Exide Marine Battery

Exide makes a large variety of batteries. The types and applications range from starting to marine to off-road type batteries. You can find a battery made by Exide for almost any application that you need.

Exide was originally founded in 1888. The founger, W.W. Gibbs named the company Electric Storage Battery Company. If wasn't until 1900 that the name Exide came about. The name was originally an abbreviated version of "Excellent Oxide" and has become the name associated with the company today.

Though the company is known today largely for their automotive application batteries, Gibbs originally started the company to provide batteries to lighting companies. The idea was that the batteries could be used as storage for these companies to help provide electricity to their customers. The company expanded their horizons during the First World War, when they began to produce batteries for radio sets and radio stations. In 1938 Exide acquired Giant Storage Battery Company and began the manufacture of battery chargers as well as testers.

Later acquisions that expanded the companies profile were those of Brittania Batteries, Ray-O-Vac, General Battery Corporation and GNB. These subsequent mergers were steps in the refinement of the company's line-up. Over the years that encompassed the Second World War through the turn of the 21st century, the company slowly changed it's manufacture to it's primary focus today, which is automotive batteries.

There are different uses for batteries, and some get confused about the different types and applications of batteries.  The auto or marine battery that you are most commonly familiar with is the lead-acid battery.  The design of these have changed over the years, in the type of materials used in production to the design of their internal components, but one this remains the same throughout all of these different batteries.  The chemical process that gives them their energy, or electricy, has not changed throughout the years.

There are some batteries that you find are listed as automotive or marine, but these two types have little to no difference between them.  Their capacity and connections may be different, but these are trivial aspects and just about any lead-acid battery can be used for a variety of applications.

There are three types of marine batteries that you will find in production today.  Lead-acid, or wet cells, gel filled and AGM style batteries.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each type, which I'll explain.  The traditional lead-acid battery is the water-filled design that many think of when they think of a marine or auto battery.  These are cheaper, but they have some design deficiencies that have been solved with subsequent types.  Some may be sealed, which makes them safer, and some  can be opened, which allows you to refill the water and gives the battery a longer lifespan.

Gel-filled batteries are similar to traditional lead-acid in that they also have a fluid that fills the battery & provides the electrolytes that fuel the chemical process.  These are almost always sealed, however, and cannot be refilled when the gel within gets low.  They are more efficient, and last longer, but once their effective usefulness is gone, they must be disposed of and replaced.

AGM or Absorbed Glass Mat style batteries are the third type.  They are generally more expensive, but last much longer and provide superior deep cycle capacity and use than the other two.  Also, because the liquid elements that are present in the other types are suspended within a fiberglass mat, the AGM style batteries do not leak and will not cause explosion in the same way as the other types.  In addition to this safety feature, the AGM battery can take more abuse and is well suited for off-road and on water applications.

The decision for what type of marine battery you should choose is your own.  If you are only a part time enthusiast, you may choose to save money and get the traditional lead-acid type battery.  This is completely acceptable as they are good & are still used for many different applications.  If you are on the water more often, you may want to choose an AGM type battery, as it will last a bit longer and give you your money's worth.

The deep cycle battery is simply a battery that allows you to discharge very deeply and then recharge time and time again.  This is ideal for marine use, where you may need to run a trolling motor and other equipment when the boat's engine is shut off.

The major differences between deep cycle and shallow or starting batteries are the plates that are used.  In deep cycles, the plates are generally larger and thicker, made of different materials.  This allows the discharge as well as recharging of the battery numerous times, as the plates do not break down as quickly as with regular starting batteries.  There is a price difference, as you may have guessed, so depending on your application you may not need a deep cycle battery.

Deep cycles are most often used in marine and RV applications where the user expects to use the battery extensively without the engine.  There are times, however, when using a starting battery is fine for marine and RV applications.  Starting batteries are designed to be able to give a very large and short burst of energy.  This is most typically for starting a motor, hence their name.  If you plan to use your battery only for starting, then there's no reason you should purchase the more expensive deep cycle batteries.