A typical lead-acid starting battery can handle 200 to 300 discharge cycles. Limiting discharges to lower percentages increases battery life by avoiding deep discharges.
They are maintenance-free, meaning that you don't have to add water to them as you do with other types of batteries. AGM batteries can be discharged down to 0% without damaging the battery, so they are perfect for applications where a deep discharge is required. How Far Can You Discharge a Lead Acid Battery?
How long should a lead acid battery stay discharged?
Lead acid batteries should never stay discharged for a long time, ideally not longer than a day. It's best to immediately charge a lead acid battery after a (partial) discharge to keep them from quickly deteriorating.
How deep should a lead acid battery be discharged?
The common rule of thumb is that a lead acid battery should not be discharged below 50% of capacity, or ideally not beyond 70% of capacity. This is because lead acid batteries age / wear out faster if you deep discharge them. The most important lesson here is this:
When should a lead acid battery be charged?
It's best to immediately charge a lead acid battery after a (partial) discharge to keep them from quickly deteriorating. A battery that is in a discharged state for a long time (many months) will probably never recover or ever be usable again even if it was new and/or hasn't been used much.
Personally, I always make sure that anything connected to a lead acid battery is properly fused. The common rule of thumb is that a lead acid battery should not be discharged below 50% of capacity, or ideally not beyond 70% of capacity. This is because lead acid batteries age / wear out faster if you deep discharge them.
What is the discharge rate of a lead-acid battery?
Sealed lead-acid batteries are generally rated with a 20-hour discharge rate. That is the current that the battery can provide in 20 hours discharged to a final voltage of 1.75 volts per second at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius.