Glossary / General

cold cranking amps

9 Episode Mentions

Too Afraid to Ask

Cold cranking amps tell you how well a car battery can start an engine when it's really cold outside. The higher the number, the better the battery can perform in low temperatures.

Technical Definition

Cold cranking amps (CCA) is a measurement of a battery's ability to start an engine in cold temperatures. It indicates how much current the battery can deliver at 0°F (-18°C) for 30 seconds while maintaining a voltage of at least 7.2 volts.

Hear It Discussed

"A few things to remember before you head inside to locate a battery group for your vehicle is know the battery group to CCA, which is the cold cranking amps. So the number one we have on here now,..."
Mavericks, Broncos, Batteries and Museums....oh my! In Wheel Time Podcast: Your Go-To Automotive Talk Show 07:48

"...you have 800 cold cranking amps or so that's needed to crank that vehicle. You might have a hundred cold cranking amps and that is a weak battery that needs to be replaced."
Everyone Want's To Know How To Fix Their Own Car Under The Hood show 08:20

"the days of picking a battery by cold cranking amps... back twenty thirty years ago when we actually had a crank a car..."
Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor - Classic Car Doctor - October 3, 2015 - Hour 2 - Noises, Batteries & The Truth About When Cars Fail Ron Ananian The Car Doctor 22:15