Deep Cycle Batteries
Deep cycle batteries are designed to withstand many cycles of discharge and recharging. They are built with thicker plate structures, better-quality electrical connections, and often more reliable separators. They also have a greater buffer capacity against discharge deep into the battery's interior. Gel batteries use a non-solid gel electrolyte instead of the liquid electrolyte found in typical lead-acid batteries. The gel provides several benefits over the liquid-electrolyte model.
A lead-acid deep discharge battery might have an expected service life of 3 to 5 years (8000 to 14400 charge/discharge cycles). They provide reliable power in solar systems and help overcome two key problems associated with direct-coupled solar panels: supply limitation during times of low sunlight and overcharging when the sun shines too brightly. The cycle life drop-off starts at around the 400th cycle.
More Information about Deep Cycle Batteries
Deep cycle batteries come in a few forms, but mostly standard flooded batteries and sealed batteries. The first is the old reliable lead-acid battery with liquid electrolyte inside, which is still the best form of deep-discharge chemistry available. Yet it isn't maintenance-free like some would have you believe. Regular maintenance, like checking the water level in each cell every now and then is necessary; otherwise, things could go downhill fast. These batteries provide plenty of electricity when the grid or generator isn't around.
Sealed AGM (absorbed glass mat) and gel batteries are essentially another form of regulated lead-acid battery that's also spill-proof since there's no free liquid electrolyte inside to leak out. Sulfation becomes an issue with these kinds of batteries too if they're not always used within their design specs or depths-of-discharge limitations. Examples of these batteries include automotive batteries, starting batteries and batteries for electric vehicles.
FAQs
Can lithium deep cycle batteries and AGM batteries be used as marine batteries?
Yes, lithium deep cycle batteries and AGM batteries are commonly used as marine batteries due to their durability, long lifespan, and ability to provide consistent power in demanding marine environments.
What battery type is best for golf carts?
Deep cycle batteries, particularly lithium-ion or lead-acid varieties, are the best choice for golf carts due to their ability to provide consistent power over extended periods and withstand frequent charging cycles.
What is the best use for a 12V deep discharge battery?
The best use for 12 volt deep cycle batteries is to provide long-lasting, reliable power for applications requiring sustained energy draw, such as solar power systems, marine equipment, RVs, and backup power supplies.
Battery Backup Systems
It is very common to see industrial control panels that have a UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply. This UPS allows for continuous power to be supplied to the control panel in the event of a utility power failure. This protection is provided with the help of batteries. When power is lost, the UPS will switch power automatically from utility power over to battery power.
- How much time does a system need to run in the event of a power failure? In most cases, battery backup systems are designed to run for no more than just a few hours. This is typically more than enough time for power to be restored and to prevent losing valuable data in the system. However, there are cases where more time is required depending on the scenario. For instance, a remote site that relies on solar power needs to be able to supply power for multiple days depending on the weather. If it's cloudy, and in the wintertime, the sunlight will be very limited and the power that is generated will most likely not be enough to energize the hardware needed for that particular site. In this case, a larger battery backup system will be needed so that the site can continue to run through these types of weather events.
- What critical hardware needs to be backed up? Once the hardware that needs to be backed up has been selected, it is important to determine how much current each of those pieces of hardware will draw. Most batteries are rated for a specific amount of AMP hours. So if a battery is designed to last for 10 AMP hours, that means it can supply one amp for 10 hours or another way to look at it is it can supply 10 amps for one hour. Once the current draw is known for all of the hardware, the size of the battery can be determined.