A gel battery design is typically a modification of a standard lead-acid automotive or marine battery. A gelling agent is added to the electrolyte to reduce movement inside the battery case. Many gel batteries also use one-way valves in place of open vents, which helps the normal internal gasses to recombine back into water in the battery, reducing gassing. They are an improvement over a conventional lead acid battery but the cranking power and reserve capacity remain about the same as a conventional lead acid battery.

An OPTIMA battery is not a "GEL" battery it is a Spiralcell AGM battery.

What is an Optima Spiralcell AGM Battery?
AGM (Absorption Glass Mat) is a patented technology that was originally developed in 1985 for military aircraft where power, weight, safety, and reliability were paramount considerations.

In Optima Spiralcell AGM sealed batteries, the acid is absorbed between the plates and immobilized by a very fine fiberglass mat which is then is rolled up and compressed under extreme pressure into the cell of the specially designed battery case. (There are four feet of battery plates in each spiral cell of an Optima Battery.) The glass mat absorbs and immobilizes the acid while still keeping the acid available to the plates. The large amount of plate surface area in each cell provides the strong engine cranking power and reserve capacity. The pure lead grid material with its low resistance allows a fast reaction between the acid and the plate material.

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