battery

[cunuck]

I have 2 group 31 deep cycle battery that need to be changed. All the battery guys say that I should have 1 starting and 1 deep cycle for house not 2 deep cycle for 02 maxum 2400scr .Also can you charge in the battery switch both position with start and deepcycle .What was stock from maxum??? thanks

[seapuppy]

technically .....you should have one starting batt...and one house batt.....the house batt is usually a deep cycle battery that runs the house lights and fridge during the nite..designed to discharge deeper than say a starting batt that only has a burst for a few seconds while it turns the engine over..
now ...alot of folks just buy 2 deep cycle batts and let it go with that....either one will work....

SP

[SilveradoSS]

I have always heard one of each is the best setup.

[Stressleave]

Our boat came with two deep cycle batteries.
If you can start your boat and use it to run house items why do you need a starting battery? Will it harm a deep cycle battery if you use it as a starting battery?
Our motor does not crank very long to start and works fine with the deep cycles.
Our last boat used two dual purpose batteries [Part starting and part deep cycle] which we got about nine years out of them.
Paul

[tglee]

Both starting batteries and deep cycle batteries are lead-acid batteries that use exactly the same chemistry for their operation. The difference is in the way that the batteries optimize their design:

A starting battery is designed to provide a very large amount of current for a short period of time. This surge of current is needed to turn the engine over during starting. Once the engine starts, the alternator provides all the power that the engine needs, so a starting battery may go through its entire life without ever being drained more than 20 percent of its total capacity. Used in this way, a starting battery can last a number of years. To achieve a large amount of current, a starting battery uses many thin plates in order to increase its surface area.

A deep cycle battery is designed to provide a steady amount of current over a long period of time. A deep cycle battery can provide a surge when needed, but nothing like the surge a starting battery can. A deep cycle battery is also designed to be deeply discharged over and over again (something that would ruin a starting battery very quickly). To accomplish this, a deep cycle battery uses fewer thicker plates.