Best type of leisure battery?

mariesnowgoose

mariesnowgoose

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Leisure battery on our old Autosleeper accidentally got drained last week.

It’s charged back up OK for now, but probably need to get a new one to be on the safe side.

Any recommendations for a good replacement? 🤔
 
You've been and gone and started something now lass.

Someone will no doubt want to spend your cash for you on lithium but I'd say keep it simple, stupid. Unless you're aiming to spend a lot of time with the van, I'd just go for whatever suits from our friends at Alpha Batteries. Was there not someone on here selling some lead carbon recently?

Cheers

H
 
There you go kid...

160 lead carbon for sale

for the last 18 months i have had a hybrid battery set up , a lithium and a lead carbon to back it up as i understand it the lead carbon is only used to reassure the BMS in the lithium that there is enough power available when there is a heavy demand consequently it is as good as new , i have...
wildcamping.co.uk wildcamping.co.uk

Cheers

H
 
winks said:
You've been and gone and started something now lass.

Someone will no doubt want to spend your cash for you on lithium but I'd say keep it simple, stupid. Unless you're aiming to spend a lot of time with the van, I'd just go for whatever suits from our friends at Alpha Batteries. Was there not someone on here selling some lead carbon recently?

Cheers

H
Click to expand...

I know, I did ponder a bit before posting! 😂😎

Looking to visit Ireland and Europe later this year and next, Harold, so might need more than just a leisure battery in the longer term.

It’s a 20 year old original Autosleeper with no modifications or additions like solar etc. 🤔
 
That lead carbon looks like a good place to start if you have the space for it.

Current battery may still be ok for a long time though. 1 drain may shorten it's life, but not necessarily kill it immediately.
 
It's likely that having had no modifications to the charging system your Auto-Sleeper will have a fairly standard Sargent unit. If so, and you want to keep it that way it may not be suitable for an AGM battery and more suited to a Lead Acid replacement (if you don't have the charger manual it's normally possible to download one from the Sargent website to check for charging outputs etc.).

As far as recommendations go, I have had a Yuasa 100ah EFB Leisure Battery for 4 years now and it has coped very well although I do have a solar panel (EFB stands for enhanced flooded battery but still lead acid and suitable for the standard Sargent systems).

If you are intending to use sites with hook up mixed with a few nights wild camping here and there, then you should be ok depending on your usage of course.

Good Luck.
 
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.
 
I think Barry is right Marie. Get yersel a solar panel, it is a game changer for a night or two tucked up out of the way.
In our old Hymer, about twelve years ago, we were on the Outer Hebrides for two weeks with just a single lead acid leisure battery and a little 25W solar panel with a regulator stuck on the back which was clipped on to the battery with crocky clips. only on hook up for four nights or so.

Cheers

H
 
campervanannie said:
I would wait until you have visited the genius near Kelso and see what he recommends. 👍
Click to expand...

Thanks Annie, spot on! 😁 - he's already PM'd me with a (maybe temporary, but no cost?) solution which we'll check out together when I get up there...? :unsure:

But I'm more than happy to spend money on the right sort of decent, reliable gear though (y)
 
Existing (fubard!) battery.

Neil tested the charge when I got back home last Saturday night. Was reading 13v.

Sunday it had gone down to 12v and today it is reading 10v, so definitely losing charge.
Neil's disconnected it earlier this morning to see if it continues to flatten.
He'll check it again when he gets back home this afternoon.

Autosleeper 12v battery 1.jpg


Autosleeper 12v battery 2.jpg
 
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.
 
Items to have befor new batteries brought.
Solar panels and multi meter and a low voltage cut out thingy. Ie a cheap bms .Especially for low power useage at night. As that's when the murder ins happens once you have solar fitted.Then Batteries can begotten from any scrap yard
 
barryd said:
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.
Click to expand...

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? 🤔🤷‍♀️

Autosleeper 12v battery 3.jpg
 
Robmac said:
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 wildcamping.co.uk
Click to expand...
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.
 
mariesnowgoose said:
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
Click to expand...
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.
 
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