leisure battery

Need one for the 101

Can anybody recommend any people that sell them? (yes i have googled but would rather have some recommendations)

and what sort of brands i should be looking at? (if this matters?).

I cant afford optima ones before anybody recommends them! ;)

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Reply to
Tom Woods
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Go around your local caravan shops and find the cheapest in the size you want, 85AH has always been enough for me. Don't bother with anything making great claims, they cost an arm and a leg and if you're very, very lucky will last as long as two cheap ones. Greg

Reply to
Greg

What are you using it for? I have been caravanning for years and have always bought the same battery as the car so that I can swap between the two if necessary. If it's used to start the car from time to time, there's no reason why it shouldn't last as long as a "leisure" battery.

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

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i got a battery for the disco from them no hassles at all

Si

Reply to
GrnOval

fridge+interior lights in the 101

I thought that the point of a leisure battery over a normal one is that the leisure battery is much happier being constantly discharged and charged whereas this kills a normal car battey.

I should still be able to jump the engine off the leisure battery if i ever need to.

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Reply to
Tom Woods

thanks!

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Reply to
Tom Woods

You are quite correct, but you can pay quite a premium for a leisure battery. Also, IIRC the plates in a lesiure battery are much thinner (as it is designed to discharge a small current over a longe period) so I am not sure what damage a start would do to it.

In my experience, whilst "starting" batteries don't last as long, they are more versatile asnd can work out cheaper in the long run.

Also, you do realise that the current draw on a fridge is horrendous, even a leisure battery won't last that long (approx 4 to 5 Amps continuous), that's why my car has a split charge relay that will only power the van when the engine is running. You may be better off getting a gas fridge.

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

Leisure batteries and starter batteries are very different animals, if you repeatedly deep cycle a starter battery by using it for say running your portable telly you will knacker it very quickly. Likewise if you were to use a leisure battery continuously as a starter battery, though the odd emergency start is no problem. There's plenty of info about the various types of battery available if you do a quick google.

I was talking about the difference between an el-cheapo leisure battery and a "how fu****g much!"(tm) leisure battery. There really is no justification for buying the latter as at very best it will last twice as long yet will cost at least twice as much.

Greg

Reply to
Greg

Yes that's right, you need a leisure battery for that application, about =A340 for an 85AH one around here. You'll also find that a leisure battery has plugs so you can top it up and check the gravity of each cell, such maintainance is important if you want to get a good life out of it. Starter batteries these days often tend to be glued shut. And lastly a leisure battery should come with a vent pipe that you can use to direct the explosive gases (liberated during charging) out side the vehicle, a rather important safety tip 8-).

So long as you don't do it often and don't crank for a long time you will be fine.

Greg

Reply to
Greg

One reason I've seen for buying batteries like the expensive Optimas is that they can pack so much battery into so little space, an example being a chap I know with a pinz who has installed a dual-voltage battery system into the same space as the normal battery system, a 24v set for the truck plus a 12v set for powering ancilliaries and a winch. I've also seen expensive Optima batteries used in sports cars again because of the weight and size advantages.

If something does also last twice as long but cost twice as much, that means it needs replacing half as frequently so the work saved is a small justification. I've also read that Optimas are chosen by some due to better vibration and tilt resistance which might be of use in a heavy-duty off-roader, not sure if that's the case or not.

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

Optimas are ment to be solid, so that they can be mounted on their sides.. Another space saving advantage, but not worth the cost in my book!

Reply to
Mark Solesbury

Not in your case from the sounds of it, but they do have their advantages in other situations, like anything in this world. I might get some so I can put dual voltage battery circuits in my pinz without having to fill the second side compartment with battery, but I doubt I'd fit them to the landy if I wanted a dual battery setup as the space under the passenger seat that the second battery would take isn't that much use to me anyway. So worth it for me in my pinz, not worth it for me in my landy.

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

Yes, that could be an advantage IF you need the space.

You miss the point Ian, they DO cost up to twice as much, they MAY last twice as long. El-cheapo leasure batteries usually last 3-4 seasons in a camping/camper/caravan environment and the expensive ones are at best claimed to last 5.

If you really need rugged you need valve regulated batteries, and yes you can get one that are rated for starting. Try googling for "varley red top batteries" for example, not something for the weak of pocket though!. If you're in competitions I believe you're obliged to use this sort of battery for safety.

Greg

Reply to
Greg

No, I didn't miss the point, you said yourself that they last up to twice as long and cost at least twice as much, then said that there's no justification for them... Just pointing out that if your statement stood up then the justification in that situation is not having to change it so frequently. Not much justification for sure as it's not hard to change a battery though!

Yes, IIRC the Optimas do a similar line, often used in some sports cars for safety and ruggedness. My old lotus just has a clunking great big prehistoric thing in the back, probably helps with the weight distribution ;-)

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

It is in my Triump Stag, you have to remove the power steering pump first - a wonderful piece of British engineering!

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

About 30 seconds for the average leisure battery sitting in it's plastic box with snap on terminals 8-), but I suppose I sould have said there's no financial justification. Unfortunately they often sell them to the clueless on the claim that they're cheaper in the long run.

Greg

Reply to
Greg

Blimey, I'm amazed! It's got power steering!

Reply to
Ian Rawlings

I suspect it was late add-on, hence it's a bugger to get the battery out!

Cheers

Peter

Reply to
puffernutter

In theory there is. A leisure battery is designed for deep discharge - a normal vehicle one not. If you refrain from running the caravan one down below about 11 volts it may not make that much difference. But flattening a normal vehicle battery does effect its life.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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Good prices, quick delivery, no connection other than, etc.

Reply to
Rich B

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