Date:         Sat, 17 Nov 2001 08:21:50 -0800
Reply-To:     pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Deep Cycle batteries
Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Hmmm....the materials used in the batteries are the same.  This implies that
the charging characteristics with respect to voltage are the same.

The major difference in batteries has to do with the surface area of the
plates.  The larger the area the more current the battery can supply to a
low resistance such as a starter under load.  For starting this is a good
thing.

For plates with less surface area, a smaller amount of current can be
supplied for a longer period of time.

For either battery to be fully charged the voltage applied is the same.
Only the amount of time at this voltage differs.  The starting battery will
accept a faster charge than the deep cycle because of the availability of
plate material surface to the electrolyte.  (that nasty tasting stuff that
makes your clothes disappear).

So if your regulator limits charging voltage to 14.1 VDC both the Optima
Deep Cycle and the regular old Delco will charge just fine.  The optima will
take longer to reach a full charge.

A major problem can occur if you connect a fully charged, high current
battery  to one that is almost fully discharged.  The charged battery sees a
low resistance and supplies a large amount of current into this resistance
until the internal resistance of the formerly discharged battery rises.

pensioner