WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STARTING AND A DEEP CYCLE BATTERY?

A starting battery is designed to deliver several hundred amperes of power to the starter motor within a few seconds. The power comes off the surface of the plates inside the battery. A battery with more plate surface and less resistance will deliver more instant power. Alternatively, a deep cycle battery is called upon to deliver a long, slow discharge of fewer amperes, for several minutes or hours, in deep cycle applications like trolling motors, etc. Deep cycle batteries have thicker plates and are designed for discharge cycles. It is not recommended to use starter batteries for deep cycle applications as it will reduce battery life or may cause sudden death of battery due to shorted cell. Likewise, a deep cycle battery is not suitable for starting as it will not give enough power for cranking an engine.