Leisure Battery

[mikeyboy]

Ok, bought the caravan and need to fit a battery as the other is looking very old and doesnt hold it charge. Couple of questions for you all:

 

- 85 amp hour or 110 amp hour. . obviously a cost difference but for a small 2 berth van would 85 amp hour be enough?

- How do I work out how long the battery will last?

- Where is the best place to buy leisure batteries?

- The battery location is currently in the same area as the gas, is this safe? what is the best way to ensure safety?

- Which charger is best for keeping the battery topped up when removed from the van?

 

 

Thanks yet again!

[Hedgehog]

It all depends how you will use your van really. If you plan to use sites with electric hook-up then 85ah is fine. If you intend to do rallies or CL's with no EHU then 110ah would be better.

 

Depending on what load you put on it will determine how long it lasts - No doubt someone will give you some examples of appliance power consumption.

 

Most caravan dealers have decent promotions on batteries - I paid £65 for a Numax 110ah last Easter.

 

T

[MalH]

A good one is unnamed battery supplier, which is gel based rather than acid, and comes with a 5 year warranty.

[Entwood]

Ok, bought the caravan and need to fit a battery as the other is looking very old and doesnt hold it charge. Couple of questions for you all:

 

- 85 amp hour or 110 amp hour. . obviously a cost difference but for a small 2 berth van would 85 amp hour be enough?

- How do I work out how long the battery will last?

- Where is the best place to buy leisure batteries?

- The battery location is currently in the same area as the gas, is this safe? what is the best way to ensure safety?

- Which charger is best for keeping the battery topped up when removed from the van?

 

 

Thanks yet again!

 

Q 1 & 2 are really linked . . size required depends on what you plan to use. You can make a rough guide to usage by looking at the Wattage of each item. Now Watts = volts x amps, you have a 12 volt system . . so the amperage is watts/12.

 

as an example . . a 40 watt bulb is 40/12 = 3. 3 amps . . so an 85 amp hour battery would run that for 85/3. 3 = just over 25 hours, a 110 amp hour battery would last 33 hours - these are continuous use figures of course. Now most items of 12 volt in a van are low consumption by design . . so no-one uses a 40 watt bulb . .. 10 watt halogens are the norm . . but if you put 4 on at once . .......

 

It takes a couple of hours but it can be worth sitting down with pen and paper and doing a few calculations, as already said . . if you go to a site with mains . .. it matters not !!

 

Q3 . .. I always go local, internet prices are cheaper . . but the postage is ridiculous, and if it fails . .... my dealer always seems to have batteries at a reasonable price.

 

Q4 . . I would think not . . but I'll allow the experts to properly answer that. In all my experience I have, even on my very old vans, never seen the battery box in the same location as the gas !!

 

Q5 . . Leisure batteries are made, and used, differently to car batteries . . a car needs a high cranking current for a short period and then it is recharged by the car . ... a leisure battery gives a low amperage over a long time, and may be left partially discharged for some time before recharging, and is left on charge for a longer time . . so the charging requirement is a tad different as well.

 

gel batteries need different charging as well, as they don't disperse heat as well as liquid batteries

 

Without getting complicated . . the best charger for a leisure battery is a "smart charger" with anti-sulphation facilities . .. I use one of these

 

 

http://www. autoexpress. co. uk/products/prod. ..ti_xs_3600. html

 

 

prices vary all over the place . . so do some searching

 

HTH

[pbeecroft]

also consider the weight and size of a 110AH battery.

 

look for a VRLA(valve Regulated) battery and Gell if you can strect to it, they require the last maintennace and and less likely to spill.

 

http://www. tayna. co. uk/catalog/284/0/Leisu. ..ries-page1. html

[Hedgehog]

Told you someone would know

 

T

[leemoore01]

Mike

 

My local dealer wants a kings ransom just now even in winter £70 for a 85AH battery and £95 for the 110 AH

 

I have been looking on fleebay at a dealer in Rochdale with 4 year warranty

 

Ebay Battery

 

dont know if anyone else has had experience with the above vendor befor i take the plunge as well as my Maccess source let me down

[mikeyboy]

Mike

 

My local dealer wants a kings ransom just now even in winter £70 for a 85AH battery and £95 for the 110 AH

 

I have been looking on fleebay at a dealer in Rochdale with 4 year warranty

 

Ebay Battery

 

dont know if anyone else has had experience with the above vendor befor i take the plunge as well as my Maccess source let me down

 

 

 

Thanks for everyones input so far, much appreciated. I will have a good hunt on the internet tomorrow for prices on 85 amp hour batteries. Will report my findings.

 

I am concerned about the safety of the battery being in the front locker, this is apparantly where it has always been. The battery is sited on the off- side of the locker with a wooden 'divider' and then on the near-side of the locker is where the gas bottle sits. Would putting the battery in a plastic battery box make this arrangement safer?

[Novocastrian]

Mike

 

My local dealer wants a kings ransom just now even in winter £70 for a 85AH battery and £95 for the 110 AH

 

I have been looking on fleebay at a dealer in Rochdale with 4 year warranty

 

Ebay Battery

 

dont know if anyone else has had experience with the above vendor befor i take the plunge as well as my Maccess source let me down

 

United British Caravans always have good prices on batteries, but not sure if they have branches around and about. They certainly have one near Gosforth Park if ever you are travelling south (if Bathgate is where I think it is near Strathclyde Park)

[Entwood]

Thanks for everyones input so far, much appreciated. I will have a good hunt on the internet tomorrow for prices on 85 amp hour batteries. Will report my findings.

 

I am concerned about the safety of the battery being in the front locker, this is apparantly where it has always been. The battery is sited on the off- side of the locker with a wooden 'divider' and then on the near-side of the locker is where the gas bottle sits. Would putting the battery in a plastic battery box make this arrangement safer?

 

To be honest . . I'd be inclined to move the battery to a "proper" battery box in an underbed locker. This is where all my old vans had the batteries before external battery boxes became the way . ...

 

just my thoughts . . I'm sure someone like "spawnofthedevil" will pass by and give a far more expert view than mine.

[leemoore01]

Yes Novocastrian

 

Not too far from Strathclyde park (caravan site there too ) handy for the M&D'S fun fare .

I have a shop i use all the time in Glasgow and he is reasonable £55 for an 85 but it is trying get it home as i use public transport .(Marine leisure make)

 

Go outdoors have them for £59 as well

[Novocastrian]

Yes Novocastrian

 

Not too far from Strathclyde park (caravan site there too ) handy for the M&D'S fun fare .

I have a shop i use all the time in Glasgow and he is reasonable £55 for an 85 but it is trying get it home as i use public transport .(Marine leisure make)

 

Go outdoors have them for £59 as well

 

I know the area well. I did a bit of rowing competitively and competed in a few European Chamionships at Strathclyde Park as well as a couple of World Champs as a Veteran (aged 29 and over!!!). I bought something from a guy in Bathgate but can't for the life of me remember what it was now.

 

Yes, I know the Caravan/Camping park at Strathclyde Park - I've spent many nights listening to the traffic thundering past all night

[leemoore01]

What was the site like . I often take my son away in the van at weekends to get peace from the wife or maybe the other way about ?

 

Know it is off topic

 

Thanx lee

[Novocastrian]

What was the site like . I often take my son away in the van at weekends to get peace from the wife or maybe the other way about ?

 

Know it is off topic

 

Thanx lee

 

Actually, the site is very good; very well maintained and clean and tidy. Helpful staff too. I usually camp there in a tent as I stay over when I am competing. The tent area is noisy due to traffic and being closer to the road, but caravans are not so close the road and are shielded by trees.

 

When I turn up in my tent they direct me to the camping field, but I find a spot behind one of the many shower blocks which gievs shelter from the noise.

 

A shop on site that sells basics and fast food if you want it in Hamilton or Motherwell.

 

It's OK.

 

Would you use it to get away from the wife? You must be desparate as Bathgate is only 3 or miles away ???

[A11]

Costco do good prices on Bosch Silver leisure (and car) batteries if you know someone who is a member. They only tend to stock 110Ah versions though (but if Bosch make a 85Ah version I'm sure they could get it)

[beejay]

also consider the weight and size of a 110AH battery.

 

look for a VRLA(valve Regulated) battery and Gell if you can strect to it, they require the last maintennace and and less likely to spill.

 

http://www. tayna. co. uk/catalog/284/0/Leisu. ..ries-page1. html

 

An AGM battery is better than gel for caravan use and could be used as a starter battery if required something a gel cannot do. It has a very low rate of self discharge and will take twice the charge cycles of a SLA battery. A search for lead acid battery websites will provide more information about batteries than a sales website will. Some links here to start with Ctek or www. batteryfaq. org or www. batteryuniversity. com/partone-13. htm.

Happy reading.