[rotorwrench]

Computers and smaller appliances that have rechargeable batteries are generally nickel metal hydride or lithium ion types. To produce these in a size and rating that will start a car engine is a bit on the expensive side and the method of charging it in a stock model A is not ideal for maintaining that type battery. If the battery is damaged for some reason due to the charging method or poor maintenance then the battery will start to deteriorate and can be a fire hazard.

A person can flog a lead acid battery as hard as they want to and it will not be a fire hazard. The price is less too. If it is well maintained then it can provide 4 to 6 years of service. The optima can provide even longer service if well cared for but the investment is nearly 2X what a regular flat plate lead acid type is. In any case take care of your battery and it will take care of you. They should be cycle operated at lest every 14 days or charged to peak capacity every 14 days with occasional operation cycles. An operation cycle is to start the engine and run till it is fully charged This keeps the sulfation to a minimum. Letting them set idle for a month is going to quickly kill the effectiveness of the plates and drastically reduce its service life.

I'm not a fan of maintainers since I've had customers call be up to order them a new battery because they went to start their helicopter up after several months only to find the maintainer dead along with the battery. By then the battery was badly sulfated and wouldn't charge back up. The 24-volt helicopter batteries are a lot more expensive than the car types. As far as maintenance advice goes is that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.