Battery - ever heard of this one?
08-24-2014, 05:18 PM
#21
JK Enthusiast
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Can someone tell me why you would want a deep cell battery for automotive applications?
Both car batteries and deep cycle batteries are lead-acid batteries that use exactly the same chemistry for their operation. The difference is in the way that the batteries optimize their design:
A car's battery is designed to provide a very large amount of current for a short period of time. This surge of current is needed to turn the engine over during starting. Once the engine starts, the alternator provides all the power that the car needs, so a car battery may go through its entire life without ever being drained more than 20 percent of its total capacity. Used in this way, a car battery can last a number of years. To achieve a large amount of current, a car battery uses thin plates in order to increase its surface area.
A deep cycle battery is designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period of time. A deep cycle battery can provide a surge when needed, but nothing like the surge a car battery can. A deep cycle battery is also designed to be deeply discharged over and over again (something that would ruin a car battery very quickly). To accomplish this, a deep cycle battery uses thicker plates.
A car battery typically has two ratings:
CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) - The number of amps that the battery can produce at 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) for 30 seconds
RC (Reserve Capacity) - The number of minutes that the battery can deliver 25 amps while keeping its voltage above 10.5 volts
Typically, a deep cycle battery will have two or three times the RC of a car battery, but will deliver one-half or three-quarters the CCAs. In addition, a deep cycle battery can withstand several hundred total discharge/recharge cycles, while a car battery is not designed to be totally discharged.
Both car batteries and deep cycle batteries are lead-acid batteries that use exactly the same chemistry for their operation. The difference is in the way that the batteries optimize their design:
A car's battery is designed to provide a very large amount of current for a short period of time. This surge of current is needed to turn the engine over during starting. Once the engine starts, the alternator provides all the power that the car needs, so a car battery may go through its entire life without ever being drained more than 20 percent of its total capacity. Used in this way, a car battery can last a number of years. To achieve a large amount of current, a car battery uses thin plates in order to increase its surface area.
A deep cycle battery is designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period of time. A deep cycle battery can provide a surge when needed, but nothing like the surge a car battery can. A deep cycle battery is also designed to be deeply discharged over and over again (something that would ruin a car battery very quickly). To accomplish this, a deep cycle battery uses thicker plates.
A car battery typically has two ratings:
CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) - The number of amps that the battery can produce at 32 degrees F (0 degrees C) for 30 seconds
RC (Reserve Capacity) - The number of minutes that the battery can deliver 25 amps while keeping its voltage above 10.5 volts
Typically, a deep cycle battery will have two or three times the RC of a car battery, but will deliver one-half or three-quarters the CCAs. In addition, a deep cycle battery can withstand several hundred total discharge/recharge cycles, while a car battery is not designed to be totally discharged.
Deep Cycle batteries are fine for our jeeps as starting batteries as long as they have at least 600 cranking amps or so. The deep cycle I have is a northstar. It puts out I think 930 CCA. One reason I have a deep cycle is that my alternator does not put the same amount of juice in the battery as my winch takes out. I could easily run my battery down to 25% on a long pull and not worry about harming the battery.
08-24-2014, 07:11 PM
#22
The bad thing about using a deep cycle battery in a vehicle is that your alternator will recharge it too fast after you've drained it a lot (winching).
Deep cycle batteries risk being ruined if you charge then too fast. They should be recharged with a charger that's designed to recharge deep cycle batteries.
Deep cycle batteries risk being ruined if you charge then too fast. They should be recharged with a charger that's designed to recharge deep cycle batteries.
08-25-2014, 07:06 AM
#23
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The bad thing about using a deep cycle battery in a vehicle is that your alternator will recharge it too fast after you've drained it a lot (winching). Deep cycle batteries risk being ruined if you charge then too fast. They should be recharged with a charger that's designed to recharge deep cycle batteries.
I've seen batteries drop to 10.8 volts and charge back up to 14.8 within a matter of 30-45 seconds. These batteries still hold 12.6-12.7 after 4.5 years of abuse.
08-25-2014, 07:14 AM
#24
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Deep Cycle batteries are fine for our jeeps as starting batteries as long as they have at least 600 cranking amps or so. The deep cycle I have is a northstar. It puts out I think 930 CCA. One reason I have a deep cycle is that my alternator does not put the same amount of juice in the battery as my winch takes out. I could easily run my battery down to 25% on a long pull and not worry about harming the battery.