Battery Overview, Battery Types, Not to be used

3	Introduction

Battery Overview

Battery Types

Batteries are classified in two different ways: by application (their use) and construction (how they are built). The major applications are automotive, marine and deep cycle. Deep cycle includes solar electric (PV), wind power, backup power and RV/boat “house” batteries.

The major construction types are flooded (or “wet”), gel and AGM (Ab- sorbed Glass Mat). AGM batteries are also sometimes called “starved electrolyte” or “dry,” because the fiberglass mat is only 95% saturated with sulfuric acid and there is no excess liquid. Flooded batteries may be standard, with removable caps, or a so-called “maintenance free” type. All gelled batteries are sealed and a few are “valve regulated,” which means that a tiny valve keeps a slight positive pressure. Nearly all AGM batteries are sealed valve regulated (commonly referred to as Valve Regulated Lead-Acid or “VRLA”). Most valve regulated types are under some pressure - 1 to 4 psi at sea level.

Not to be used

Starting (sometimes called “SLI,” for starting, lighting, ignition) batteries are commonly used to start and run engines. Engine starters need a very large starting current for a very short time.

Starting batteries have a large number of thin plates for maximum surface area. The plates are composed of a lead “sponge,” similar in appearance to a very fine foam sponge. This creates a very large surface area, but if deep-cycled this sponge will quickly be consumed and fall to the bottom of the cells.

Automotive batteries will generally fail after 30-150 deep cycles if deep-cycled, while they may last for thousands of cycles with normal starting use (2-5% discharge).

Minimum to be used

Most marine batteries are usually actually a “hybrid” and fall between the starting and deep cycle batteries, while a few (Rolls-Surrette and Concorde, for example) are true deep cycle. In a hybrid type, the plates may be composed of lead sponge, but the material is coarser and heavier than that used in starting batteries. It is often hard to tell what you are getting in a “marine” battery, but most are a hybrid type. Hybrid types should not be discharged more than 50%.

Since starting batteries are usually rated as either cold cranking amps (or “CCA”) or marine cranking amps (or “MCA”), the same as cranking amps (or “CA”), any battery with the capacity shown in CA or MCA may not be a true deep cycle battery. It is sometimes hard to tell, as the terms “marine” and “deep cycle” are sometimes overused. CA and MCA ratings are at 32 degrees F, while CCA is at 0 degrees F.

Recommended

We only recommend using TWO-12V, 100Ah, flooded, deep cycle, marine grade batteries. Deep Cycle batteries are designed to be discharged down as much as 80% time after time, and have much thicker plates. The major difference between a true deep cycle battery and others is that the plates are SOLID Lead plates, not sponge.

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