I'll take Varta's word before Sterlings thank you.
Well I've checked the Sterling website and they do not deal in batteries as far as I can see! So who is more likely to give independent advice? Sterling or Varta, who not only make batteries but charge a premium for their leisure products.
Anyhow here are some quotes from the Sterling site
"Watch the term leisure / deep cycle as it simply does not exist. The standard, so called, leisure batteries, are simply starter batteries with extra support for the active lead material. This may increase the life by 5 – 10 %, but does not turn a starter
battery into a deep cycle
battery."
"if you plan to live on board (boats} or travel the world then do look at 6 V or 2 V traction and build your
battery bank up from those batteries, but expect to pay about 3 – 6 times the price of so called standard leisure batteries"
"
Battery sales companies quote
battery cycles such as 6000 cycles for the
battery. This looks good on the surface, however it will be 6000 cycles at say 10% discharge. This is a meaningless figure." Remember figures can be made to mean anything, with a little bit of spin!
"So, for deep cycle and long life, the traction batteries are by far and away the best. But their price tends to kill them. However, if you are doing a long journey around the world, or going away from the UK for 2 years plus, then investing in 2 volt or 6 volt traction batteries is a must, regardless of the cost."
"For general leisure use: use low cost Lead Acid which can be topped up with water. So called leisure batteries"
And from various other sources
“I've had various makes of leisure
battery, and not been that impressed with any of them to be honest. Some have been dead inside 6 months, and I only use them occasionally”
“All can say is I get the most staying power (and quickest charge obviously!) out the 90 amp hr starter
battery..and repeated draining and charging does not seem to bother it at all.”
“All the leisure batteries i have bought have been a real disappointment, some not lasting very long at all.”
“I have a couple of old Delphi lorry batteries which i have abused over 6 or 7 years”
And surprise, surprise a Varta
battery
Specifications
"12V 85Ah
Deep-cycle & Starting
advanced semi-traction technology for extreme deep cycling"
Just what is a semi_traction
battery? It's like been semi-pregeant! And "Deep-cycle & Starting" is not possible, because it has to be low current at slow discharge or provide cranking current (800 amps (?)) in short bursts.
