Date:         Sat, 9 Feb 2002 09:33:41 -0600
Reply-To:     "Terry K." <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Terry K." <CTONLINE@WEBTV.NET>
Subject:      Re: [vanagon] Re: [Syncro] 2nd battery in a vanagon for lights,
              heat etc.
Comments: To: jbrush@AROS.NET
In-Reply-To:  John Brush <jbrush@AROS.NET>'s message of Fri, 8 Feb 2002
              21:29:11 -0700
Content-Type: Text/Plain; Charset=ISO-8859-1

Now here's a trick wording of batteries--

A "Marine" battery doesn't necessarily have to be a deep cycle
battery--it can be for marine use and just be an engine starter battery,
in which case no, it isn't deep cycle.
In general terms a "Marine" battery is the house battery, which is the
battery for the house, or cabin accessories, which usually is a deep
cycle unit.

A good example is an electric trolling moter battery which is drained
slowly for a long  time, which is a Marine deep cycle battery.
Most boater's , or guys with camper's have more than one battery in
their vehicles.
One for starting which has a short duration big cold cranking amps, and
a deep cycle for a slow, long drain, to run the house accessories.

The amp hours does not depend on what type of battery it is, it simply
depends on how the battery is rated--

And if it was possible to mount two big amp six volt batteries into a
Vanagon, the
duration of the crankig time would be increased--this is why Semi's use
4 six volt batteries in series, rather than two 12 volt--more cranking
duration----

Later,

Terry



E-mail message  From John Brush

Well, just to split hairs, "Marine" batteries are not deep cycle
batteries. They tend to fall in between a car battery, and a true deep
cycle one. Of course its a lot of semantics, but manufacturers will try
and get away with what they can. Buy a true, deep cycle battery and be
safe. Decent sized deep cycle batteries tend to come in 6V packages
(size being amp-hours) so one usually ends of buying a pair of them,
especially when looking for a lot of amp-hours.
Its a roaring battle in a lot of other groups, but just be careful that
you get the right battery for the application.
John