Best Deep Cell Battery Brand?

[LuvBoating]

I get mine at auto zone

Just looked on the Auto Zone website and they do show an area for Deep Cells, but in that area, they are showing a Deep Cycle.........and only one. Don't know what the difference, if there is one, between Deep Cycle and Deep Cell, but the only Deep Cell's they show are the fairly expensive Optima type.
Perhaps I should just visit the store.

Also check NAPA online and when I put "marine deep cell battery" into their Search area, it comes up with Deep Cycle batteries! Now, if we end up needing a new Starting Battery, we will get it from NAPA. The battery that came with the boat is a NAPA Starting Battery and still holds a charge! That was bought by the previous owner in January 2009.

 

[bruceb58]

Get your NAPA starting battery load tested to see how good it is. Just because it holds a charge does not mean there is much capacity left. Personally, I change out my flooded lead acid batteries after 5 years.

 

[LuvBoating]

Get your NAPA starting battery load tested to see how good it is. Just because it holds a charge does not mean there is much capacity left. Personally, I change out my flooded lead acid batteries after 5 years.

Had NAPA load test the battery last Oct 2014. They said it was in good shape. I also have a Harbor Freight Load Tester and it tested good. Thing is, we may not keep this NAPA battery and just get another one like it from NAPA. Just depends on what the finances can handle when the time comes........a Deep Cell and Starting or just the Deep Cell.

 

[LuvBoating]

Want to say "Thanks" to you guys that gave me the info I was curious about. The Group (24 or 27) of the Deep Cell we will end up buying, we don't know yet. The 27 will be more powerful, but don't know if we really need that much power. We don't run much for "house". Since we will be going with a cheaper Deep Cell, we will only be getting a 1 year Warranty and will have to settle for that.
Even though our NAPA Starting battery shows "ok" on a load test, and charges up completely, may end up getting a new one of those as well. That battery was bought in January '09. If we do buy a new Starting one, it will be the same as the NAPA we have now.

Anyway, any other comments/suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[otto1946]

Guess you don't want Lifeline (5 year), they cost me almost 300 each 3 years ago, there more then that now. Agree with Bruce, if your sticking with lead acid go with Trojan. next would be Interstate or Deka.

Buddy just bought a Duracell AGM (group 31) from Sam's for 175, but it only has a 1 year warranty. They are made by Deka

I did the same as your buddy, I bought 2 Duracell AGM group 31's for my boat. Paid 179 each, I believe. They came with 18 month replacement.

My boat originally had 1 group 24 installed. I wanted to install a 2 battery set up, and I also wanted them to be AGM's.

My boat previously had a Deka and it really seamed to perform well, plus I've never heard anything bad about them.

After I saw that the Duracell's at Sams club were made by them, figured $179 wasn't too bad seeing how West Marine wants over $300 for there group 31 AGM Deka's.

 

[cdn1972]

I have sold batteries for 37 years, a true deep cycle battery will not let you down like a cranking or automotive battery will outside of the possible defects.When purchasing a boat battery power is not what most require, if you have room for larger ie 27 get that. Reserve capacity is key for most RV and Marine applications.
Just think of the worst that could happen, you hit a deadhead and loose engine.....needing your pumps to keep from sinking you run them and the cheaper smaller battery you chose works and goes dead. For the small difference if you have space buy the bigger one and if your worried about a warranty buy another brand.
Here in Canada we have real nasty winters, leaving a battery in the cold hurts it know matter whose it is. Not only does the battery get hurt but in the spring running the boat with semi discharged batteries taxes the boats charging system and older alternators can not charge deep cycle batteries proper or full so again what did you save.
remove them and store in a 70 degree place recharging or maintaining charge bar none will extend the life of any battery.

 

[LuvBoating]

On Saturday, we bought a Sears Die Hard Matine Deep Cell Size 27 at local Sears store. After that, went to local NAPA store and got a NAPA Premium Marine Starting Battery Size 24.

Put the Sears Deep Cell on our Deltran Battery Tender Plus, but after 12 plus hours, the Green Light on the Tender still wasn't blinking yet (showing 80 percent charged).

So, took the Deep Cell off of Tender and put NAPA Starting one on. Within 5 hours, Red charging light went out and Green Light was blinking (indicating 80 percent charged). Left Tender on NAPA Starting and at 6AM, Green Light was solid green (indicating Full charge).

Took off NAPA Starting and connected Sears Deep Cell yesterday AM. As of this morning, Red Light on Tender still solid, so we think we have d defective Sears Deep Cell. Plan on returning Deep Cell this evening and getting another one from Sears.

Do you think the Deep Cell is defective. Date of manufacturing is April 2015.

 

[ondarvr]

Just take it back, they will test it.

 

[LuvBoating]

Well, from reading stuff online, it can take much longer for a size 27 Deep Cell to charge than it would for a size 24 Starting. And, also found out the date of manufacturing on both.....Sears Deep Cell sticker says D5 and NAPA Starting say D6.
Have a 6/12 V. Battery Load Tester and it says the Deep Cell is fully charged (from what I know about reading it). Just wonder why the Deltran Tender Plus isn't showing the same thing????

This Deep Cell charging thing has me somewhat frustrated!

 

[NYBo]

The battery should have been fairly close to fully charged when you bought it, but I know that after one year on the shelf where I work, they are pulled and sent back to the manufacturer. The battery you bought has most likely been sitting since last April without being charged. It may or may not be viable; take it back for testing, as suggested by ondarvr.

 

[LuvBoating]

The battery should have been fairly close to fully charged when you bought it, but I know that after one year on the shelf where I work, they are pulled and sent back to the manufacturer. The battery you bought has most likely been sitting since last April without being charged. It may or may not be viable; take it back for testing, as suggested by ondarvr.

What I'm wondering is.........we didn't leave the Battery Tender on the Deep Cell long enough? If it was fully charged when we bought it, wonder how long it would take the Battery Tender to acknowledge that? By that I mean, Red light (indicating charging) to go on when hooked up, go out and the Green light below it (indicating 80% charged) to start blinking and then go to a solid Green (indicating fully charged). We do know the Battery Tender is working, because it done all of the above when connected to the Starting Battery.

We take this Deep Cell back to Sears and they test it as being fine, I will still wonder why our Battery Tender isn't doing that, unless we aren't keeping it on the Tender long enough. If there test says the battery is fine, they won't give us a different Deep Cell. What we don't know is how long it takes a Deep Cell to recharge when out of the boat.

 

[ondarvr]

Do you have a battery charger or just maintainer- tender? A maintainer doesn't charge the battery, well it will, but very, very slowly, a charger/maintainer will.

 

[MH Hawker]

I run AC-Delco voyager deep cycles. $125 each, average 5 years of service.

my auto zone one dieded lasts fall and i went with a AC Delco

 

[LuvBoating]

Do you have a battery charger or just maintainer- tender? A maintainer doesn't charge the battery, well it will, but very, very slowly, a charger/maintainer will.

Have/use a Deltran Battery Tender Plus and a Schumacher Fully Automatic Battery Charger/Maintainer w/Float-Mode Montoring.

Both of these charge and maintain.

 

[fishin98]

I have used DEEP CYCLE Marine batteries from WalMart for years, never have let me down.

 

[ondarvr]

Take it back and have them load test it.

 

[LuvBoating]

Sears tested the battery and told me it was fine. Will call Deltran (Battery Tender company) tomorrow and ask them if I'm just being too impatient and should have left the Tender on the battery longer. From what I've read, it can take up to 48 hrs. plus to charge a size 27 Deep Cell. Will ask Deltran.

 

[bruceb58]

Putting a battery tender on a battery will take forever to charge it. You only put them on fully charged batteries typically. When you take the tender or charger off and let it sit for 30 minutes, what voltage do you read? Should be 12.6 or 12.7V for a fully charged battery once the surface charge wears off.

 

[ondarvr]

Have/use a Deltran Battery Tender Plus and a Schumacher Fully Automatic Battery Charger/Maintainer w/Float-Mode Montoring.

Both of these charge and maintain.

When I google those models I get 1.25 amps for the Deltran and 1.5 amps for the Schumacher. These are not chargers, just maintainers, if they are different models than this let us know. Or just look and see what amps they are rated for.

 

[LuvBoating]

When I google those models I get 1.25 amps for the Deltran and 1.5 amps for the Schumacher. These are not chargers, just maintainers, if they are different models than this let us know. Or just look and see what amps they are rated for.

This is what the website for Deltran says about the Deltran Battery Tender Plus, that we have.

"The Battery Tender? Plus is a 1.25 amp battery charger designed to fully charge a battery and maintain it at proper storage voltage without the damaging effects caused by trickle chargers."

So, from what this says, what we have is a charger and maintainer. Correct?