SLA Battery Terminals
What are the most popular types of SLA Battery Terminals?
As many of us already know, Sealed Lead Acid (SLA) batteries are incredibly popular due to their reliability, low maintenance and affordability and can be used in a wide range of applications. Perhaps slightly less known, is the fact that there are different types of terminals in SLA batteries which can be the cause of frustration and confusion for some BatteryClerk customers. Our replacement batteries typically have the same connections and we try to make sure to accentuate that users should keep their existing cables and simply switch batteries out. One of the keys to making sure this is effective, is matching the type of terminals on the replacement battery. When buying a replacement battery, we suggest you also check the type of terminal.
Here are some of the common SLA terminals to look for:
Faston Tabs
These are some of the more common terminal types especially for smaller SLA batteries. You’ll notice they have a flat, blade-like terminal protruding from the top of the battery. These are typically designed for quickly connecting without the need for tools.
There are 2 types of Faston Tabs.
- F1 tabs are also known as No. 187 because it is 0.187” in width. They are the thinner variation.
- F2 tabs are known as No. 250 because their width size is 0.25”.
While the difference is pretty small (1/16”) you typically want to stay with the existing sizing.
Nut and Bolt Terminals
These are common on larger, heavy-duty batteries and are especially valuable for high impact uses like motorcycles, ATV’s, Jet skis and other Powersports equipment. The connectivity is more secure and necessary for high-current applications. Tools are usually required for installation.
These are typically a square shape, the nut goes inside the casing, the cable is often a ring and sits over the square terminal and is attached by the bolt that then connects to the nut. Typically requires a screwdriver to tighten.
Threaded Insert Terminals
For these you’ll notice internal thread housing within the battery casing. They require cabling and bolts with matching thread size so they are more specific and usually indicated by the metric thread diameter of the bolt, often indicated by an M (M5, M6, M8). The connection is also very strong but more applicable in stable environments like with UPS devices.
While the types of terminals on batteries have differing levels of consideration, when it comes to choosing a replacement battery, we typically recommend sticking with the type of terminal your previous battery has.
Most websites, including BatteryClerk will often identify the type of terminal in their description or Specs section or they will provide photos of the terminals themselves which makes it easier to identify.
Check the type of terminal that your current battery has, make sure the replacement battery you are searching for has the same so that you can easily switch them. Faston Tabs are the most prevalent especially for applications where there is typically minimum movement like UPS and alarm batteries. By contrast, applications which see a lot of movement and vibrations like ATV’s, motorcycle and jet ski’s typically use Nut & Bolt or Threaded terminals. As always, we encourage users to check the technical specifications of both batteries.