Deep-cycle Battery
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A deep-cycle battery is a battery designed to be regularly deeply discharged using most of its capacity. The term is traditionally mainly used for lead–acid batteries in the same form factor as automotive batteries; and contrasted with starter or ''cranking'' automotive batteries designed to deliver only a small part of their capacity in a short, high-current burst for starting an engine. For lead–acid deep-cycle batteries there is an inverse correlation between the ''
depth of discharge Depth of discharge (DoD) is an important parameter appearing in the context of rechargeable battery operation. Two non-identical definitions can be found in commercial and scientific sources. The depth of discharge is defined as: # the maximum fra ...
'' (''DOD'') of the battery and the number of charge and discharge cycles it can perform; with an average depth of discharge of around 50% suggested as the best for storage vs cost. Newer technologies such as
lithium-ion batteries A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses the reversible intercalation of Li+ ions into electronically conducting solids to store energy. Li-ion batteries are characterized by higher specific energy, energy ...
are becoming commonplace in smaller sizes in uses such as in smartphones and laptops. The new technologies are also beginning to become common in the same form factors as automotive lead–acid batteries, although at a large price premium.


Types of lead–acid deep-cycle battery

The structural difference between deep-cycle and cranking lead–acid batteries is in the lead battery plates. Deep-cycle battery plates have thicker active plates, with higher-density active paste material and thicker separators. Alloys used for the plates in a deep-cycle battery may contain more
antimony Antimony is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol Sb () and atomic number 51. A lustrous grey metal or metalloid, it is found in nature mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite (). Antimony compounds have been known since ancient t ...
than that of starting batteries.David Linden, Thomas B. Reddy (ed). ''Handbook Of Batteries 3rd Edition''. McGraw-Hill, New York, 2002 , pages 25-44 to 23-53 The thicker battery plates resist corrosion through extended charge and discharge cycles. Deep-cycle lead–acid batteries generally fall into two distinct categories; ''flooded'' and '' valve-regulated lead–acid'' (''FLA'' and ''VRLA''), with the VRLA type further subdivided into two types, ''absorbent glass mat'' (''AGM'') and ''gel''. The reinforcement of absorbed glass mat separators helps to reduce damage caused by spilling and jolting vibrations. Further, flooded deep-cycle batteries can be divided into subcategories of ''tubular-plated opzs'' or ''flat-plated''. The difference generally affects the cycle life and performance of the cell.


Flooded

The term ''flooded'' is used because this type of battery contains a quantity of
electrolyte An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity through the movement of ions, but not through the movement of electrons. This includes most soluble Salt (chemistry), salts, acids, and Base (chemistry), bases, dissolved in a polar solven ...
fluid so that the plates are completely submerged. The electrolyte level should be above the tops of the plates which serves as a reservoir to make sure that water loss during charging does not lower the level below the plate tops and cause damage. Flooded batteries will decompose some water from the electrolyte during charging, so regular maintenance of flooded batteries requires inspection of electrolyte level and addition of water. Major modes of failure of deep-cycle batteries are loss of the active material due to shedding of the plates, and
corrosion Corrosion is a natural process that converts a refined metal into a more chemically stable oxide. It is the gradual deterioration of materials (usually a metal) by chemical or electrochemical reaction with their environment. Corrosion engine ...
of the internal grid that supports active material. The capacity of a deep-cycle battery is usually limited by electrolyte capacity and not by the plate mass, to improve life expectancy.


OPzS batteries

''OPzS'' stands for German , ''meaning stationary tubular plate, acid''. OPzS batteries are a type of deep-cycle battery commonly used for backup power systems and renewable energy applications. OPzS is recommended for storing energy from intermittent supplies, such as wind and solar supplies for
off-grid Off-the-grid or off-grid is a characteristic of buildings and a lifestyle designed in an independent manner without reliance on one or more public utilities. The term "off-the-grid" traditionally refers to not being connected to the electrical gr ...
use.


OPzV batteries

''OPzV'' stands for , meaning ''stationary tubular plate, sealed''. OPzV batteries are very similar to OPzS batteries, with the only technical difference being that OPzV batteries are sealed. OPzV batteries are relatively maintenance-free, while OPzS batteries require the occasional top-up with
distilled water Distilled water is water that has been purified by boiling it into vapor then condensing it back into liquid in a separate container. Impurities in the original water that do not boil below or near the boiling point of water remain in the origin ...
.


New technologies

Although still much more expensive than traditional lead–acid, a wide range of
rechargeable battery A rechargeable battery, storage battery, or secondary cell (formally a type of energy accumulator), is a type of electrical battery which can be charged, discharged into a load, and recharged many times, as opposed to a disposable or prima ...
technologies such as
lithium-ion A lithium-ion or Li-ion battery is a type of rechargeable battery that uses the reversible Intercalation (chemistry), intercalation of Li+ ions into electronically Electrical conductor, conducting solids to store energy. Li-ion batteries are c ...
are increasingly attractive for many users.


Applications

*
Cathodic protection Cathodic protection (CP; ) is a technique used to control the corrosion of a metal surface by making it the cathode of an electrochemical cell. A simple method of protection connects the metal to be protected to a more easily corroded " sacrifi ...
, which might include marine use * Other marine use, especially on a sailboat lacking power generation capability, generally smaller vessels *
Trolling motor A trolling motor is a self-contained marine propulsion unit that includes an electric motor, propeller and control system, and is affixed to an angler's boat, either at the bow or stern. A gasoline-powered outboard used in trolling, if it is n ...
s for recreational fishing boats * Industrial electrically-propelled
forklift A forklift (also called industrial truck, lift truck, jitney, hi-lo, fork truck, fork hoist, and forklift truck) is a powered industrial truck used to lift and move materials over short distances. The forklift was developed in the early 20th c ...
s and floor sweepers *
Motorized wheelchair A motorized wheelchair, powerchair, electric wheelchair, or electric-powered wheelchair (EPW) is a wheelchair that is propelled by means of an electric motor (usually using differential steering) rather than human power, manual power. Motorized ...
s * Off-
grid energy storage Grid energy storage, also known as large-scale energy storage, are technologies connected to the electrical power grid that store energy for later use. These systems help balance supply and demand by storing excess electricity from variabl ...
systems for
solar power Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to c ...
or
wind power Wind power is the use of wind energy to generate useful work. Historically, wind power was used by sails, windmills and windpumps, but today it is mostly used to generate electricity. This article deals only with wind power for electricity ge ...
, especially in small installations for a single building or
motorhome A motorhome (or coach) is a type of self-propelled recreational vehicle (RV) which is as the name suggests, like a home on wheels. Features Motorhomes usually have sleeping spaces for two to eight people. Each sleeping space is either fixed o ...
* Power for instruments or equipment at remote sites * Recreational vehicles * Traction batteries to propel vehicles, such as golf carts, and other highway
electric vehicle An electric vehicle (EV) is a motor vehicle whose propulsion is powered fully or mostly by electricity. EVs encompass a wide range of transportation modes, including road vehicle, road and rail vehicles, electric boats and Submersible, submer ...
s *
Traffic signals Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa, Zambia, and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at intersection (road), road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order t ...
*
Uninterruptible power supply An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) or uninterruptible power source is a type of continual power system that provides automated backup electric power to a electrical load, load when the input power source or mains electricity, mains power fai ...
('UPS'), usually for computers and associated equipment, but also
sump pump A sump pump is a pump used to remove water that has accumulated in a water-collecting sump basin, commonly found in the basements of homes and other buildings, and in other locations where water must be removed, such as construction sites. Th ...
s *
Audio equipment Audio equipment refers to devices that reproduce, record, or process sound. This includes microphones, radio receivers, AV receivers, CD players, tape recorders, amplifiers, mixing consoles, effects units, headphones, and speakers. Audio equip ...
, similarly to a UPS but also in certain 'clean power' devices to supply clean DC power isolated from the public electric supply for inversion to AC to maximize audio signal reproduction


Recycling

According to the Battery Council International (BCI)a lead–acid battery industry trade groupthe vast majority of deep-cycle batteries on the market today are lead acid batteries. BCI says lead acid batteries are recycled 98% by volume, 99.5% by weight. According to BCI, the plastic cases, lead plates,
sulfuric acid Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, ...
, solder, and other metals are 100% recovered for reuse. BCI says the only part of a battery that is not recyclable is the paper separators that wrap the plates (due to the acid bath the paper sits in, the fiber length is reduced so far that it cannot be rewoven). BCI says that, industry wide, there is a greater than 98% rate of recovery on all lead acid batteries sold in the United States, resulting in a virtually closed manufacturing cycle.


See also

* Desulfation *
Electric vehicle battery An electric vehicle battery is a rechargeable battery used to power the electric motors of a battery electric vehicle (BEV) or hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). They are typically lithium-ion batteries that are designed for high power-to-weigh ...
*
List of battery types This list is a summary of notable electric battery types composed of one or more electrochemical cells. Three lists are provided in the table. The primary (non-rechargeable) and secondary (rechargeable) cell lists are lists of battery chemistry. ...
*
Peukert's law Peukert's law, presented by the German scientist in 1897, expresses approximately the change in capacity of rechargeable lead–acid batteries at different rates of discharge. As the rate of discharge increases, the battery's available capacity ...


References


External links

* {{HowStuffWorks, page=question219, name=The difference between deep-cycle batteries and regular lead–acid (car) batteries, author=
Battery Council International

Car and Deep-Cycle Battery FAQ 7.0
Battery types Energy storage