How to keep the sealed lead acid battery full of power and life

Typically the average life of a sealed lead acid battery is anywhere between 36 months to 60 months. There are however longer lasting alternatives available such as the Odyssey battery or NorthStar batteries but with a price tag nearly 3 times that of the standard sealed battery. So why not try to get the most out of your current investment with some simple precautionary steps.

Deep cycle batteries are the most expensive types because of the power that they are able to provide. This also makes them more maintenance and prone to failure. The number one thing to keep your deep-cycle or any sealed lead acid battery lasting long is to not let is sit unused and uncharged. These batteries loved to be fully charged at all times. That is because the process of sulfating occurs on the plates inside the battery that will cause the battery to break down internally and fail. Keeping them fully charged will prevent this.

Freezing is another killer for sealed batteries. When temperatures drop below 0 degrees, the life of the battery greatly diminishes. This is why its best to keep your SLA battery inside a controlled environment during extreme temperatures. Conversely heat is also a factor in short battery life. Try to keep the battery out of direct sunlight and away from any heat producing machinery such as an engine. "Pure -lead" batteries are more tolerant of extreme temperatures down to -40 degrees such as the Enersys/Hawker sealed lead acid battery that we carry.

The bottom line is you want to keep your batteries in the same condition you received them in assuming you purchased fresh product. Watch the voltage and make sure that it is at or above 12.5 volts (or 6.25 for 6 volt batteries). Keep your sealed lead acid battery indoors if you expect sub zero temperatures. Take care of the terminals, corrosion is a minor problem at first but can easily seep into the cable which could cause a major electrical issue. Practice these 3 steps and keep your lead acid sealed batteries in top performance condition way past the average life span.