Can I put a higher/bigger battery for my Suzuki XL7?

Question

I have a 2020 Suzuki XL7 1.5L. It came with a wet-cell battery: Furukawa FB 38B19L (32Ah). I'm about to replacing my battery, and I wonder what type of battery I should consider.

I already checked that the tray fits B24L-size battery, and the alternator puts out about 80Ah. The OEM battery is not available here.

I read a lot about batteries, but I'm still unsure the right way to choose a right battery for my car. Maybe I have too many variables.

I plan to have a battery that can last at least 4 years. My driving pattern:

• driving short daily trips: about 7 kilometers in 25 minutes then stop for 5-10 minutes (stop-and-go traffic); daily driving average 30 kilometers;
• sometimes doing 25 kilometers in 45 minutes several times a month (high speed);
• humid, hot weather (27-35 degree C).

1. Can I use a B24L-size battery without any problem?

2. Should I always go with a higher Ah battery of the same size? For example, in my country, B19L has 35Ah and 40Ah; and B24L has 45Ah and 50Ah. That means, should I always go for a higher Ah battery if it fits?

3. Suppose my use of electronics is the same. Then higher Ah, higher CCA, or higher RC batteries don't make any difference in current draw. That means the alternator of my car only has to re-charge the same amount after I start the car. In this case, higher Ah batteries can last longer because the batteries have more charge left. Am I right?

4. Is the driving time more important than the driving speed in recharging a battery? Many articles just say "short trips" to mean distance.

5. Are wet-cell batteries better for my car? I don't do much maintenance except factory requirements such as oil changes, adjusting tire pressure.

6. Because of many short trips, should I use an EFB or AGM battery? Is there anything I should be aware of those batteries when using on my car?

In my country, there are imported batteries (cost):

• Emtrac (not much selection) > Amaron > Varta = Rocket = Atlas = Delkor = Panasonic = ...;

and local batteries:

• GS (most popular), Dongnai, Enimac.

All of them have 6-12 months warranty.

Thank you (and sorry for a long post).

Answer 1

Batteries are pretty simple: voltage (V), amperage (amps/hr, or Ah), CCL (cold cranking amps, or resistance under cold conditions) and size. Keep in mind that electronics you plug into the dashboard have very little drain on a car's battery, unless you plan on running the electronics for hours with the car not running.

1. Yes, you can use the B24L. OEM's use a variety of brands at the factory, so don't worry about buying the exact same brand.
2. No, you rarely need to go above the Ah of your OEM battery.
3. Higher RC batteries don't make any difference in current draw. Higher Ah batteries do not necessarily last longer. Longevity depends more on materials the manufacturing quality.
4. I don't know the answer. A battery recharges very quickly after each start-up, whether idling at stop, revving the engine, driving on highways, etc. The time it takes to recharge only matters with a completely dead battery, so faster recharge time is just a marketing trick.
5. I think you mean are sealed, "maintenance free" batteries better than batteries that allow you to add water. They are both wet cell. Neither one is better, it's just maintenance free is more convenient but costs more.
6. EFB vs. AGM. Neither one is better for short trips because there is so little charge necessary after a few start-ups. AGM has better quality materials and claims to be more durable and last 50% longer, but is more expensive. Either EFB or AGM will last at least five years.