On looks the Deka Dominator 4D is not going to win homecoming queen. She is 20 ¾” long x 8 ½” wide x 10” high and about 127 lbs. The Dominator is a long gray brick of lead surrounded by Deka’s patented thixotropic gel. Gel batteries are considered to be true deep cycle batteries as compared to thin plate AGM’s which are a hybrid between deep cycle and starting batteries. When fully charged, the Dominator open circuit voltage is higher then AGM and flood batteries and under load, the Gel Deka holds the voltage at higher plateau then either the AGM or flood. Yes, that is important when you ask your aftermarket bass and amp to pound out a booming sound or when you boat needs a strong blast from your bow thruster.
The Deka Gel is a favorite for a battery bank for a solar grid system because the gel chemistry gives you significantly more cycles (Deka states that with a capacity withdraw of 50% you can count on 1000 cycles). It is not hard to find a Dominator still in use after 8 years. Yes, Deka Gels cost more then similar sized AGM’s, but they are consistent, reliable, and cost effective (cost per cycle – with more cycles, less change out time and cost). She may not be the homecoming queen but when you look inside that Deka thixotropic gel she is a beauty.
