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ITGlossary · Batteries
Deep-Cycle Battery
A battery designed to be discharged deeply and recharged again and again without wearing out quickly.
Technical level:Basic
Car starter batteries deliver a lot of current for a few seconds and are recharged straight afterwards. Deep-cycle batteries have thicker plates and a more robust active material, so they can deliver moderate current for hours and withstand many cycles.
You need them wherever the battery is drained regularly: in off-grid solar systems, inverters with batteries, boats and caravans. They come in GEL, AGM, flooded and lithium versions.
A common mistake is using a car battery with a solar system or an inverter. It withstands few deep cycles and loses capacity quickly, even if it seems to work normally at first.
Related terms
- Cycle LifeThe number of charge and discharge cycles a battery withstands until its capacity falls, usually, to 80% of the original.
- Fast ChargingA charging method that restores battery capacity quickly without damage by controlling current, voltage and temperature.
- GEL BatteryA sealed lead-acid battery with its electrolyte in gel form, well suited to deep and repeated discharges.
- Self-dischargeThe gradual loss of charge in a battery kept in storage without use, caused by internal chemical reactions.
- C-rateThe charge or discharge current expressed as a multiple of battery capacity, e.g. 1C for a 100 Ah battery means 100 A.
- Depth of Discharge (DoD)The share of a battery's capacity that has been drawn in a discharge, where 100% means fully discharged.