What is the Right Battery for My Riding Toy?
- by Bryan Veldboom - updated on 3/3/2023
Riding toys allow kids to drive miniature versions of their favorite cars, trucks and tractors. Just like with real vehicles, these toys rely on batteries to keep them going. Batteries Plus makes it easy to find the right replacement battery for your riding toy. Just visit our Toy and Riding Car Battery Page. Enter the brand and model toy you have and you'll be taken to a list of compatible batteries. Still have questions? Keep reading for answers to the most commonly asked questions related to riding toy batteries and how to maintain them properly.
What Type of Battery Does My Riding Car Need?
The type of battery used in your riding toy will vary from brand to brand and sometimes from model to model. Most riding toys, however, will rely on some type of sealed lead acid (SLA) battery. This includes toys from Peg Perego, Power Wheels, Kid Trax and Safety 1st.
When selecting a riding toy battery, you'll also want to pay attention to the required voltage of your vehicle. Most models will have a voltage requirement of 6-volts or 12-volts, although some models require a 24-volt battery.
Do I Need an OEM Battery?
OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer, which is just a fancy way of saying that a replacement part has been made by the same manufacturer that created the original. Batteries Plus carries OEM batteries from Peg Perego and Power Wheels, however, it's not vital that you use them. As long as the replacement battery matches the voltage, capacity and fit of the original battery, it will work just fine. For instance, Batteries Plus carries a number of replacement batteries from Duracell that work with a number of different brands and models.
How Do I Pick the Right Battery Charger for My Riding Toy?
A reliable battery charger is critical in maintaining the life of your riding toy's battery. When selecting a battery charger it's important to select a model that matches the voltage and chemistry of the battery you will be using it on. That means if you have a 12-volt AGM battery, you need to select a charger that is compatible with 12-volt AGM batteries. If your riding toy takes a 6-volt battery, you will need a charger that is compatible with 6-volt batteries.
Does Batteries Plus Sell Battery Chargers for Riding Toys?
Batteries Plus makes it easy to find the right battery charger for your Peg Perego, Power Wheels, Kid Trax, Safety 1st or other model riding toy. Visit our Toy and Riding Car Charger Page online. Then, simply enter the toy's brand and model and you'll be given a list of compatible chargers. You can also visit your nearest Batteries Plus location and ask them to assist you in finding the right charger for your needs.
What are Some Charging Tips for Riding Toys?
- If your battery's charge gets too low, it can shorten its lifespan. For that reason, be sure to charge your battery regularly to maintain its charge.
- Overcharging can also damage a battery, so be sure to keep track of how long it is attached to the charger; your owner's manual should provide you with an estimated charging time.
- When charging a new battery for the first time, the initial charging time will often be longer than it will take later to recharge it.
- On average, you can expect a 6-volt battery to take around 6 hours to recharge and 12-volt and 24-volt batteries to take around 10 hours to recharge.
- Some riding toys have a meter, which tells you when it's time to recharge the battery. If your toy doesn't have a meter, you should recharge the battery when you notice the vehicle starting to slow down.
- Riding toy batteries typically only have enough power to last between 45 and 90 minutes. For that reason, many owners will pick up a second battery that they can swap out to keep riding.
- SLA batteries are sensitive to hot and cold temperatures, so be sure to store your riding toy inside when it's not in use.
Where Can I Recycle My Old Riding Toy Battery?
Got an old SLA battery that you don't know what to do with? Bring it to your local Batteries Plus and have it recycled. Our stores accept a wide range of batteries and light bulbs. Due to differences in state and local regulations there is some variation in the type of recyclables each store can accept. There may also be a cost for recycling, but this too will vary by location. Contact your local store for the most accurate information on what recyclable materials they accept.