Best type of leisure battery?

[mariesnowgoose]

 

[trevskoda]

Looks a tight space that. Obviously check the measurements on any replacement. As regards solar if your van is like ours of a certain age and not very power hungry you will probably get away with a single 100w panel and mppt controller. If you can fit it yourself, about £200.

Not only a tight space but no secureing clamps.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

You definately have a size limit there with the heating hose.
The battery also looks fairly small. Be worth measuring the length and the depth(width) of the current battery and also from sides to hose in both directions to see what could be possible, AND the height of the enclosure as well to see what limit you have there.

Thanks David, will do

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Not only a tight space but no secureing clamps.

The battery appears to be clamped into the base plate at the sides, Trev? *

It certainly won't budge without unbolting the metal supports that are tight against it

(* and the base plate is definitely going nowhere as it is also bolted firmly to the floor... )

 

[trevskoda]

The battery appears to be clamped into the base plate at the sides, Trev?.

It certainly won't budge without unbolting the metal supports that are tight against it

Ok i could not see the base clamp.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Ok i could not see the base clamp.

This is an old Autosleeper.

Mightn't have all the latest "flash", but at least it's from an era when they bothered to make a half decent job of putting them together

 

[barryd]

There is space, I think?
But the battery sits on a metal plate which is bolted to the floor.
Is this is a standard sort of setup?

Guessing the current restriction for a replacement battery would be the size of the metal base plate it sits on?

View attachment 130656

Looks tight. You might get a 110 or 120 in there at a push but you might have to modify the plate. I had a similar issue which is why I mentioned it. I took all the precise measurements and the 120 AGM fitted but only just.

 

[Robmac]

A

Agm only have 2 to 300 cycles and cannot be left in a half charge state, lead catbon have 1.300 cycles and can be left half flat for a time.

According to Alpha Batteries "• Typical max. cycle life of 700 cycles @ 50% Depth of Discharge (DoD)" Trev.

 

[alcam]

I got an AGM 120ah battery off a member on here a couple of years ago. I think it was £50! (pretty much new). Its been fantastic. A big difference to the normal leisure batteries we had. My vans ancient and I never upgraded the charger or anything. Some say it will only charge to 80% or something without a charger upgrade but all I know is its been really good. You should invest in solar though. That was another game changer for us especially now as we tend to stay for weeks on end in one spot without moving the van.

Just done something similar Barry with batteries from merl . I'm sure I could make it more efficient but cba and it works !

 

[barryd]

A

According to Alpha Batteries "• Typical max. cycle life of 700 cycles @ 50% Depth of Discharge (DoD)" Trev.

My AGM I got of @RichardHelen262 has had two years use so far which would be around 11 months mainly off grid touring and it shows no signs of losing power. I wonder what an actual cycle means. I presumed a day of use?

 

[Robmac]

My AGM I got of @RichardHelen262 has had two years use so far which would be around 11 months mainly off grid touring and it shows no signs of losing power. I wonder what an actual cycle means. I presumed a day of use?

I think a cycle is from fully charged down to 50% reading the Alpha link Barry. Probably a bit more than that to it but 700 cycles is quite a lot depending on how much motorhoming you actually do.

Many might not do 700 cycles in 10years IF I understand it correctly. Providing that it is understood that 50% doesn't mean half of 12V!

 

[maingate]

I have a couple of 110 amp hour leisure batteries here going spare if you are pushed for a fix. They are used but have been kept on charge while not in uuse. They are too big to fit properly bt with a couuple of jump leads they can augment your power needs. keeping them secre when travelling might be the problem though.

 

[trevskoda]

Cheep and more cycles.

 

[barryd]

I think a cycle is from fully charged down to 50% reading the Alpha link Barry. Probably a bit more than that to it but 700 cycles is quite a lot depending on how much motorhoming you actually do.

Many might not do 700 cycles in 10years IF I understand it correctly. Providing that it is understood that 50% doesn't mean half of 12V!

Historically ours last about 6-7 years which would be four to six months travelling each year normally. Its very rare ours will get down below 12.2 vaults though. The current one in summer is rarely below 12.5 so I assume these are not proper "cycles". I think 50% is about 11.8v

 

[Robmac]

Historically ours last about 6-7 years which would be four to six months travelling each year normally. Its very rare ours will get down below 12.2 vaults though. The current one in summer is rarely below 12.5 so I assume these are not proper "cycles". I think 50% is about 11.8v

I've read it's 12.2 Barry and 11.8 would be about 25% but as usual there is conflicting info out there.

 

[wildebus]

According to Alpha Batteries "• Typical max. cycle life of 700 cycles @ 50% Depth of Discharge (DoD)" Trev.

Not sure which battery you are quoting for the above info?

No matter, the manufacturers (Ritar) Data Sheet for the Lead Carbon Batteries from Alpha Battery is available on this link - https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/1...rbon-gel-ultra-deep-cycle-battery-exp12-160c/

Within that Datasheet, there is a chart of the correlation of Expected Charge Cycles vs the Depth of Discharge (DoD = 1 - SoC. e.g. 80% DoD means you take the battery down to 20% SoC).
Below is that charge grabbed in a screenshot

I would say the numbers are pretty good and maybe on the upper side of optimistic, but even if you halved them you get both a performance way better than something like a Banner Bull say and even if you discharge lower than the "never go below 50% mantra" oft repeated, you still get a very good peformance.

With my Lead Carbons I don't worry in the slightest if they drop below 40% SoC (I have 30% as my minimum) and the Lithiums can drop to Zero% if they want. So far in around 3 years, according to the Victron BMVs I have done under 50 cycles on the batteries (and the BMS on the Lithium is from Memory in agreement give or take) so I care not if a battery is quoted as 3000 cycles or 1500 cycles or 1000 cycles -it will make very little difference I would think for me.

 

[Robmac]

Not sure which battery you are quoting for the above info?

No matter, the manufacturers (Ritar) Data Sheet for the Lead Carbon Batteries from Alpha Battery is available on this link - https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/1...rbon-gel-ultra-deep-cycle-battery-exp12-160c/

Within that Datasheet, there is a chart of the correlation of Expected Charge Cycles vs the Depth of Discharge (DoD = 1 - SoC. e.g. 80% DoD means you take the battery down to 20% SoC).
Below is that charge grabbed in a screenshot
View attachment 130676
I would say the numbers are pretty good and maybe on the upper side of optimistic, but even if you halved them you get both a performance way better than something like a Banner Bull say and even if you discharge lower than the "never go below 50% mantra" oft repeated, you still get a very good peformance.

With my Lead Carbons I don't worry in the slightest if they drop below 40% SoC (I have 30% as my minimum) and the Lithiums can drop to Zero% if they want. So far in around 3 years, according to the Victron BMVs I have done under 50 cycles on the batteries (and the BMS on the Lithium is from Memory in agreement give or take) so I care not if a battery is quoted as 3000 cycles or 1500 cycles or 1000 cycles -it will make very little difference I would think for me.
View attachment 130678

I was going by the Alpha description of the batteries I linked to earlier.

https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12v-150ah-expedition-plus-agm-leisure-battery/

Personally I take no notice of DOD etc. I tend to just use my batteries (Trojan T125's) and if they get low I go for a drive. I do top up the electrolyte every now and again when I remember - which reminds me I should do that now. They are about 7 years old now though so probably due for replacement.

 

[barryd]

I've read it's 12.2 Barry and 11.8 would be about 25% but as usual there is conflicting info out there.

Yes there are various charts out there and they are not all the same. Its not something I worry about. When they die they die and can usually be replaced for the price of a full tank of diesel. Or less if you get lucky like I did.

 

[witzend]

I've used Numax lead acid in both my vans usualy last 5 yrs. 9 mths daily use every 12 mths 120 wat solar top up I don't wait until they fail before changing them

 

[guerdeval]

These look a bargain Marie;

EXPEDITION PLUS 150AH AGM BATTERY UNUSED

I have 4 of these quality batteries for sale ,£220 from Alpha batteries £75 each collected from Worcester, they don’t have the ‘lug’ type terminal so please look on website as I don’t know what they call them,they’re circular like a polo mint shape.

wildcamping.co.uk

Oh bugger, sold them all on flea bay , not sure they’d have fitted tbh.