Leisure batteries

[tecnick]

Is big better when it comes to Ah on a battery. Our van doesnt have a mover or other massive draw items, it does have lights and the kids pee alot so toilet flushes often. Water pump as per. Current battery is 110Ah.
Does this rating mean it can take a big draw OR does it mean it can take a smaller draw for longer and not run down too quickly

Cheers Nick

[davew]

The Ah rating is a guide to the batteries capacity to hold charge under it's best conditions (temperature, current draw etc...)

In theory a 110Ah battery can supply 1 amp for 110 hours or 110 amps for 1 hour. In practice though the rating is, at best, a guide. Leisure batteries tend to be better at supplying low currents for longer periods so a 110Ah leisure battery might have a faint chance of delivering 1A for 110 hours but might well only deliver 10A for 5 hours.

As a guide the Ah rating is useful as, for any given manufacturer and battery type, the higher the rating the better. When comparing different manufacturers and battery types it's less useful.

Bear in mind too that most modern caravan chargers have a limited charge current even when charging from the car. A 110Ah battery may well take 15 hours or more to charge. If you rely on the towing car to charge it you'll have to tow it a LONG way to get the battery up to full charge. I always try and leave the caravan hooked up to the mains for a couple of days prior to using the caravan and after returning home so the battery is fully charged.

No point in putting a 110Ah battery in and only ever half charging it.

[tecnick]

Now that is useful, as our van is a stripped down lightweight (cheap) European one, it doesn't charge whilst plugged into the mains, only when towing. I have always assumed that a trip to the coast would give it some charge (as a normal car battery would) and have only given it a 'top up' at home in the garage. Perhaps I just need to give it a really long charge and see how it gets on, it may not be as knackered as I think.
Worth a try, thanks

Nick

[Rod]

Here are two places I know of give them a ring for a price

FIVE STAR BATTERY SERVICES (LEEDS) LTD
UNIT 9,JOHN O GAUNT TRADING EST LEEDS RD, ROTHWELL
LS26 0JB LEEDS, WEST YORKSHIRE
Phone: 0113 282 2667
Fax: 0113 282 2667

Or

Battery World
3 Selby Road, Garforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS25 1LR
01132 872583

Rod

[nicks90]

if your current battery doesnt 'seem' to be holding much charge - as suggested above, give it a few days on charge first.

if its still not much good - the plates may have crusted up / sulphated. You can try rejuvenating the battery with a package of epsom salts or other such battery reconditioning 'stuff' you can buy from a hardware store or ebay, or use an arc welder...
do so at your own risk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www ... re=related
the video is for a drill nicad battery, but it works on normal leisure battery and car batteries too.


Nick

[Bo]

Try this link to vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0JbNX4K4fQ&feature=related
Only an American could have a welder called a Power Fist and then go on to say "there's no fist like a power fist":oops:
I'm off to crack up the welder and book an appointment in A&E.

[tecnick]

Thanks for some of your battery advice (no thanks for some) after usual ring around for prices, £85 for numax 100ah less than half a mile away at Albion Caravans. Not usually cheap but on this occasion they were (and very local)

Cheers Nick

[nicks90]

coward

can i have your knackered one then - and have a go at zapping it back into life?

[tecnick]

Sorry, gone to our travelling friends. If you like I could just smack you in the face and pour vinegar in your eyes.... if thats any help

Cheers Nick