# Leisure Battery connected to Starter Battery?



## Donald M (Mar 6, 2010)

Hi there,

I have a Vivaro Van with a second battery installed with a split charge relay etc which means the main engine battery doesn't get drained.  

Problem is that the second battery is actually a starter battery and doesn't like being discharged over a period of time.  It dies suddenly.  

Now I know that I need a deep cycle/leisure battery but my question is - is it ok to connect this leisure battery to the starter-leisure battery?  Will it drain the leisure battery this way or will I get extra capacity?

The starter-leisure battery is 88Ah and I might buy at 110Ah leisure battery.  Will this give me extra capacity and mean I get a decent usage cycle?

I have been out on a wee ski trip in the last week and with lots of snow and low temps the heater needs power for the fan!


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## jouster (Mar 6, 2010)

When you pair batteries up like this it's best to have batteries of the same type, ideally both leisure batteries and of similar capacity. If you can mount the two batteries adjacent to each other you may think about fitting quick release battery clamps to switch from one battery to the other, keeping the leisure battery as the main battery and the car battery as a backup.


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## mildred (Mar 6, 2010)

jouster said:


> you may think about fitting quick release battery clamps



Worth emphasising what Jouster said there - croc clips are not *clamps*.  Croc clips get dislodged, they don't maintain a good contact and are prone to causing sparking - not really what you want if the battery is low level in the van - just where you may have a build up of gas ...

There are some nice ones out there, solid brass with good terminal connections, as well as the cheaper but still effective ones with the blue and red plastic covers. 

MildRed


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## Donald M (Mar 6, 2010)

Thanks, I've just been down to Halfords (!) and asked them about connecting a starter battery and leisure battery in parallel.  They said no as the charging cycles are different.  

Just to be clear, I am not proposing to connect the leisure battery directly to the engine starter battery.


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## derekfaeberwick (Mar 6, 2010)

Donald M said:


> Thanks, I've just been down to Halfords (!) and asked them about connecting a starter battery and leisure battery in parallel.  They said no as the charging cycles are different.
> 
> Just to be clear, I am not proposing to connect the leisure battery directly to the engine starter battery.



1)  Stay away from Halfords, Too dear!

2)  Apair of 110 leisuere batteries in place of you old one sounds about right.

 Just remember! Battery Wiring


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## defitzi (Mar 6, 2010)

*defitzi*



jouster said:


> When you pair batteries up like this it's best to have batteries of the same type, ideally both leisure batteries and of similar capacity. If you can mount the two batteries adjacent to each other you may think about fitting quick release battery clamps to switch from one battery to the other, keeping the leisure battery as the main battery and the car battery as a backup.



yep. agree. I often run three batteries.Thing is, if different ah, then best is biggest first onloading to smaller. If one of the 2 non=motor batteries is deep cycle then I thing best have that one third in line. I have frequently had both kinds linked but usually put starter type next starter battery) behind the non return diode) and no trouble. But i do like to have the second pair easily connected-unconnected - my van battery space is so accessible I can use croc clips and when on a long run charge them one at a time after the motor battery is filled.


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## defitzi (Mar 7, 2010)

Donald M said:


> Thanks, I've just been down to Halfords (!) and asked them about connecting a starter battery and leisure battery in parallel.  They said no as the charging cycles are different.
> 
> Just to be clear, I am not proposing to connect the leisure battery directly to the engine starter battery.



sorry come in again  but I have for many uears conected leisure batteries direct to starter battery-with a non return diode in between with no adverse results whatever. The taste in the pudding is in the eating and I'd really love to know the qualifications of Halford's laddie.How many motorhomes he has had and how often he jigs about with motorhome electric power, charging and batteries
My qualifications are simple -mates used to call me Heath-Robinson. But I do have a lifetime until my now 73 years of making do with little cash and converting all sorts of wagons (and lots of nautical exeriuence as well) and several hundreds of thousands of miles of camper-vanning in all sorts of conditions.
Indeed, just this week i have installed a roofrack on a lifting rood on my Renault kangoo (Roo) camper and conected a new 70 watt solar panel, and am busy building a bicycle rack that is additionally a platform and small tent behind the rear door so they can open and the lot can be switched to biggish box chest when bike is not aboard.
Roo has three batteries!
And the base is a bike-rack! or is it bakrack-yues i think it is.Very useful invention.


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