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 . <EOS>