12 Volt Battery Types

• Many of the cars we drive run off the power of 12-volt batteries.12 volt relais, relay image by Sascha Zlatkov from Fotolia.com
  
  Twelve-volt batteries power many of the things we depend on every day. Car batteries are typically 12 volt, as well as the batteries in RVs, boat motors and generators. Having a good 12-volt battery can make the difference between your car starting or sitting dead. There are different types of 12 volt batteries that, if the right type is used, can improve the life of your battery and make sure that your 12-volt powered machine will continue to fire up time and time again.
  
  

Automotive Batteries

• Twelve-volt automotive, or starting, batteries are what initially fires up a car when the key is turned, and then keeps electricity flowing to the engine. Starting batteries are distinguished by their many thin lead plates that are sponge-like in nature. Because of their sponge-like plates, if starting batteries are significantly discharged frequently, or the power is often greatly drained, it will shorten the lifespan of the battery.
  
  

Deep-Cycle Batteries

• Deep-cycle batteries are the opposite of starting batteries in that they are designed to be frequently discharged while maintaining the life of the battery. They can sustain more frequent significant discharging because their lead plates are solid, rather than sponge-like in the starting batteries. However, deep-cycle, 12-volt batteries don't have the instant power that starting batteries have because of those thick lead plates. Deep-cycle 12 volt batteries are designed to be used for a longer span of time, each time they're used.
  
  

Marine Batteries

• Twelve-volt marine batteries are a mix between starting and deep-cycle batteries. The plates inside 12-volt marine batteries are sponge-like, but much more dense and thick than starting batteries. They have more instant power than deep-cycle batteries but more endurance than starting batteries when greatly discharged.
  
  

Lifespan

• According to Northern Wind & Arizona Sun, the lifespan of a battery is hard to pinpoint exactly as there are numerous variables such as depth of discharge, maintenance and temperature, however, if used in deep cycle service (50 to 80 percent discharge), often starting batteries last three to 12 months; deep cycle, four to eight years; and marine, one to six years. Starting batteries, however, if discharged only 2 to 5 percent, may last thousands of cycles instead of the 30 to 150 if discharged 50 to 80 percent per cycle.