Marien Starting Battery =/= Deep cell battery

swimmer_spe wrote:
I was given a Marine Starting battery. I keep killing it. I then learn that is because it is not a deep cell battery.

At least I now know.

I CAN kill a deep cell battery, I'm guessing you WILL.

Some people use devices such as a killawatt or measure amp draw x hours. You can measure amp draw with some multimeters or devices like a fuse buddy. One of the first things I bought was a trimetric battery monitor. If using incandescent bulbs and much furnace you deplete a group battery pretty fast.

The main basic tool is a digital volt meter. With a group battery I see a lot of comments about staying above 12.4 volts or so. Some will run down to 12.2. The important part is to bring the charge up fully. More batteries die of under charging vs over charging

The furnace will kill a fully charged single group 24 battery in a few hours

What size is it? Even with deep cycle capacity matters and that is related to group size. These range from a group 24 with only a 50-60 amp hour capacity to 8Ds and CG2s with capacities exceeding 200 amp hour.

azrving wrote:

swimmer_spe wrote:

azrving wrote:
What voltages are you seeing as you use it? Have you checked the gravity?

I had it tested and it is good. But I kept killing it. Tells it is still a good battery, but not up for what I need it for.

Maybe you need more than one. Even a true deep cycle may not help you if you try to pull too many amp hours. I run six GC2 and use all they have. Do an energy audit.

How do I do one? Only thing besides the lights is the furnace.

swimmer_spe wrote:

azrving wrote:
What voltages are you seeing as you use it? Have you checked the gravity?

I had it tested and it is good. But I kept killing it. Tells it is still a good battery, but not up for what I need it for.

Maybe you need more than one. Even a true deep cycle may not help you if you try to pull too many amp hours. I run six GC2 and use all they have. Do an energy audit.

azrving wrote:
What voltages are you seeing as you use it? Have you checked the gravity?

I had it tested and it is good. But I kept killing it. Tells it is still a good battery, but not up for what I need it for.

What voltages are you seeing as you use it? Have you checked the gravity?

SoundGuy wrote:
Deep cycle, not deep cell ;) ... and very few batteries really are truly deep cycle. It you'd paid for this battery and actually use it for dry camping then there may be reason for concern but since it was given to you you're ahead of the curve no matter how you look at it. :D If you normally camp on electric sites then this marine battery will work just fine for the purpose as long as you properly maintain it, it's only when you actually intend to rely on battery reserve to get you through a few days of dry camping that the type & number of batteries becomes an issue. Decide first what your need is then match the number and type of battery to this need ... in my case I've only had one, in fact on our first couple of popups I had none. ;)

I have been trying to use it to dry camp.... No I know why it did not end well.

For my bass boat I two types of marine batteries. One marine starter like what you have. This provides enough juice quickly to start my engine which recharges that battery. The other three are deep cycle marine batteries to constantly run my trolling motor. Those batteries last several days before needing a charge. That’s the difference. Hope that helps