charging deep cycle battery

[blaze]

no doubt been done before
I am well aware that deep cycle dont like to be flattened
I reckon I got abot 10-12 hrs trolling in my battery as I only troll on postion 1 out of 5 about 6amps.
I only go for a few hrs at a time chasing trout (freshwater)
so am I better to give it a top up every time I come home or go for 3 trips and then top up.
cheers
blaze
ps
cant wait to get back out to the salt for a red

[ShaneJ]

I recommend charging it after every trip. However I also recommend using the lowest amperage charger that you can find.

[blaze]

hi shane
only trickle charging
some quotes you read on deep cycle say it has the capacity to recharge 2000 times, under that senorio would it not be better to minimise charging times
charge every trip- 2000 uses
charge every 3 trip- 6000 uses

cheers
blaze

[dnej]

Blaze, my understanding is that high crank amp batteries dont like to be run down, not deep cycle.High crank amp batteries, give it off quickly, then recover quickly, but dont like to be flattened.
David

[dnej]

Definitions of Deep cycle battery on the Web:

a battery designed to regularly discharge 80 percent of its capacity before recharging
Hope this helps
David

[dnej]

To compare a starting battery as I mentioned



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 gives 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 in normal starting use (2-5% discharge).

[ShaneJ]

hi shane
only trickle charging
some quotes you read on deep cycle say it has the capacity to recharge 2000 times, under that senorio would it not be better to minimise charging times
charge every trip- 2000 uses
charge every 3 trip- 6000 uses

cheers
blaze

Hi mate, That information is kind of correct, however the rule really relates to discharging not charging.
But thats only rule of thumb anyway. If you only sucked a few amps from a battery for a short amount of time and then recharged it, you would get a hell of a lot more uses than you would fully discharging it.

[a_big_red_1]

Blaze, my understanding is that high crank amp batteries dont like to be run down, not deep cycle.High crank amp batteries, give it off quickly, then recover quickly, but dont like to be flattened.
David
im with you on this one
i always thought that it is best to drain the D/C battery :-/

[SundownMarine]

Blaze,

From our experience here using,selling and dealing with warranties on various deep cycle batteries we have found the biggest factor in battery life to be a quality genuine three stage charger.
The flat rate chargers than just belt in a set amperage destroy batteries very quickly and have been seen to more than half the life of D87L batteries.
A three stage charger will negate the debate about running them down or not as the charger senses where the charge level is at and then adjusts the charge accordingly.The reason you should not run a deep cycle flat is because on a standard 10 amp charger a 120 amp/hr deep cycle will boil everytime and thus eroding the life of the battery in turn.

Sundown Marine.

[David_P]

Hi Blaze,

I'm no expert, but have been told by several sources that it is not good to run your deep cycle battery right down. Have a read of the info on the link below. I think you'll find it quite informative.

Regards,
Dave.

http://www.fridge-and-solar.net/agm.htm

[David_P]

Here's another good link to low voltage info....

http://www.outbackmarine.com.au/

[Chimo]

Deep Cycle batteries Care and Maintenance of
« on: Yesterday at 15:53 » posted FYI Lifted from battery world as a hand out for Deep Cycle Batteries to help provide a little more information on the subject

PROPER CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF DEEP CYCLE BATTERIES

New batteries should be given a full charge before use.
New batteries need to be cycled several times before reaching full capacity (20 - 50 cycles, depending on type). Usage should be limited during this period.
Battery cables should be intact, and the connectors kept tight at all times. Systematic inspection is recommended. Vent caps should be kept in place and tight during vehicle operation and battery charging. Water used to replenish batteries should be distilled or treated not to exceed 200 T.D.S. (total dissolved solids...parts per million). Particular care should be taken to avoid metallic contamination (iron).
For best battery life, batteries should not be discharged below 80% of their rated capacity. Proper battery sizing will help Avoid excessive discharge.

Avoid charging at temperatures above ;i 120°F or ambient whichever is higher.
Deep cycle batteries need to be equalised periodically. Equalising is an extended, low current charge performed after the normal charge cycle. This extra charge helps keep all cells in balance. Actively used batteries should be equalised once per week. Manually timed charges should have the charge time extended approximately 3 hours. Automatically controlled chargers should be unplugged and reconnected after completing a charge.
In situations where multiple batteries are connected in series, parallel or series/parallel, replacement battery(s) should be of the same size, age and usage level as the companion batteries. Do not put a new battery in a pack, which has 50 or more cycles. Either replace with all new or use a good used battery(s).
Hydrometer readings of each cell (fully charged) gives an indication of balance and true charge level.

Battery chargers should be matched Imbalance could mean the need for to fully charge batteries in an eight- equalising, is often a sign of improper hour period. Defective chargers will charging or a bad cell, damage batteries or severely reduce their performance.

Deep Cycle Batteries

As batteries age, their maintenance requirements change. This means longer charging time and/or higher finish rate (higher amperage at the end of the charge). Usually older batteries need to be watered more often. And, their capacity decreases.
Periodic battery testing is an important preventative maintenance procedure.
Lead acid batteries should be brought up to full charge at the earliest opportunity. Avoid continuously operating batteries in a partially charged condition. This will shorten their life and reduce their capacity.
Always use a matched voltage charger and battery pack system. An undersized charger will never get the job done, no matter how long you let it run. An oversized charger will cause excess gassing and heat; this situation could cause explosions or other damage.

Voltage checks (open circuit, charged and discharged) can locate a bad battery or weak battery. Load Testing will pick out a bad battery when other methods fail. A weak battery will cause premature failure of companion batteries.

Extreme temperatures can substantially affect battery performance and charging. Cold reduces battery capacity and retards charging. Heat increases water usage and can result in overcharging. Very high temperatures can cause "thermal run¬away" which may lead to an explosion or fire. If extreme temperature is an unavoidable part of an application, consult a battery/charger specialist about ways to deal with the problem.

Inactivity can be extremely harmful to all lead acid batteries. If seasonal use is anticipated, we recommend the following:
a. Completely charge the battery before storing.
b. Remove all electrical Connections from the battery, Including series/parallel Connectors.
c. Store the battery in as cool a place as possible. However do not store in a location which will consistently be below 32°F. Batteries will discharge when stored, the lower the temperature the
lower the self-discharge.
d. When not in use, boost every two months.

[Chimo]

Deep Cycle Batteries - Calcs for Sizing
« on: Yesterday at 15:36 » FYI Details grabbed as a handout from battery world that makes understanding the differences between starting and deep cycle batteries a lot easier to understand.

Deep Cycle Batteries

Deep Cycle batteries are designed to provide longer life performance when continually discharged and recharged.
Unlike standard car batteries, which have thinner lead grids and porous active material (lead oxide based paste coated on to the battery grids) to maximise surface area for sharp bursts of power. Deep Cycle batteries are constructed with thicker grids of high antimony lead alloy and a denser paste of active material to withstand constant discharge and charge cycles.
Cycles, in battery terms, is the full process of discharge (drawing power out) and recharge (restoring full power).
To better understand why you need a deep cycle battery for many applications, we can compare a
Deep Cycle battery with a standard car battery.
The car battery could be called 'shallow cycle'. It is designed to provide high bursts of power for a
short time - each burst is just long enough to start the car.
In the process, only a small portion of the battery's power is used, and the car's alternator quickly
restores this.
The Deep Cycle battery's construction allows it to deliver energy for extended periods of time (deep cycle) without sustaining the life-shortening damage such use would cause to a standard automotive battery. It is designed to go through this cycle repeatedly.
All batteries will "deep cycle" a few times but only specially designed batteries will survive repeated substantial discharge. With the right design and manufacture the Deep Cycle battery will withstand hundreds of cycles up to about 80% depth of discharge, on each cycle and still be ready to do more.
These basically are a modification of SLI products with thicker plates to provide power more slowly but to a deeper discharge level.
True deep cycle batteries have: c 1;^ s
• Much thicker grids and corresponding plates *•* -
• High density active material
» Higher percentage Antimony in the positive grid alloy
• Separators made of rubber with a glass mat designed to retain active material.
Each component is critical to provide better performance and durability. :;; : ;
• Thick grids and plates extend life. .'-'••<"'r--''•'•
• More active material increases capacity.
• Antimony improves deep cycle ability. *
• Separator design affects operating efficiency, longevity and controls water loss.
Batteries are rated in Amp Hrs / a number of hours usually 20hrs, CCA cold cranking Amps ratings are not generally given to deep cycle batteries.
So an N70T is rated at 75 Amps at 20hrs this will deliver a maximum of 75hrs at a rate of 3.75 Amps per hour current draw (45 watts)
Deep Cycle Batteries - Calculation Worksheet
Century Deep Cycle batteries are designed for specific applications. So, it is important to have adequate capacity in the battery for the amount of power your application will use (known as Amp Hours).

You can work this out quickly and easily by establishing the power consumption of each piece of equipment (marked in Watts on the equipment's information panel), the number of Hours you will use between recharges, and the Voltage of the system.
For Example:

Equipment Loading (watts) Est. Usage (hours) Watt Hours

Refrigerator 40 = 10.0 = 400

Interior Lights 20 = 4.0 = 80 !

Winch 90 = 0.2 = 18

TOTAL WATT HOURS = 498 I

Now divide the total Watt-Hours by the Voltage to obtain the Amp Hours.

For Example:

498 Watt Hours divide by 12 Volts =141.5 Amp Hours

This figure is basically your guide to the battery size you need, after one more very important calculation. Because vehicle electrical systems are not always perfect, we strongly advise you to always allow a little extra power in reserve. A 30% safety margin is a reasonable allowance.
|For Example:
(Estimated Amp Hours 41.5
+ 30% safety margin 12.45

(Total Amp Hours = 53.95

Now you can select the correct Deep Cycle battery for your needs, simply by comparing your calculated Total Amp Hour figure with the 20hr capacity figures shown in the battery specification chart.
Note that the faster a battery is discharged, the fewer Amp Hours it will deliver before
recharge. That is why deep cycle batteries carry an Amp Hour rating for three standard
lengths of discharge time.
For each discharge rate, and battery, divide the amp hour capacity by the number of hours
to determine how many amps you can draw per hour per battery over a specified time
period. For example with the Century N70T you can draw 12 amps from the battery for 5
hours before recharging (ie. 60 divided by 5). ,
Facts are the deeper the discharge cycle the fewer charge cycle life; if a battery is cycled at
20% DOD (depth of discharge) it would be reasonable to expect 1200 plus cycles
At 50% DOD 6-700 cycles
And at 80% DOD probably as few as 300-400.
Again these batteries need to be recharged as soon as possible after use or sulphation will commence.

[blaze]

thats some good info
cheers
blaze

[aussiebasser]

I have been told that you shouldn't charge a "Deep Cycle" battery with anything less than a true 10 amp charger. Electric Forklifts and Golf Carts are much harder on batteries than our motors, and they often use a bank of 6 volters and up to 40amp chargers.

[rick_k]

do the sums work out in favour of using battery conditioners such as inox on wet cell deep cycle batteries?

[Mike_DiD]

Here are some basic guidelines on making your DeepCycle battery last as long as possible.

1. Limit the discharge to 50% for wetcell and 20% remaining for AGM batteries.
2. Recharge as soon as possible after use.
3. Keep on a Float charger permanently - otherwise recharge at least once a month.
4. Limit charge current to 1/4th of capacity - e.g. 10 amps for a 40 amphour battery.
5. Use a 3-stage charger - you can get a 12 amp unit for $99 - www.jaycar.com.au MB3612.
6. Otherwise use a Float charger that puts out 13.6 to 13.8 volts depending on battery type.