A deep cycle battery is a type of battery designed to use most of its capacity for regular deep discharge. This term is traditionally mainly used for lead-acid batteries that have the same appearance as automotive batteries; Compared to starter or "start" car batteries, this type of battery is designed to provide only a small portion of capacity to start the engine during brief high current bursts.
For lead-acid deep cycle batteries, there is an inverse relationship between the discharge depth (DOD) of the battery and the number of charging and discharging cycles it can perform; The average discharge depth is about 50%, which is recommended as the best choice for storage and cost.
Technologies newer than traditional lead-acid batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, have become commonplace in small-sized applications such as smartphones and laptops. New technologies are also becoming common in the same form as automotive lead-acid batteries, despite significant price premiums.
The structural difference between deep cycle and start-up lead-acid batteries lies in the lead battery plates. Deep cycle battery plates have thicker active plates, higher density active slurries, and thicker separators. The alloy used for deep cycle battery plates may contain more antimony than starting batteries. Thicker battery plates can resist corrosion by extending the charging and discharging cycles.
Deep cycle lead-acid batteries are usually divided into two different categories; Submerged (FLA) and valve regulated lead acid (VRLA), of which VRLA is further divided into two types: absorption glass mat (AGM) and gel. The reinforcement of the absorbing glass cushion partition helps to reduce damage caused by overflow and vibration. In addition, rich liquid deep cycle batteries can be divided into subcategories of tube electroplating Opz or plate electroplating. This difference usually affects the cycle life and performance of the battery.
