All standard automotive batteries are like that. Everytime you drain them, they lose capacity.

Automotive batteries are a lead-electrolyte solution... sulphuric acid with some lead plates tossed in. The lead plates in car batteries are spongy, and very porous. This helps to increase surface area for the acid to react with. Well... when you fully discharge these things, a bunch of the lead crumbles and fells to the bottom of the battery. You lose a big chunk of your reacting surface. Do this five times and you might as well throw out your battery.



Deep cycle batteries work the same way: lead and aicd, except that the plates are solid lead. They are generally a little less powerful for equal weights, but they can be discharged MANY times... hence their use in marine starting applications. When you drain a deep cycle battery completely, the outter layer of lead on each plate crumbles and falls off, but the total surface area of reactable surface reamins relatively unchanged. Discharge a deep cycle battery enough, and eventually, you'll run out of plate, just like a standard battery.





SO...... what does this all mean? If you think you'll be draining your battery, get a yellow top (deep cycle). If you have a good alt and don't leave your accessoriies on, get a redtop. And if you're storing any battery... buy a self-monitoring trickle charger.

 

I had a red top left it sitting on a wood shelf for a year and a half, put it in the car without charging it at all started right up. If you leave a battery on concrete it will drain. That one eventually went dead after 5 years. I now have another one and have never had a problem out of one.

 

ok everyone has one every tells me how bad it is and how good it is still never get my answer! what is the exact model number of the battery? because the store told me to get the model number and then i can walk out with on please guys take a quick run to your car and look at the battery and post or even pm me with the model number!

 

i dont run anything in any of my toys but optima... its worth the money... had 'em in all my mud trucks and now in my 7