Marine Batteries

[VanMan]

Will any 12V marine deep cycle battery work? That's what I've bought over the years - WalMart's highest amperage, but now I'm wondering if that's a mistake. I usually leave it plugged in all the time and I do have to replace it every couple of years. We have several golf carts for use on our "place" and I sure hate springing the $$$ for them !!

[waldo238]

I use the Everstart Walmart batteries in my boat and they last me about 7 years before replacement, but the charger for them is a trickle charger which I normally use only during the winter time. These batteries can be deep cycled many times, but a charger that will charge and then trickle charge after the initial charge is recommended.

[TLightning]

Deep cycles are all the same.

[ols1932]

quote:Originally posted by TLightning

Deep cycles are all the same.

Wet cells?
Orv

[Waynem]

Wet, deep cell batteries are basically all the same. You can do a simple google search and come up with all kinds of maintenance do's and don'ts. What I learned, having a golf cart for several years, is this.,

Do not overfill. 1/4" below the lip is a norm, or by a batter filler which will automatically fill to the correct level.
Do not overcharge. Once charging is complete disconnect the charger
If you use it - charge it, no matter if it is for 10 minutes of uese or 6 hours of use.
Automatic chargers are the best. They shut off when charging is complete.
Never set a battery on concrete or the ground - it will suck the life out of them.
Keep the top of the battery clean, not only the posts, but the area between the posts. As dirt and grim accumulate it can dcause a short between the posts. You can check this out with a voltmeter. do not touch the posts, but the area around the post with the positive lead at the positive post bottom (on the plastic), and the negative lead on the negative post bottom (on the plastic) and if you see a voltage across those points, you have a short. So, keep it clean. A solution of baking soda and water will clean the battery. Make sure you do not get any solution inside the battery itself you you will decrease it's life.

Automotive batteries are not like dry cell batteries in that the automotive wet cell batteries will not develop a memory.

I ran my golf cart for 3+ years before every having to change the batteries and I playd 4 or more times a week.

[Glenn and Lorraine]

Deep Cycle Batteries are all the same. They can be used in Boats, RV's and even in the electric scooters the Handicap use.
Initially a Deep Cycle is best recharged at a higher AMP than an automotive battery. Keeping a battery on a trickle charge while in our RVs is meaningless so long as the rig is plugged into electric. Over a winter, a GOOD fully charged battery should not lose any charge so long as there is no draw on the battery so be sure to disconnect both the positive and negative cables prior to storage. Over the years, I have had numerous bass boats with deep cycles and always left the batteries in the boat during outside northern NY winters and never had a single problem. Also, With the new battery cases the "not setting on a concrete floor" no longer applies. The old rubber cases would allow a draw thru the case into the ground.

[MacDR50]

Ah You are right that deep cycle batteries have some similarities but they also have many differences. Marine batteries can be regular (open cell caps that are meant to be removed to allow replacement of water) or maintenance free but share a thicker plating that resists sulfating over upon discharge cycles that go down as far as 80% of full charge. Car batteries have thinner plates but cannot withstand even a 20% draw down cycle before they start to sulphate and stop holding a charge. Both regular and maintenance free deep cycle batteries will last longer if their cyclic discharge is kept below the 50% level. Another deep cycle battery is AGM or absorbed glass mat. In these batteries the electrolyte is held in the glass matrix and the battery is sealed except for a little valve that maintains a slight positive pressure within the battery. These batteries are spill-proof and I have seen them cracked open, frozen solid and punctured all without any leakage. They are usually slightly bigger and heavier than a standard battery but retain a charge well and can take repetitive discharge to the 20% level better than most other marine batteries. If kept topped up with a trickle charger or an automatic charger that enters a float mode (usually 13-13.5 volts)when the battery is fully charged they seem to last forever. We have batteries in our inventory that are 15 yrs old and still giving us good service. I have two of these batteries in my MH. They have a combined 200 amp hour rating and designed to charge from a solar panel that is putting out minimum amperage but are perfectly at home in a non-solar system. The following is a link to the manufacturer's web site.

http://networkpower.exide.com/produc...ect.asp?range=
Sunlyte#8834;_id=47&lng=en&main_description_en
=Sunlyte&cl=Brands

There are other AGM batteries out there. Here is another link with additional information

http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/

The key to extending the life of any battery is to keep the degree of discharge to the least possible level before recharging. I use a 2 amp solar panel to help keep the batteries up.