What Is a Deep Cycle Battery?ĭeep cycle batteries are designed to handle states of deep discharge, or depth of discharge (DoD), which is how much of the battery capacity is used in one full discharge of the battery. The continued energy supply to keep the car moving is actually provided by the alternator after the battery powers up the engine via chemical reactions. This setup allows a traditional lead-acid battery to supply a short burst of power to start up the engine. The reactions are reversed to recharge the battery. As these ions move around to the cathode and anode, they produce the electricity needed to power up the engine. To provide power to the vehicle, the electrolyte reacts with the lead plates to create ions, which also react with the lead plates and create lead sulfate and hydrogen. The lead-acid battery has a positively charged cathode, a negatively charged anode and sulfuric acid, also called the electrolyte. There are lead plates and lead dioxide plates within each cell. This type of battery typically has six connected cells inside. What Is a Traditional Lead-Acid Battery?Ī traditional lead-acid battery is probably what you think of when you imagine a car battery. Choosing the wrong battery for your vehicle could leave you with a dead battery, or a lack of power to get from one point to the next - or it could cause long-term damage to other car parts, like the alternator.īefore you start shopping for vehicle batteries, it’s important to know the differences between traditional batteries and deep cycle batteries, how they work and when to use them. Traditional lead-acid batteries and deep cycle batteries are actually designed for different uses and power output, so knowing the difference between regular lead-acid and deep cycle batteries is crucial. But what’s the difference, and does it really matter which battery type goes into your vehicles? For more information about how to select the right deep cycle battery for you, contact MK Battery today and speak with one of our battery specialists right away.You’ve probably encountered a traditional, lead-acid battery in your lifetime, but you might be less familiar with deep cycle batteries - unless you have experience with recreational vehicles, boats or golf carts. As a result, deep cycle batteries are more costly than regular batteries, but you should never substitute a regular battery for a deep cycle battery because it won’t be able to handle the work. Remember, these two battery types may look the same, but their internal components work differently. Now that you understand the differences between deep cycle and regular lead-acid batteries, you will be able to choose the right battery for your needs. With an ignition lead acid battery, the rating that matters most is the cold cranking amps (CCA), which only tells you how much power the battery can produce in a single burst at 32 degrees. These numbers tell you how long the battery will last, how far you should be discharging the battery, how long you can expect to go before you need a battery replacement, and what kind of power you can expect in the meantime. For instance, a deep cycle battery listing will tell you that it produces 75 Amp-Hours for a period of 20 hours, and is rated for 1000 full cycles at 80% depth of discharge. How to Read Deep Cycle Battery SpecsĪ deep cycle battery is rated by the number of complete cycles that it will provide, as well as the depth of discharge that is allowable, and the amount of amperage that it will produce steadily. In this case, the battery is not designed to be cycled because it should be kept fully charged at all times. By contrast, a regular car battery is designed to provide a momentary burst of energy, typically enough to get your car started, before handing off power production to the alternator. Here’s what you need to know: What Does “Deep Cycle” Mean?Ī deep cycle battery is a battery that is designed to produce steady power output over an extended period of time, discharging the battery significantly, at which point it must be recharged to complete the cycle. The difference between these batteries is extremely important to understand if you want a reliable battery experience. If you’ve spent any time shopping for batteries for your electric wheelchair or other equipment, you’ve probably noticed that some batteries are labeled as “deep cycle” batteries, while others are not.
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