true deep cycle vs marine deep cycle

mwwilley
mwwilley Registered Users Posts: 8
Ok- I'll admit that I haven't searched through many threads, but what exactly is the difference between TRUE deep cycle and MARINE deep cycle and will you always pay twice as much for a TRUE deep cyle battery? Also, the nearest supplier of Trojan batteries is close to 100 miles away from me. Shipping, if available, as you know is expensive. Any suggestions on brands, suppliers, etc.? Thanks so much.

Comments

  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: true deep cycle vs marine deep cycle

    You can read the full story in the deep cycle battery FAQ's here: http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm

    The short version is that it's a difference in the way the plates are made. The automotive battery has relatively thin plates with a lot of surface area to give short, heavy discharge for starting engines. At the other end you have the "true" deep cycle which has thick plates without so much surface area which limits the available current but allows it to be discharged and recharged fairly deeply and many times over. The Marine/RV batteries fall in-between, with thick automotive-style plates that are a compromise of providing heavy current and repeated deep cycling. Since battery manufacturers don't build them all alike, it's a bit of a gamble how well any Marine/RV battery will work for an RE application.

    There are several good manufacturers of deep cycles, including Trojan and Crown to name two. You'll have to look in your yellow pages and on the Internet and see what sort of sources you can fin near you. Look for industrial battery suppliers rather than automotive. Sometimes the big warehouse outlets have "house brand" golf cart batteries at a good price. These are often a bargain in terms of Amp hours for the money.
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: true deep cycle vs marine deep cycle

    If you are putting together your first system, I'd suggest the much less expensive marine or gold cart batteries. Learn on them, fry them, and learn what was wrong.

    Better yet, let us review your planned system, and make sure you are doing the right thing:
    Post your daily KWh loads,
    your location zipcode (someone will plug that into PV watts and see what you can expect for harvest
    Your PV array size, orientation, tilt
    PV panel model, & Vmp, Voc, Imp
    Charge controller
    backup genset

    Then graduate to the expensive batteries.

    This was JUST done over here:
    http://forum.solar-electric.com/showthread.php?t=13498
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • Wilis
    Wilis Solar Expert Posts: 84 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: true deep cycle vs marine deep cycle

    In my area local Golf Cart shops seem to be selling batteries at a good price. Business may be slow and they seem glad to give a reduced price. I purchased T-105's at $100.00per battery + tax about 2 year ago.