How to extend the life of 12v Deep Cycle Gel Battery

　　You may have heard of all the benefits of using a 12v Deep Cycle Gel Battery for a power scooter, solar panel, or backup battery system. One of the biggest reasons for the increasing popularity of these batteries is that they require very little maintenance to have a long life. However, even the smallest maintenance work can significantly extend battery life and save money in the long run. Let's look at several methods that can increase battery life by months (or even years).

　　Full cycle charging and opportunistic charging

　　One of the easiest ways to extend battery life is to ensure that you give the battery a full cycle of full charge every day. This can make your battery enter the conditioning stage to prevent sulfate from damaging the plates. Opportunistic charging means that you insert the battery irregularly throughout the day and then unplug it as needed without having to complete a complete cycle. This will not give your battery the proper time to self-regulate and will eventually extend battery life.

　　Understand the depth of discharge

　　Another thing to protect the battery is to understand the specifications of the battery's depth of discharge. Most Lead Acid Battery Manufacturers' deep cycle batteries can handle 50% of the depth of discharge, but some batteries can handle up to 80% of the discharge. If you always charge the battery in a complete cycle and drain 80% of the battery power every day, you may get 220 complete cycles, and if you only discharge 50%, you will get nearly 750 complete cycles. On the other hand, when the discharge capacity of the battery is less than 10%, you do not want to continue to charge the battery. Like the above opportunity charging, this will prevent your battery from completing a complete cycle and will cause damage.

　　Store properly

　　When not in use, deep cycle batteries should always be fully charged. These batteries are designed with service life in mind, and will not lose a large amount of charge when idle. Therefore, fully charge them before storing them, and then check them regularly (charge and discharge them if they are discharged to 20% DoD), you can keep them in good condition without having to constantly plug in the charger. Regarding storage, the temperature is another key factor. Batteries stored in freezing temperatures or extreme heat decompose faster than other batteries. It is always best to put deep-cycle batteries in them and store them in a cool and dry place to prevent damage.

　　Slow charging

　　Finally, the best way to extend battery life is to ensure that the battery is charged as slowly as possible. For example, compared to a fast charger that only uses a few hours, slow charging overnight is more beneficial to the internal components of the battery. This is because fast charging will increase the internal temperature of the battery.

　　With these four quick tips, you can provide the battery with the life it deserves. Most deep-cycle batteries are properly maintained and charged (depending on the frequency of use) and can last up to six years. You are responsible for ensuring that your battery will not be damaged by daily charging. For more information, please contact MK Battery immediately and discuss the appropriate charging equipment and technology with our sales team.