Deep Cycle Batteries

"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
06/12/2019 at 09:35 • Filed to: None

What makes this battery qualify as a “golf cart” battery and double or triple the price of the other “marine” deep cycle batteries on offer?

DISCUSSION (17)

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/12/2019 at 09:44

Probably the fact that is says Interstate and Golf o n it.

It is POSSIBLE that it has a higher amperage discharge tolerance, which would be better for golf carts (and electric motor use in g eneral) but any battery labled as Deep Cycle/Marine should already have the appropriate chemisty, wider electrode spacing, and etc to survive severe discharge cycles without sul fating... A detailed look at the spec sheet (if available) may reveal additional qualities not evident in just it's amperage rating and deep cycle design. It may also be the warranty. Fine print may exclude warranty claims for other batteries if used in golf carts, this one expressly allows warranty claims even when used in golf carts.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/12/2019 at 09:49

The fact that most golfers are well-to-do old guys who don't know the difference and can afford it?

HammerheadFistpunch > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/12/2019 at 09:52

typically it’s just that they are 6v and have high ahr ratings. most people i know so it this way. I’m going to buy a group 31 or larger 12v single. if you bought a 12v of the same size you'd get nearly the same capacity and less wiring.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
06/12/2019 at 09:52

Wow, your reply: this is why I Oppo. Many good thinkings there and make sense.

severe discharge cycles without sulfating...

Separately, I had my stop light switch decide not to be well adjusted any more and I flattened the battery in my Corolla a week or two ago. Relatively new cheapo 24-month battery from Walmart, and it took a recharge. I wonder how much long term harm I did to that batt’ry.

Here’s a questions for you, since you are the apparent guru on this topic: I own a Vector brand battery charger rated at 35 amps. It’s pretty rare that the charger will actually charge at that rate, usually throttling back to around 24 amps. Do you think 35 amps is a safe charging rate generally?

Also: This charger has a “conditioning” setting where, I suppose, it somehow tickles the battery. If I have deep cycle batteries that I keep around only for camping and for emergencies, will running the conditioning on these batteries periodically keep the batteries living a healthier, longer life?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/12/2019 at 09:55

Your response made me chuckle. Good morning.

I bought a Blue Point 3/8" ratchet a couple weeks ago and I really like it. I found out about a used tool shop locally and I’m going to go and browse what he has for extensions.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > HammerheadFistpunch
06/12/2019 at 09:58

My BIL has a houseboat with a solar setup and two very large 6 Volt batteries wired together.

My needs are simple: I need to be able to run a CPAP machine at night if there’s no power, if I’m camping or if there’s a power company fail. I’d also like to be able to run a small fan at night when I’m camping if it’s hot. I haven’t done any arithmetic yet about Ah ratings, but I’d like to avoid flattening a battery with the fan.

Missus and I are planning a trip in a month where it’s likely to be quite warm. I plan to use one battery for the fan and one for the CPAP.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/12/2019 at 10:58

In addition to what others have said here, I’d offer it could also have something to do with duty cycles and design life. The vast majority of the RV/Marine market is vehicles and vessels used on a much more occasional basis. Relatively few people are full-timers. The golf cart market may have a much higher percentage of vehicles in constant , daily use. In something like the average electric rental cart, those batteries are doing at least one significant discharge cycle, if not two, nearly every single day for the life of the battery.

At the course I play at, almost all of their carts go out for a round everyday. On holidays , Fridays and weekends, carts often go out for more than one round a day with a few hours on the charger after the first round before going out again in the afternoon. The course is only closed three days per year.

vicali > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/12/2019 at 11:19

I just put two of these into the RV this spring;

GC2 6v ‘golf cart’ from Costco

20 Hour Rate: 220
Minutes of Discharge @ 75 Amps: 115
Minutes of Discharge @ 25 Amps: 445

Each one weighs 64lbs. It’s bad enough carrying these things in an out once a year, you’ re not going to like lugging them around.

They do run the lights, fan, waterpump, etc on the RV for 10+ days of camping in a row.. Now that I’ve got the s olar figured out we should be able to boondock until the food runs out.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
06/12/2019 at 11:32

Yes, that makes sense.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > vicali
06/12/2019 at 11:34

Now’ you’re talking. I have a solar panel, but I’m not going to drag it along on the trip Missus and I are about to take, but I will hook it up at home and use it to power a tender to keep the batt’ries healthy.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/12/2019 at 13:13

Used tool shop sounds like it could be pretty neat!

vicali > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/12/2019 at 13:46

J ust keep them charged when your not using them, I killed one of my previous ones by letting it get low, then putting it away for winter that way. This spring when I put them on to charge the one wouldn’t come up above 3.5v..

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
06/12/2019 at 17:06

Definitely will file a report.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/13/2019 at 19:11

It all depends on the control circuitry and/or software of your charger. If it has a smart charging cycle it will automatically provide the maximum amperage the battery will accept at the charge voltage (usually 14.4v for 12v automotive batteries) only very large batteries are capable of absorbing a 35-amp charge rate, but that means its got plenty of overhead for smaller capacity batteries and should nearly always be able to provide maximum charge rate for average batteries. Depending on the control circuit/software the high-power charge rate may NOT fully charge the battery, as the final top-up charge on a lead-acid chemisty battery is often time dependant as opposed to amperage... If it turns off at, say 2-amps, the battery may only be 85-90% full. A lower charge current applied over time will continue to charge the battery up to its 100% capacity... Then again, if it has a true inteligent charge cycle it should automatically adjust the rate and continue to pump juice into the battery down to 100mA or less.

Without knowing the model number of the charger I can’t say much about the conditioning cycle... There are a number of more or less effective strategies it may employ to “condition” a battery... Read the instruction manual and see if it provides speciffic use cases for the condition cycle. There’s no standard definition of “conditioning” and not all strategies are good for all purposes.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
06/14/2019 at 07:39

How do you know all of this?

As for the 35-ampness of the charger, it does seem to behave as you give that it ought to. It’ll go as much as 34 amps, but then backs down gradually to one or two amps, then’ll cut out and cut back in until it decides the battery is full, then quits and indicates “FUL.”

Have you worked any with charge controllers on solar panels?

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/14/2019 at 17:22

Mostly for very small applications, like 5~10 watt panels and single lithium batteries for remote sensors or wifi relays, or junk like that. I am actually doing a larger system right now for a high-energy electric fe nce energizer... 25-watt panel, mini charge-controller, 35AH deep-cycle battery... I expect it should all be pretty much pl ug and play.

I know all this bec au se I am a nerd. ;)

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t
06/14/2019 at 23:17

I try to be a nerd but I just get accused of overthinking things.