Re: battery question
The presumption is marine batteries will see deeper cycles for both starting and deep-cycle battery applications. For this reason, both anode (+) and cathode (-) plates are usually heavier (thicker). MW is correct, better quality marine bats have the plates supported from the bottom. In car batteries, the plates are suspended and the space below them is a crud collecting area for the conductive materials that sheds from the plates during normal use. The best quality marine batteries have the plates encased in a non-conductive material (fiberglass with holes) to help retain the initial integrity of the plates. Because material cannot shed and sink to the bottom, the plates can also be support from the bottom as well.<br /><br />Unfortunately, your average marine starting battery is nothing more than a car battery with thicker plates (deeper discharge) that are not supported from the bottom. In this case, you might as well save your $$$ and use a car battery with more reserve cap
unless you have engine starting problems
then I wouldnt go out with you no matter what battery you had!<br /><br />Battery cases are not such an issue anymore. They are goooood!
Theyre all pretty much the same. The plates are not designed to move inside and nothing should be crashing into the outside of your battery. Some marine bat cases are double walled
but those batteries are usually found in the $1200.00+ range and you can remove/swap each individual 2v cell
not something you find on your average jon boat.
<br /><br />Fwiw, the most industrious use of off-road vehicles (US Army) uses Deka AGM batteries, model 6-TLFP, discharge capacity at
40 deg F is 350-amps, 0 deg F is 625-amps, reserve cap at 80 deg F is 180 minutes. There are probably other manfs of this battery to those specs.
