A battery that has been built to continually handle deep discharges of 80–100% DoD is referred to as a deep cycle battery. Does this imply that deep discharge cannot be performed on high-rate batteries? No, and yes. One or two deep cycles won’t harm the battery, but this is where the battery’s design comes into play because a high-rate battery would suffer irreparable damage if it were subjected to continual deep cycles.
What are the Types of Deep Cycle Battery?
Generally, there are two categories of Deep Cycle batteries, sealed lead acid SLA batteries, and lithium deep cycle battery.
1. Sealed Lead Acid (SLA): The plates of sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries are where electricity is produced. Many thin plates are used in high-rate batteries to increase the surface area and facilitate rapid energy generation. The plates in deep cycle batteries are thicker than those in high-rate batteries because the energy-producing chemical reaction takes place inside the plate, which must be thick to handle the reaction. Lead plates would quickly deteriorate and be unable to withstand repeated deep discharges if they were thin, as they are in the starter and high-rate batteries. These types of batteries are also known as maintenance-free deep cycle batteries.
2. Lithium Deep Cycle Battery: The energy cells of a lithium deep cycle battery are utilized. Energy cells are perfect for use in cyclic and deep cycle applications since they are made to deliver sustained current over an extended length of time. The circuitry of a lithium battery is important in addition to the composition of the cells since the protections may place restrictions on how much current may be pulled from the battery. Check the technical documentation and specifications for more details. Different lithium batteries will have varying levels of protection. These are also known as Flooded deep cycle batteries.
What are the Applications of Deep Cycle Batteries?
Deep cycle batteries are the best choice for applications that need more than just a quick start since they deliver sustained energy. Deep cycle batteries are most frequently used for the following purposes:
- Marine
- Recreational vehicles
- Materials handling
- Golf carts
- Off-grid type of renewable energy
Hybrid batteries are an additional option for some applications, particularly maritime ones. A hybrid marine battery tends to last less time than a battery with a specific purpose but can provide both a startup burst and sustained power for maritime applications.
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