Battery Type and Characteristics

Battery Type	Advantages
Cranking: traditional lead-acid (also know as flooded or wet battery)	Provides high current for short period Can be recharged rapidly Lower maintenance Reasonable price Longer warranty period
Cranking: Calcium maintenance-free	Considerable shelf life Sealed and therefore less risky Environmentally friendly construction
Hybrid	As cross between deep cycle and cranking batteries it has some problems of both Vented cells discharge explosive hydrogen gas. Risk of corrosive electrolyte spilling Posts may not be standard automotive post sizes Must be used in well ventilated location
Deep cycle	May be fully discharged repeatedly Requires more maintenance
Gel batteries	Smaller size for same capacity Can be charged rapidly Good deep cycle characteristics Non-standard case sizes – fits awkward spots No acid sweat or leakage No gas venting problems
AGM (absorbed glass matt)	Low self-discharge Longer life Can be used inside passenger space – sealed compartment not needed as no fumes given off Resistant to vibration and heat
Spiral-wound AGM	Compact version of AGM batteries Excellent vibration proofing Can be positioned any way – there’s no ‘this side up’ requirement Spiral-wound plates mean extra plate area despite smaller size Very high power delivery ability Can be stacked directly on each other for additional power capacity or for 24 volt connection