Deep cycle battery discharge

[dirttracker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dirttracker]

I have had a new battery installed by NRMA into my son's car and the technician gave the opinion that deep cycle batteries should be charged before you go on a trip and then discharged when you get home! I have not heard of this when dealing with a wet battery. How do you discgarge it anyway?

Has anyone ever heard of this?

[jeff s Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close jeff s]

I have never heard of that.
I have heard that if they dont get cycled properly they will loose efficiency.
I have heard that most only have 6months warranty because of that fact.

I have 2 starting batteries for my purposes. Someone else will have a Deep cycle that can give you more advice.

Jeff.

[bitdist Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bitdist]

Sounds like a good way of wrecking a battery to me.
Batteries do not like being discharged.

[Chippy Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Chippy]

I've got 2 cranking batteries in the car .... which continue to operate perfectly.

I've also got a deep cycle in the camper trailer and I keep it alive by not leaving it to sit still and rot for months on end.

I don't have a fancy CTek charger (yet) but I do run it up on a really low amp trickle charger every couple of weeks .... and this seems to work.
The one thing I was warned off doing was to run them right down :shock:

Cheers
Chippy

[dirttracker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dirttracker]

Thanks guys,
That was my understanding too. I don't know where the guy got this idea from, perhaps he thinks they operate like a Ni cad battery! Strange.

[plucker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close plucker]

Re: Deep cycle battery discharge

the technician gave the opinion that deep cycle batteries should be charged before you go on a trip and then discharged when you get home!

I would not listen to him.
There are two types of lead acid batteries.
One is for starting and the other is deep cycle.
The starting batteries have the capacity to handle big loads for short periods of time like starting etc. They often have CCA ratings representing the cranking capacity. These batteries like to be charged imediately after the big discharge to keep a reasonable life.
The deep cycle batteries have the ability to discharge small currents over a long time and also like to be recharged regularly without going totally flat.
Some deep cycle batteries have CCA ratings but are not ideal as a cranking battery, rather good for emergency use.
All batteries have so many shots from going fully flat before a good recharge. Starting batts will only last a handful of times whereas deep cycles may last 100 odd times.
All lead acids like to be maintained with adequate water levels and remain charged.