substance, an electrolyte, that acts chemically on the electrodes. A group of several such cells connected together is called a battery. Batteries are widely used as a source of direct current electrical energy in automobiles, boats, aircraft, portable electric and electronic equipment, and lightning. A car battery is used mainly to start the motor. Once the motor is running, an alternator supplies current to recharge the battery. A few car battery companies include Diehard and Trojan.

The formula for determining battery energy is:

E = P·t = V·I·t

Where

I = Current Expressed in amperes
V = Electromotive force expressed in volts
P = Power expressed in watts
t = Time expressed in hours
E = Energy in joule

For Car Batteries:

Source: Sonnenschein Prevailer Dryfit German DF Series SLA GEL Batteries. Battery Web.

DF115: (50 Ah) × (12 V) × (3600 s) = 2,160,000 J
DF180: (85 Ah) × (12 V) × (3600 s) = 3,678,000 J
DF8D: (200 Ah) × (12 V) × (3600 s) = 8,640,000 J

Source: Optima Batteries. Battery Web.

34/800S: (50 Ah) × (12 V) × (3600 s) = 2,160,000 J
D34/D750S: (55 Ah) × (12 V) × (3600 s) = 2,376,000 J
TF: (110 Ah) × (12 V) × (3600 s) = 4,752,000 J

Raymond Tran -- 2002

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