Battery selection

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by macojoe

I have been using car battery's for 15 years now!
In that time I have bought 5 batterys and the 2 in there now are still great after 5 years!
They cheaper, last longer, and the warr is a ton longer!
As long as you are using then for starters they are great, its the deep cycle use of discharging and charging that will kill them, I leave in my boat all winter also, as a charged battery will not freze but a dead battery will.

Truth be told, there's more than one time I've used an auto battery...with good results... BUT, I didn't make that up about not using a car battery. It comes straight from Exide. And I'd be willing to bet any battery maker will say almost the same thing. You're 100% correct, it's the deep cycle that kills them.. in as little as 30 cycles according to Exide.
So, to my way of thinking, it's just 100% safer to have the proper equipment.

[macojoe]

Yes on a deep cycle but on a starting battery I think it is propaganda from the battery company's so they can charge more and give less warrt, but that's me.

I agree to disagree with ya

[shagnski]

Automotive batteries will work fine as a STARTING battery however the best automotive batteries (calcium positive and calcium neg plate) will suffer a much shorter life if deeply cycled. For mixed aplications or for more reaserve look for a hybrid battery ( one calcium plate one low antimony plate) or a true deep cycle (two low antimony plates) or an AGM. Calcium/Calcium will give you more "sit" time with out self discharging.