A couple of battery questions

full_mosey wrote:

bikendan wrote:
yep, a car battery is only for immediate power to start an engine. that's why it's rated in CCA's, cold cranking amps.
deep cycle batteries are made to provide steady power over longer periods of times. that's why their plates are thicker and why they're rated in RC, Reserve Capacity or AH, Amp Hours.

deep cycle tend to cost more because they have more lead in them.

You were doing fine until the more lead part. Two 53lb batteries have the same amount of lead.

The CCA/starting one will have more but thinner plates and the AH deep cycle one will have fewer but thicker plates.

you're right, i should have said thicker plates, not more lead. i was thinking more lead in each plate.

1) get the right battery for the intended use.

2) small motorcycle battery should be less money if all you need is for the break away braking system.

The deep cycle batts will keep things in your rv powered and running while you are NOT plugged into a direct power source. You will need to keep them charged just like your vehicle engine battery so they can do their job. Regular maintenance makes them last.

In terms of the lowest cost per amp-hour the GC-2 Golf Car batery, which is a deep cycle, is about the best.. The reason for this is that there are thousands and thousands of goof cars and most of the electric ones use half a dozen of these, Golf courses buy 'em by the pallet load.. It is the single most produced battery out there.

If auto makers would standardize on one 12 volt battery. The cost per unit to make would drop, as it has with the six volt golf car battery.

Others, have explained design factor differences.

Also a "Deep cycle" is 50 percent state of charge.. Auto starting batteries object big time to 50 percent SOC.

bikendan wrote:
yep, a car battery is only for immediate power to start an engine. that's why it's rated in CCA's, cold cranking amps.
deep cycle batteries are made to provide steady power over longer periods of times. that's why their plates are thicker and why they're rated in RC, Reserve Capacity or AH, Amp Hours.

deep cycle tend to cost more because they have more lead in them.

You were doing fine until the more lead part. Two 53lb batteries have the same amount of lead.

The CCA/starting one will have more but thinner plates and the AH deep cycle one will have fewer but thicker plates.

You will ruin the CCA one faster by using it for AH and the AH one by using it for CCA.

RC is intended to inform but I have no idea how to use it. CCA and AH is all you need.

HTH;
John

yep, a car battery is only for immediate power to start an engine. that's why it's rated in CCA's, cold cranking amps.
deep cycle batteries are made to provide steady power over longer periods of times. that's why their plates are thicker and why they're rated in RC, Reserve Capacity or AH, Amp Hours.

deep cycle tend to cost more because they have more lead in them.

The simple answer is a car battery is all about cranking amps... big juice for a short period of time. Deep cycle is about steady juice over an extended period.