JAY LIU'S TIP OF THE MONTH GEL CELL BATTERIES Vs LEAD ACID BATTERIES   I've had customers ask me if Gel Cell Batteries are better than the standard lead acid batteries. I did a little research and this is what I have found. The main advantage of a gel cell battery is they hold a charge longer while in storage. You won't have to fill it with water and there is no leakage. You can transport it on an airplane and ship them without any danger. The disadvantage is that for the same size battery (group 27 is standard lead acid battery) you will not get the same amount of capacity (charge) out of a gel cell as a lead acid battery. You will have about 30% less capacity. Another disadvantage is if you discharge the battery way down (90% dead) and recharge it, it will not come all the way up. It will only recover about 90% of it's capacity. They are better to use for lights and some electronics, as discharge may only be down by 20% to 25%. This lower drain allows the battery a recovery of 100%. When charging a gel cell you need a charger with a lower voltage setting. The manufacturers recommend that the charging voltage does not exceed 14.1 volts (12 volt system) with no more than 10 amps output. Some of the newer onboard chargers (if they are 10amp p/bank) are OK for charging gel cells. Currently, very few stores have gel cells in stock, the price tag is expensive. By comparison our lead acid batteries require water, they can be messy and the terminals require cleaning every now and then. However the capacity is larger for the same size, they charge overnight and they can be found and purchased everywhere.