Ned,
A lead-acid battery does benefit by breaking-in, but don't overdo it. Just
normal usage is enough, and below 11 volts is pretty well used up.
Over-discharging lead acid batteries leads to their early demise.

<<Jim>>

Ned Hall wrote:

> :What have you been charging the batteries with? Running the tow vehicle?
> :Solar?
>
> Nope, no solar yet...I have been running on the charge the batteries got
> when I towed it out on Wednesday...that's going on five days! All I have
> been running is lights (20 watt halogen), a couple of hours of TV, and the
> fantastic fan when it is hot in the afternoon ... I have two 12 volt deep
> cycle marine batteries, and they are at 11.87 volts as of Tuesday morning.
> This is good, I think...I have had it recommended to run the bats down to
> 10.8 volts on their first cycle. Does anyone know about this "breaking in"
> of a battery?