[SEL] winch batteries,, sorta on topic

[Rob Skinner]

> On Dec 16, 2015, at 8:50 AM, bill boyce <bboyce at swat.coop> wrote:
> 
> First question is what type of battery is best suited
> for this? Would  deep cycle marine batteries be the best choice? Or would heavy duty automotive
> type batteries be ok? 




I’ve experimented with various batteries over the years:  marine, Optima, generic, long life, no name, etc.  My truck charges the trailer battery when I’m driving, and I don’t often put it on a charger. 

During regular use, the type of battery doesn’t seem to make a difference for me.  I can do multiple loads/unloads over several days without any decrease in performance.  

The exception is when the battery is reaching the end of it’s lifespan—like about five years into the life of a five year battery.  It will just peter out without warning.  That’s aways a bummer.  

The extra money paid for a marine or Optima battery doesn’t seem to get me anything.  So nowadays I just buy generic batteries, with as many CCA as I can fit in the battery holder.  Costco is a good place to shop, they have some good deals.  I would never buy from Sears.  I’m still angry over that scam they pulled where they were taking used batteries and reselling them as new.   
 <http://www.rustyiron.com/>