Leisure Battery

[California Dreamin]

Starter batteries:

As I said earlier.....you might just be able to squeeze one of these in: but carefully measure you space.

Martin

How important is it to get that extra battery capacity please Martin

Depends on what consumers are being used, how many hours they are being used for and over how many days.
Larger capacity just gives more stamina.

Martin

[WLC]

Starter batteries:

As I said earlier.....you might just be able to squeeze one of these in: but carefully measure you space.

Martin

How important is it to get that extra battery capacity please Martin

Depends on what consumers are being used, how many hours they are being used for and over how many days.
Larger capacity just gives more stamina.

Martin

.
Will it also depend on how long it's being charged for please Martin
And the voltage at the battery post please
.

[CovKid]

What? I'm knackered just opening the sliding door Martin

Larger capacity just gives more stamina.

Martin

[California Dreamin]

What? I'm knackered just opening the sliding door Martin

Larger capacity just gives more stamina.

Martin

More power for the love toys lol

[WLC]

Depends on what consumers are being used, how many hours they are being used for and over how many days.
Larger capacity just gives more stamina.

Martin

I applied a little logic to fitting a higher stamina battery Martin.
Over on a parallel discussion Ghost123UK has developed an ingenious device that charges his leisure battery at 10 amps, he seems chuffed with it

If we take 10 amps as the charging rate for a leisure battery then it will take 13.5v alternator hours to get that stamina from 50% to 100% of capacity.

If you have a 100-amp hour leisure battery the alternator will still only put 10 amp hours into store each hour.

As I see it, you are going to have to run the alternator / engine for longer to get that extra stamina

Would anyone like to comment on my guess that more battery capacity doesn’t mean more stamina in store per alternator hour

[CovKid]

Might be better to keep it in that thread WLC - being as that seems to be what the discussion is about. http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.p ... 6&start=75" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This one is primarily about location of leisure batteries - and sources for them.

[WLC]

Might be better to keep it in that thread WLC. This one is primarily about location of leisure batteries - and sources for them.

You clutter the thread

My comment is about battery size, which involves location and convenience

Over and out.

[CovKid]

Good grief.....are you for real?

[California Dreamin]

Given that all leisure batteries should start a camping weekend FULLY charged, your discussion doesn't apply.
I have a 100 watt panel on my roof through a charge controller....my batteries are always 100% charged before I start a camping weekend.
Before I went Solar, I would connect my 20 amp staged charger on return from a camping weekend to ensure it was left (between camps) in a fully charged state.
If the time between camps exceeded 6 weeks I would also re-charge the batteries on the Thursday before a camping weekend.

In short...my batteries are always kept 100% charged..
To ensure the maximum life out of your batteries they should never be left in a partially charged state so in practice this means: not relying on the vehicles split charge system as a sole means of charging.

Martin

[WLC]

Given that all leisure batteries should start a camping weekend FULLY charged, your discussion doesn't apply.
I have a 100 watt panel on my roof through a charge controller....my batteries are always 100% charged before I start a camping weekend.
Before I went Solar, I would connect my 20 amp staged charger on return from a camping weekend to ensure it was left (between camps) in a fully charged state.
If the time between camps exceeded 6 weeks I would also re-charge the batteries on the Thursday before a camping weekend.

In short...my batteries are always kept 100% charged..as they should be for maximum life.

Martin

Yeah, thanks Martin

I kept solar panels, pre-charging, and length of camping out to include people who may not have solar panels, who may not be able to pre-charge, and who may wish to wild camp for longer than a weekend
.

[California Dreamin]

I kept solar panels, pre-charging, and length of camping out to include people who may not have solar panels, who may not be able to pre-charge, and who may wish to wild camp for longer than a weekend

In that case you are describing a situation that is unsustainable....where the capacity of the leisure battery (using the existing VW battery box) is unlikely to be enough whatever its percentage of charge.

It is also worth mentioning that you can damage a battery if you allow it to become too discharged (less than 11.5 volts) and that 11.5 volts still represents an approximate 25% of charge remaining. This means in effect, usable capacity is reduced by at least a quarter.



Martin

[CovKid]

Which is why my battery went in the cupboard - its bigger than one you can squeeze in battery box. I genuinely do camp off the grid (few do) for extended periods and charging is mostly academic then. You just have a fully charged battery before you start, use low-current items (all my lighting is LED strip) and i NEVER play the stereo if I'm camped - its battery radio or the Hudl for movies. The main purpose of my leisure is to keep the Propex ticking over if its cold at night and in an emergency I have a spare starter battery but if the Propex won't fire up I know I'm down to 12v and need a run to get the charge back. Works well.

If you only camp once or twice overnight, I'm sure a starter battery would be fine.

[WLC]

In that case you are describing a situation that is unsustainable.... Please will your explain why you think it is unsustainable

Martin

[ninja.turtle007]

Just fit a battery to battery sterling charger and be done with it. When my leisure batteries have been used for a day or two the Sterling charger makes the alternator put 60amps at 14.8v nto them. This tapers off as they get closer to fully charged and then it goes into float.

[WLC]

Just fit a battery to battery sterling charger and be done with it. When my leisure batteries have been used for a day or two the Sterling charger makes the alternator put 60amps at 14.8v nto them. This tapers off as they get closer to fully charged and then it goes into float.

.
Sounds good Ninja

When the Sterling charger is putting 14.8v into your leisure batteries, how many volts is going into your starter battery please
.