The Basics of Deep Cycle Batteries
Before we dive into what a deep cycle battery is, it is important to understand some battery basics, such as what a cycle is, what depth of discharge means, and what deep battery discharge really means. A complete cycle is considered to be the complete discharge and recharge of a battery. Discharge is measured by the amount of capacity removed from the battery - depth of discharge (DoD) is used to indicate how much battery capacity was used during a single discharge. Fully discharged is 100% DoD. DoD is inversely proportional to the state of charge (SoC), which is the amount of charge remaining in the battery. 100% DoD = 0% SoC. With this understanding of DoD and battery cycling, you may want to know what deep discharge really is. Deep discharge is classified as 80% to 100% of the battery's discharge capacity. What is a Deep Cycle Battery? A deep cycle battery is a battery that is designed to handle 80-100% DoD deep discharge on a continuous basis. Does this mean...