Each time a standard lead acid battery is allowed to run completely dead, you can expect to lose 20% of it's recharging capacity. That is why a battery that has run dead several times will not hold a charge for as long as new. Deep cycle batteries, although more expensive, are designed to regain as close to 100% when run dead. Of coarse you lose some capacity each time, just not as much. Something I learned from a battery guy. Makes perfect sense to me to keep it charged with a trickle when not actually being used.
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