Looking to find out about group 43 batteries?
This is an uncommon type of battery that is hard to find on the shelves of normal retailers. Neither will you find them under the hood of a normal car.
Below we will take a closer look at these commercial batteries including the dimensions, uses, equivalents, and answer your biggest questions.
⚡BCI Group 43 Key Facts⚡
- Length: 13 ⅛ inch
- Width: 6 ⅞ inch
- Height: 8 1/16inch
- Weight: 30 lbs
- 12V
- 800 – 1200 CCA
- Flooded and Sealed
- Starting / Cranking
What is a Group 43 Battery?
BCI group 43 batteries are relatively large, powerful and for heavy duty use. At over 13 inches long, it is reserved for commercial uses and vehicles. They deliver anywhere between 800 – 1200CCA and have 60Ah – 100Ah energy capacity.
They are rarely manufactured anymore, so you’ll find it hard to get hold of one. They are too big for normal passenger cars and suited to trucks and buses. Any that do exist will be for starting and cranking vehicle engines with SAE post, rather than deep cycle or marine.
There’s no known uses anymore for group 43, certainly no modern vehicles use them. You might find them in a small number of old BMWs.
If you need this group size, it’s best to use an equivalent replacement. They are much easier to find and will be cheaper. Look at group 29 or group 27 for alternatives. These are close in physical dimensions and heavy duty application.
You won’t find them for use in RVs or boats as deep cycle or dual purpose options.
BCI Group 43 Dimensions and Weight
The dimensions of a BCI group 43 battery are:
- Length: 13 ⅛ (334mm)
- Width: 6 ⅞ (175mm)
- Height: 8 1/16 (205mm)
- Average Weight: 60lbs (27kg)
Chemistry Type and Application
Technically speaking, there are no restrictions on chemistry type or application set by a BCI size. It only refers to the external sizing and features.
That being said, most group sizes have similar characteristics and suit certain uses which guide the way manufacturers built products.
When it comes to group 43, you’ll only find traditional flooded lead acid batteries. These are hard enough to find nowadays, let alone looking for Lithium or AGM options which don’t really exist.
Any group 43 batteries still available will be for starting / cranking application, not deep cycle or marine. If you’re looking for cyclical application then I highly suggest looking at more common sizes to make your life easier!
Pros and Cons of Group 43 Batteries
Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of these batteries.
Pros:
- High cranking power 800 – 1200CCA
- Good for commercial application
Cons:
- Hard to find and rarely manufactured
- No Lithium or AGM options
- Large and heavy
- Few vehicle uses them
Group 43 vs Group 29 Batteries
Group 29 is a close equivalent of group 43. This is because it has similar external dimensions. You can see on the comparison below that they are exactly the same length as just over 13 inches. A group 29 is a touch slimmer too so it will fit comfortably into a 43 battery container. The only thing to measure is the height, it is nearly an inch taller. So if you’re installing it under a seat make sure it fits.
| Group | Length (inch) | Width(inch) | Height(inch) |
| 29 | 13 ⅛ | 6 ¾ | 9 ⅛ |
| 43 | 13 ⅛ | 6 ⅞ | 8 1/16 |
The application is generally suitable for the switch with both being built as commercial starting batteries for heavy duty use. Both provide decent cold cranking amps (CCA) of over 800.
Summary
I hope this page answers your questions about group 43 batteries.
If you’re looking for one, then you might have a hard time even when looking at specialist online retailers. You should either contact a specialist directly or consider an alternative group size. Another heavy duty battery with similar dimensions is a group 29.
At over 13 inches long and 8 inches high, these are big batteries and heavy batteries. You won’t see them used in passenger cars or cyclical application in boats and RVs. To be honest, you don’t see them very often anymore.
