It's always important to know the “how to” when it comes to maintaining and extending the lifetime of your vehicle batteries.
Our recreational vehicles run on deep-cycle batteries. Wheelchairs, yachts, golf carts, and other items are some examples. Deep cycle batteries, in contrast to automobile batteries, are made to deliver power for a long period of time and to release the majority of their charging capacity in a cycle. Deep cycle batteries, as opposed to starter batteries, have unique characteristics that necessitate special care and maintenance to ensure that they last a long time and continue to power your gear.
At BatteryRite, we have decades of experience working with deep cycle batteries and sell the largest selection of them in Australia. To help you get the most out of your deep cycle battery and safeguard your investment, we've put together a list of advice.
We hope the advice from this article will help you most to learn the best ways to keep your batteries strong and extend their lifetime.
Checking the Charge of Your Deep Cycle Battery
It's important to keep an eye on the charge when your deep cycle battery is being used to power a device so that you don't experience an unplanned power outage. Depending on the manufacturer, deep cycle batteries typically drain between 45-75% of their maximum capacity. So how do you check the battery's charge? There is a lot of excellent equipment available to assist you, including amp-hour meters, hydrometers, and digital voltage indication monitors. Check your deep cycle battery's current charge using one of these. To ensure a long life, they should be recharged when they show a 50% charge, but never allow them to go below 20%.
Preventing Sulfation
If left too long without being charged, lead-acid batteries, such as deep cycle batteries, face the risk of sulfation. When the lead sulfates crystallize, it causes sulfation, which renders your battery incapable of receiving a charge. When this happens, it is usually too late to preserve the battery because the increasing sulfate deposits that split the battery plates and stop them from conducting current cause the battery to be destroyed. After a discharge cycle, fully recharge your deep cycle battery to reduce the chance of sulfation. To maintain the health of your battery, make sure to perform regular charge cycles. The best defense against sulfation is prevention.
Giving The Battery a Cooling Off Period
It is recommended to let the battery "rest" and remain inactive until it has cooled down whenever you give your battery a time of use and recharging. After a full charge, you run the risk of burning out your battery, which will prevent it from operating to its maximum potential. This can happen if you immediately start using the battery in your boat, wheelchair, or golf cart. Being run immediately after a recharge cycle might induce grid corrosion and result in total battery failure since so much heat is produced during the recharging cycle.
Avoid Stratification
The capacity and performance of your deep cycle battery might be dramatically decreased by stratification of the electrolyte, which develops as a result of frequent partial charges and discharges. Stratification upsets the equilibrium of the chemicals your battery uses to function. Since there is no longer any acid at the top of the battery, plate activation is limited in this situation since the acid has leaked to the battery's bottom. The performance of your battery could be negatively impacted by this imbalance. The gradual process of diffusion, routine battery operation, and mechanical stirring of the electrolyte can all be used to correct stratification.
Equalization Is the Key
Following a typical charge cycle, periodic equalization is required to maintain cell balance. In manually timed chargers, this extended, low current charge will add around 3 hours to the charge time after the full charge cycle. For deep cycle batteries, maintaining cell balance is crucial since any drop in cell regularity can cause instability or even battery failure.
Related Reading- How To Test A Deep Cycle Battery? Learn Step-by-Step Procedure
Bonus:
- New batteries should be given a full charge before use.
- Before reaching their maximum capacity, new deep cycle batteries need to be cycled numerous times (25-100 cycles, depending on the type). There will be a cap on capacity during this time.
- The connectors on battery wires should always be kept tight. In order to prevent shorting battery terminals, always use insulated tools. It's advised to inspect frequently.'
- When the vehicle is operating and the battery is being charged, the vent caps should be securely fastened.
- Batteries should always be kept pristine, and free of corrosion, and debris.
- Unless the plates are exposed prior to charging, batteries should always be watered after charging. Plates should be covered with roughly 1/8′′ of electrolyte if they are exposed (add distilled water only). When charging, check the electrolyte level. The electrolyte level in the cell cover should be maintained at 1/4" below the fill level. To view the proper fill level, click here.
- Replacement batteries should match the companion batteries' size, age, and usage level when numerous batteries are linked in series, parallel, or series/parallel configurations. Never insert a fresh battery into a pack that has undergone 50 cycles. Replace the battery completely or use a decent used battery.
Conclusion:
Deep cycle batteries have a unique chemical composition and are designed to be refilled, but it's crucial to know how to care for them both during and after the charge cycle. We have provided these suggestions for your use at home, but if you require any further goods or information, kindly visit our store so that our helpful professionals can assist you. We live and breathe batteries, and we love to chat business with our clients.
BatteryRite has all you require when it comes to obtaining the battery you require for your mechanisms around the Orange County region. We not only offer all the necessary battery-related supplies, but we also have a wealth of expertise that we love to impart to our clients and guests. We provide a wide variety of deep cycle batteries, including 6V, 8V, 12V, and marine deep cycle batteries, Lifeline AGM Batteries, 24 Deep Cycle, 31 TMX Deep Cycle, and more, for all of your devices and automobiles.