First hand leisure battery advice!

[Richardwhite]

Hi folks, hope everyone's good

Having trawled the forum and wiki I know that leisure batteries are a much covered subject but I was after a bit of first hand experience advice if anyone can help?

I need to replace our dud LB and I've tied myself up in right knots trying to work out what the best one to go for is! I've read few articles in various places saying that the new Calcium Silver starter batteries are as good, if not better than dedicated leisure batteries, but i wondered if anyone had used them and if they were good as a leisure battery? I think I've narrowed the selection down to these two...

http://www.justcarbatteries.co.uk/index ... y-e38.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.justcarbatteries.co.uk/index ... ttery.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Has anyone used either of these and are they any good?! I'm after a low profile one that will fit under the swivel seat but want one that will last!

Cheers everyone

Richard

[bigherb]

Those are silver calcium batteries not suitable as leisure batteries and not really as starter batteries for our vans they are designed for modern vehicles with higher charging voltages.
For a leisure battery you just need one of the older technology batteries where only one of the plates is calcium.
Exide Excell 096/100 is a reasonably cost effective quality battery.
http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/produ ... xide-rpt-/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Richardwhite]

Cheers bud, I'll give that a look.

It was articles like this one below that was talking about the Calcium Silver batteries as leisure batteries...

http://www.aandncaravanservices.co.uk/b ... nology.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Leisure Battery currently fitted to the van is a Bosch S5 (which I believe is Silver Calcium based) and it's pretty dead - discharges from full to under 12v with only that cab lights on in a few hours. I wondered if it was the fact that it hadn't been used much and is pretty old, as opposed to its 'technology'.

Thanks for the advice though, I'll go order the Exide!

Cheers

Richard

[bigherb]

A lot of that is just sales spin although what they say is true it's what they don't mention is more important.
Silver calcium batteries where developed for a F0rd requirement for batteries operating in high temperatures. Heat is one of the biggest killers of batteries either through charging the battery or the operating environment. Silver calcium doesn't make the battery any better at deep discharge all they do is enclose one or both of the battery plates.
One of these.


In it's own Jonny bag like this.


Which holds the active paste in the plates when the battery is discharged, to stop this

Where the paste has fallen away from the plate loosing capacity and eventually collecting at the bottom of the cell and shorting the plates.

Most of the top end battery manufactures encapsulate the plates whether they are silver calcium or not, the main benefit of the silver calcium is it's heat tolerance which means it can be charged quicker at higher voltages, most modern vehicles now charge at 14.4V-14.8V our vehicles normally only charge between 13.8V and 14.2V and our batteries are mounted in a reasonably cool environment under the seats not (unless it is a diesel) in the hot engine bay.

[keith]

I have a standard bosch starter battery in my westy ....about 4 maybe 5 years old now.

I suppose its all about how often you flatten them.

[Richardwhite]

Cheers both, and Bigherb - that's the clearest I've seen it explained yet and now makes perfect sense! Cheers for that

I was starting to wonder how much of the guff was sales talk and how much was actual fact...

Thanks again

[123-jn]

I have an exide which fits under the passenger seat 71ah , it's a starter battery but since my 80watt solar panel keeps it topped up and I never camp without starting the van for more than a couple of days it is the best option. Banner batteries are also good, In previous Ldv campers I have used leisure batteries but since they never ran down more than 20% It was not worth the outlay. The exide cost £54.00 from ebay (new) and my banner starting bull for the engine cost £60.00.