So my jeep has been sitting a while and I went to start it and it was dead. Would I be better off putting a deep cycle marine battery in there since i dont run it very often? Any problems with runnign a deep cycle battery in a vehicle?

 

Nope. Waste of money. Deep Cycle batteries are designed to be just that... deep cycled. They are good for running accessories without the engine running.

How log is the vehicle sitting? If it's that long, you'd be better off sticking a little float charger on it and using that to keep it topped off. That would run you about $25.00 compared to >$100 for the deep cycle battery.

 

^----x2 a trickle charger or battery tendor would be bst.

 

Yes, or something like the Optima's or Exide AGM batteries we've been talking about. If there is basically no drain on it, a gel-cell (not good for automotive use) or AGM type battery would maintain it's charge longer when idle.

 

^ i can vouch for that in my torino, sits for weeks (months in the winter) at a time, does not drain

 

Optima CLAIMS that you only lose .5 volt over a 6 month storage period. I cant find how the test was conducted (temp, on a shelf, in a vehicle, etc).

 

Since you guys are discussing batteries, can you tell me if there would be any consequences to using the bluetop optima in a truck. That's a marine battery right? It's for appearance reasons.

 

wayne i wouldnt do it because it is a deep cycle battery not something you want in your car. i do believe optima ( or some other company ) sells covers for their batteries that you can paint

 

red top is the best application for a vehicle and even your jeep. Unless yopur running a winch then go for the yellow top.

 

What could be wrong with using the marine optima blue-top, i know it's more of a deep cycle than a yellow-top, correct? Wouldn't the blue be better for high-amperage situations?

 

Deep cycle batteries are for extended constant draws without the engine running, not "high amperage draws". What are you trying to accomplish?

 

I'm not trying to accomplish anything. I have a yellowtop and love it. I was just going with the question from the thread.

 

u should have a red top unless u run ur truck with the engine off.

the battery is used for starting only. the altenator powers everything else after the engine is running. once the altenator is over taxed it'll draw off the battery. so if u dont run ur truck for extended periods of time with it off a red top or any battery with a high CCA/CC rating is best.

 

According to some of the information I posted in my thread on AGM batteries, some "deep cycle" batteries are actually a hybrid. Their plate structure is somewhere between a "starting battery" and a true "deep cycle" and have some of the advantages of both. This is why some "deep cycle" batteries are okay for starting use on anything short of a big block or something.

I think you'd have to read the manufacturers literature carefully though to ensure they are really specifying it for that.

However, ALL AGM batteries will have better retention of charge. So even the red-top Optima, or equivalent, will be much better if you have a vehicle that has to sit.

 

Put one in Feb, no problems.

Optima makes both a cranking blue top (dark grey bottom) and a deep cycle (lighter grey).

 

Deep cycle batteries are designed to have a large amount of their stored current discharged between charging sessions, with very heavy non-porous battery plates to withstand repeated major discharging and charging cycles (deep cycles). They are generally useless for delivering the sudden surges of power needed from automotive batteries. A good example of when you want a deep cycle battery is an electric trooling motor for a boat. The motor runs off a battery, and a deep cycle battery is good for this type of use, because its designed to allow the battery to be discharged as the trolling motor is used and to be charged back up a lot of times, many more times than a typical car battery can be recharged. That's why there's no sense in using it in a car. Another good use for a deep cycle battery is in campers that have, for example, a couple small overhead lights and a small furnace that has a fan to circulate the heat, such as those pop-up folding campers. The campers are designed to run these minor electric items off a power cord or a battery.

 

I will be having a winch and the whole 9 yards on teh jeep, so maybe ill go yellow top.