Wet-Cell 12-Volt Battery Test

Two batteries from Deka and one from Interstate lead the pack in our test of eight deep-cycle batteries.

We tested eight wet-cell batteries. Top row (l. to r.): the Deka DC31DT, the Rolls 27 112 XJ, the Deka DC27 and the West Marine Sea Volt. Bottom row: the Trojan 27THM, the Douglas 27 DCM, the U.S. Battery 27TMX and the Interstate SRM 27B.

We last looked at batteries in our October 15, 2000 issue, when we reported the results of a test of the AGM (absorbed glass mat) subspecies. For this month's report we focused on flooded-cell, deep-cycle marine batteries, six in the popular Group 27 case size and two in Group 31 size. The two Group 31s, from Deka and West Marine, are actually the same battery—Deka/East Penn Manufacturing makes West Marine's batteries, which are private-labeled under the Sea Volt name. …