Deep Dive into Battery Types: How to Tell If It's a Deep Cycle

Release time: Feb 29, 2024

You probably haven't needed a deep cycle battery if you've driven a conventional vehicle for the majority of your life.

But I bet you're familiar with the name.

Now that we know what they are, how do you use a deep cycle battery?

Just what does the term "deep cycle" imply?

The deep cycle battery is something we'll try to explain in this piece.

To help paint a clearer picture, we'll go over the many varieties of deep cycle batteries that are available.

WAHT IS DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES.

Similar to the batteries found in boats, deep cycle batteries are engineered to provide consistent power for a long time. That's why you might hear this type of battery referred to as a maritime battery.

In contrast, the alternator recharges the car starter battery, which provides a burst of high power.

When referring to lead acid batteries, the term "deep cycle" is typically used to differentiate them from lead acid starter batteries. It means it can be fully discharged (have a deep discharge) before requiring recharging.

What sets starting batteries apart from deep cycle batteries?

The structural distinction between deep cycle and starter batteries is the primary differentiator in lead acid batteries. A deeper cycle battery's plates, active material, and separators are all thicker and denser. Battery plates with a higher thickness are more resistant to corrosion, even after several charging cycles.

Is a lithium battery an option?

Because they may be fully charged and drained, all lithium batteries are technically deep cycle.

Next, we will examine the various deep cycle batteries.

Deep Cycle Battery: How Does It Work?

Deep cycle batteries are able to deliver longer sustained amounts of electricity with less power than ordinary lead-acid batteries because their lead plates are thicker. These batteries are capable of withstanding 80% or more DoD, but maintaining a DoD over 50% will prolong their lives.

Different Kinds of Deep Cycle Batteries

Lead acid batteries and lithium-ion batteries both use the deep cycle function.

There are two main types of lead acid batteries: flooded cells and sealed cells. There are two subsets of sealed lead acid batteries: AGM and gel cell.

You should weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each type of deep cycle battery to determine which one is ideal for your needs.

Let's take a closer look at these different kinds of batteries:

1, Lead Acid Flooding

One of the earliest kind of automotive battery is the conventional flooded lead acid battery.

Lead plates are immersed in a sulfuric acid and water electrolyte mixture in a flooded battery. Gases are released from the battery as a result of the chemical reactions that occur when charging and discharging. This causes the electrolyte level to decrease, necessitating periodic topping up.

Between thirty and fifty percent of a flooded lead acid battery's capacity is actually useable.

In this scenario, you can utilize up to half of the battery's overall capacity, which is known as its usable capacity, before it needs to be recharged.

There is a chance of undercharging or overcharging a flooded battery since charging occurs in phases. The flooded battery typically has an efficiency of 70–85% when it comes to charging.

In spite of its low price, dependability, and overcharging tolerance, the flooded battery is the most maintenance-intensive, requiring constant upright positioning to prevent electrolyte leaking, and demands enough ventilation. Additionally, its lifespan is lower when contrasted with other varieties.

2. Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM)

A variant of the VRLA battery family is the AGM battery.

The absorbent glass mats—thin fiberglass mats sandwiched between the lead plates—go by the acronym AGM. Aside from serving as a damper between the lead plates, the glass mat absorbs the electrolyte and prevents it from migrating or spilling.

The glass mat acts as a shock absorber, making the battery resistant to vibration and stress, and it can even endure freezing temperatures.

Compared to flooded and gel batteries, the AGM deep cycle battery charges more quickly and has lower internal resistance. It measures 80% Depth of Discharge (DoD) and has a charge efficiency of 95%.

Among the several benefits of an AGM battery are its lack of maintenance requirements, insensitivity to position, long lifespan, and rapid charging time. It requires a regulated charger to avoid overcharging and is more costly than flooded cell batteries.

3. Gel Cell

Some VRLA batteries, such as the AGM battery, also use gel cells.

The electrolyte in a gel battery is made up of sulfuric acid, water, and a silica agent; the ingredients are usually suspended in one another.

The gel battery is non-offgassing, has great heat endurance, and a charge efficiency of 85-90%.

On the other hand, rapid charging is too much for this battery. Another thing to watch out for is overcharging, as it might ruin the gelled electrolyte.

The gel cell battery has excellent heat tolerance, doesn't leak, isn't affected by position, and doesn't require maintenance. However, a specialized charger and regulator are required, and the price is more than that of flooded or AGM batteries.

4. Lithium Ion

When contrasted with older lead acid battery types, lithium batteries are more recent arrivals.

With a useful capacity ranging from 80 to 100%, lithium ion batteries are 30% more lightweight than flooded cell batteries. In addition to having the longest cycle life (typically between 2000 and 5000 charge cycles), they also have the quickest recharge rate.

The voltage of a lithium ion battery remains constant regardless of the pace of discharge. This ensures that your lights powered by lithium-ion batteries will not gradually dim as the battery drains. The lights will simply turn off as soon as the power is out.

The Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery is the most latest in the lithium battery family. Deep cycle applications, like solar energy banks and backup power systems, commonly employ LiFePO4 batteries.

Lithium deep cycle batteries are small, lightweight, maintenance-free, and have a consistent voltage, rapid recharge rate, and high useful capacity. It requires a battery maintenance system (BMS) and is significantly more costly than lead acid batteries.

Please be advised that the BMS keeps a close eye on the battery's status and prioritizes operational safety. In deep cycle applications, it is typically installed internally.

Deep Cycle Battery Applications

Have a good notion of what needs power, how often, for how long, and how much power it requires before you choose a battery. Deep cycle batteries often function in a cyclic application where the user specifies the time of day when the battery has to be charged.

A medical cart in a hospital, for instance, would require battery power the whole time it is not connected to an electrical outlet. By powering up the medical cart, the nurse or doctor can signal to the battery when it is about to be used. It will be put to use multiple times daily. This is a deep discharge use, hence a deep cycle battery is required so the battery can maintain a constant power output for an extended period of time.

Your cell phone's battery is another common type of deep cycle battery. Depending on its age, this battery is meant to be used daily and last all day on a single charge. By powering on the phone or removing it from the charger, you signal to the battery when it's time to utilize it. If you're anything like the average user, you probably wait until the phone is totally dead before charging it again, when the DOD is 100% and the SOC is 0%. A deep cycle battery is required since you want it to give constant power all day long.

Besides marine and leisure applications, deep cycle battery technology finds widespread use in mobility scooters, electric vehicles of all kinds, solar power, and RV batteries.

Stand out from the crowd by using high-rate batteries for backup or emergency purposes. For example, in the case of a power outage, this application could make use of a battery that sits in an elevator. Under extreme circumstances, this battery will have to swiftly discharge a substantial quantity of energy. It is possible that these batteries will need to be changed before they may be used at all. A deep cycle battery will be your reliable workhorse, consistently giving power as often as a full discharge cycle everyday, while a high-rate battery is more like an insurance policy, delivering a large amount of power all at once in emergency situations.

How are starting batteries different from deep cycle batteries?

-Marathon runners, which are deep cycle batteries, are made to provide power continuously with little current demand for long durations. -Sprinters, which are starting batteries, are specifically engineered to start the engine, stabilize the voltage, and power accessories even when the engine is not operating.

COMPARISON OF BEGINNING BATTERIES WITH DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES

In order to manage deeper discharges, deep cycle batteries feature thicker plates. They also utilize alternative grid patterns to optimize current flow and use greater density paste to extend cycle life. Depending on the kind of battery, deep cycle batteries use varied grid compositions to maximize service life.

Comparison of Deep Cycle and Lead-Acid Batteries

The next step, after learning how these battery kinds function, is to compare and contrast their advantages and disadvantages. Also covered: the times when lead-acid batteries are the way to go and the times when deep cycle batteries are the way to go for your automobiles.

Application Areas

Deep cycle and standard lead-acid batteries serve quite diverse purposes due to their distinct architecture.

Common vehicles, such as cars and trucks, seldom use deep cycle batteries. Instead, they function to deliver a consistent flow of less power than conventional batteries, which makes them perfect for electric bikes, medical carts, leisure vehicles, boats, and golf carts.

Most drivers likely have experience with traditional lead-acid batteries because they are ubiquitous in many common vehicles, such as automobiles, SUVs, trucks, and other light-duty vehicles that require brief surges of power to start the engine.

CCA and RC

The words reserve capacity (RC) and cold cranking amps (CCA) will pop up while researching deep cycle batteries and standard lead-acid batteries.

CCA is the amount of amps that a battery can produce in 30 seconds at 0°C (32°F) with a voltage of at least 7.2.

RC stands for the duration in minutes that a battery can generate 25 amps at a voltage of at least 10.5 volts.

When comparing deep cycle batteries to lead-acid ones, the former will offer roughly twice as much CCA and the latter two or three times as much RC.

Benefits of Deep Cycle Batteries

There are a number of scenarios in which deep cycle batteries prove useful. Their extended cycle life and continuous energy are just two of the many reasons why they are perfect for RVs.

Cycles are important. Unlike conventional lead-acid batteries, which aren't made for deep draining and have a lifespan of around 200 cycles, deep cycle batteries can withstand 2,000 cycles of full discharge and recharge.

The RC. More sustained energy is provided by a deep cycle battery, which has a substantially greater RC than standard batteries.

The size. Deep cycle batteries are ideal for RVs since they are more compact and less heavy than standard batteries.

Deep Cycle Batteries' Drawbacks

Deep cycle batteries have some limitations that prevent them from being useful in all situations, so they may not be suitable for all vehicles.

Oh, CCA. In comparison to standard lead-acid batteries, deep cycle batteries produce 50% to 75% less CCA.

Level of influence. Because of their smaller CCA, deep cycle batteries are unable to supply a vehicle with the huge surges of power that conventional lead-acid batteries are capable of.

A process of replenishment. Recharging deep cycle batteries is a user-specific task.

Advantages of Lead-Acid Batteries

Because of its many advantages for contemporary automobiles and trucks, lead-acid batteries are present in nearly all of the vehicles we encounter on a daily basis.

Level of influence. The engine of a vehicle can be started with a lead-acid battery's huge bursts of power, and these batteries rarely exceed 20% DoD.

A process of replenishment. No need to manually replenish standard lead-acid batteries anymore thanks to the vehicle's alternator.

The expense. Because of their prevalence and low cost, lead-acid batteries are ideal for use in most vehicles.

Some Drawbacks of Lead-Acid Batteries

Unlike maintenance-free deep cycle battery kinds, lead-acid batteries do require regular inspections and maintenance, which can be a hassle and makes them less suited for some applications.

Skill set is restricted. As a result of its inferior design and lower RC, lead-acid batteries are unable to achieve deep discharge levels comparable to those of deep cycle batteries.

Performing upkeep. Preventing harm to lead-acid batteries requires regular inspections and refilling.

How well it deals with heat. Lead-acid batteries aren't great in really hot or cold climates. Regular exposure to extreme heat or cold can reduce the life of lead-acid batteries.

What exactly is DOD?

DED is the proportion of the battery's entire capacity that has been used up, representing the quantity of energy that has been extracted from the battery. If the DOD is 50%, for instance, it indicates that half of the battery's energy has been consumed. Eighty percent discharge to depth indicates that the battery is now only 20% charged, meaning that 80% of its initial capacity has been used up.

Advice on Keeping Your Deep Cycle Battery in Top Condition

A deep cycle battery needs the following maintenance to function at its best:

 

Keep track of the charge levels: Begin charging at 50% and ensure that the charge stays above 20%.

To keep the battery life and avoid sulfation, make sure to charge it even while it's not being used. If you're not going to be utilizing your flooded, gel, or AGM batteries for an extended period of time, trickle charge them. Lithium batteries don't need this.

To prevent grid corrosion, it is recommended to let the battery cool down after prolonged usage.

Take care of the ends of the battery: It is important to maintain the battery terminal and covers clean and corrosion-free.

Conclusion

You may get by without a deep cycle battery for starting an internal combustion engine, but they are great for RVs and solar power systems nonetheless.

You may run motors and appliances without anxiety as long as you remember to acquire the correct sort of deep cycle battery!


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