Leisure battery

[monster]

Hi All
Not sure if i'm in the right section here, did look in wiki but could not see it there, where is the best place to buy a leisure battery and what size do i need. I would like it to fit under the passenger seat ( in a 1985 panel van ) and need to run a stereo and possibly a few lights one day, and advice would be great
Thanks
Sarah

[T3luestar]

You'll have to try harder........

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Ca ... s_that_fit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[MattBW]

Just shop around carefully too many of the popular vw camper online stores are selling batteries you can get for 70quid restickered with a doubled price tag.

[monster]

Thank you both, told you i was new at this, got the wiki link , and i did look on just campers but your right about the price tag and a lot there stuff is rubbish any way
Thanks
Sarah

[Dazco]

Try and find a local battery supplier, auto electrical specialist, you should be able to get a good price from an independent supplier.
Daz

[123-jn]

The seat places a height restriction on the battery box especially if you have 180 degree seat bases. Most leisure batteries are too tall for the space. secondly do you pitch up and not drive the van for a few days or do you use the van while away? If so you will probably never drain the battery by more than 20 to 30% and so a leisure battery would be a waste of dosh. I never stay for more than a couple of nights without driving the van and my fridge runs on gas. I use the telly and stereo, lights and water pump also a bit of 12v hairdryer for her indoors. I have an exide starter battery 70Ah under my passenger seat easy to find the right height. This is what I use for the leisure bits. I have another one a Banner starting bull battery 54 AH for the engine. The leisure battery charges off a split charge relay and for good measure I have recently fitted a solar panel which can be switched to charge either. (I think its either an 80watt or 100 watt panel). According to the regulator it on average supplies about 10 AH to the battery on a bright but cloudy day and on a sunny day can manage almost 30 AH. Even without the panel this battery is fine as it never gets 'deep cycled' (run right down below 50%).
The exide battery was about £50.00 on ebay brand new. You pay an arm and a leg for a kosher leisure battery probably over £100 just for an average one.

[California Dreamin]

The battery box (if it has a lid) restricts you to 'low profile' 175mm high batteries (standard height is 190mm)
You may be able to find a low profile leisure battery but nothing bigger generally than 80ah.....I've a UK code 100 under mine, which is a normal starter battery (a 72ah Lucas in my case). Again...just don't flatten it.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exide-Car-Bat ... 4179051374" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Martin

[monster]

Thanks Guys
Will get on the case now the party season is over, its only really to run the stereo, lights and a phone charger, like the idea of the solar panel as back up though
Thanks
Sarah

[aisha]

I'm not sure what the policy is wrt editing the wiki, but I think we should put in a warning about Elecsol batteries:
http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums ... ain/30794/

I believe they've filed for bankruptcy now so you shouldn't be able to buy one anymore...

[Winchweight]

Monster, I bought two leisure batteries on 24th December (after wasting loads of time searching in vain), from Alpha Batteries. They are 80ah units designed specifically to fit under the drivers and passengers seats. Free next day delivery is included in the price.

We used ours over Christmas and New Year and they were good. They run lights and an Eberspacher, but will be reconfigured with a Waeco 12v fridge, more lights and some 12v sockets later this year. I did swap the existing lights for 12v led lights though.

[helcat]

Hey, just out of interest did you wire the batteries together in parallel or just run them individually? If you wired them together what did you do with the wires? Under the van? I'd like to get another one for the passenger seat.

[Ian and Lins]

I know there is lots of very good advice here and I am no expert but; we bought a 'starter' battery (identical to the one under the driver's seat) as a leisure battery about 4 or 5 years age. The van is a daily drive and we have used it for a fortnights wild camping in The Isle of Man as well as no hook up sights all over the UK since. We don't draw many amps, no telly and we have LED lights for reading. It has worked for us. Our battery came with a three year guarantee which we obviously didn't need. I've used it occasionally to jump start the starter battery as well. Worth a thought?

[Winchweight]

I have them in parallel, with the wires running through a duct of reinforced tubing at present. I intend routing them another way when I have time, possibly under the step between the seats, not sure yet.

[fairwynds]

The Alpha ones on their website state 'Deep Cycle - no' .... not sure if that's an issue, as my understanding was that leisure batteries are 'deep cycle' (ie: designed to be repeatedly flattened and recharged). Maybe an expert can shed some light?

[Winchweight]

Well when I called them they said they were leisure batteries and designed for the purpose