THE BEECHMONT CREST AUTOMOTIVE LEARNING ZONE
Automotive Battery vs. Deep Cycle Battery
Automotive Battery Properties:
- An automotive battery provides a very large amount of current for a short period of time: the surge of current needed to turn the engine over during starting.
- Once the engine starts, the alternator provides electrical power to the vehicle
- A car battery may never be drained of more than 15-20 percent of its total capacity in its entire useful life.
Deep-Cycle Battery Properties:
- A deep cycle battery (used in golf carts, boats, etc.) provides a steady amount of current over a long period of time.
- A deep cycle battery provides a smaller surge than an automotive battery.
- A deep cycle battery can be deeply discharged multiple times.
To accommodate this need, a deep cycle battery uses thicker plates than an automotive battery.
Reserve Capacity (RC) and Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) Comparison:
- A deep cycle battery has a higher reserve capacity than an automotive battery
- An automotive battery has higher cold cranking amps than a deep cycle battery:
