A lead acid battery comprising: a housing having an open first end, and a plurality of adjacently positioned battery plate receiving compartments; a cell of battery plates positioned in each battery plate receiving compartment, each cell having a plurality of positive plates, each having a positive lug, and a plurality of negative plates interleaved with the positive plates, each having a negative lug; and a mold positioned on a top edge of each group of battery plates, and having two strap molding wells, each having a lead receiving space, a well base, and a plurality of lug receiving openings positioned in the well base, the positive lugs of the cell extending through the lug receiving openings in one of the strap molding wells, and the negative lugs of the cell extending through the lug receiving openings in the other strap molding well characterized by a cover positioned on the first end of the housing and having a plurality of mold well receiving openings, wherein two mold well receiving openings are positioned over each battery plate receiving compartment, and wherein the two strap molding wells of each mold partially extend into the two mold well receiving openings over each battery plate receiving compartment. a housing having an open first end, and a plurality of adjacently positioned battery plate receiving compartments; an open first end, and a plurality of adjacently positioned battery plate receiving compartments; a cell of battery plates positioned in each battery plate receiving compartment, each cell having a plurality of positive plates, each having a positive lug, and a plurality of negative plates interleaved with the positive plates, each having a negative lug; and a plurality of positive plates, each having a positive lug, and a plurality of negative plates interleaved with the positive plates, each having a negative lug; and a mold positioned on a top edge of each group of battery plates, and having two strap molding wells, each having a lead receiving space, a well base, and a plurality of lug receiving openings positioned in the well base, the positive lugs of the cell extending through the lug receiving openings in one of the strap molding wells, and the negative lugs of the cell extending through the lug receiving openings in the other strap molding well characterized by a cover positioned on the first end of the housing and having a plurality of mold well receiving openings, wherein two mold well receiving openings are positioned over each battery plate receiving compartment, and wherein the two strap molding wells of each mold partially extend into the two mold well receiving openings over each battery plate receiving compartment. a lead receiving space, a well base, and a plurality of lug receiving openings positioned in the well base, the positive lugs of the cell extending through the lug receiving openings in one of the strap molding wells, and the negative lugs of the cell extending through the lug receiving openings in the other strap molding well characterized by a cover positioned on the first end of the housing and having a plurality of mold well receiving openings, wherein two mold well receiving openings are positioned over each battery plate receiving compartment, and wherein the two strap molding wells of each mold partially extend into the two mold well receiving openings over each battery plate receiving compartment.