Leisure Batteries or generator.

by Tarmactommy Tue May 05, 2015 3:52 pm

I am going to scotland for a week wild camping, should i fit an extra battery or buy a generator,i will moving about every day, and if i fit another leisure battery should i link them up, thankyou for reading and hope somebody can help me. think_smiley_46

by Gromit Tue May 05, 2015 4:08 pm

I wouldn't do either. Save your cash to spend on Haggis and Single Malt! up!

(Not necessarily in that order! snigger

)

If you are moving about every day your existing battery will easily be fully charged again by the time you park for the night. Our 105Ah battery has lasted 4 days with no moving on, and only on the 5th day did the low battery warning give a squeak.

Dave

by Tarmactommy Tue May 05, 2015 4:42 pm

Thanks Dave, i have decided to buy another leisure battery anyway, the one in our motorhome is 85amp i am buying a banner energy bull 110 amp, is there a way of linking the two together. confused3

by Gromit Tue May 05, 2015 4:50 pm

Hi again Tommy

Best to have two same rated batteries of approximately the same age, so if your existing one is several years old it may be better to get a new matched pair.

I'm no expert on electrics, so someone else may come on with more detailed advice, but in a nutshell, batteries as close together as possible, use heavy cable (I can't confidently suggest a rating) and link them positive to positive and negative to negative.

It's very easy, but do get expert advice - which is not me!

Dave

by Peter Brown Tue May 05, 2015 5:25 pm

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The material at the links above should do. Get the batteries as close together as you can connect negative to negative and positive to positive via the 20A fuse. Ideally the two batteries should be of similar capacity but the two in mine are originally installed by AS and are different makes and capacity. If your existing battery is more than about 4 years old or is in poor condition you may suffer loss of capacity with the new battery continually charging the old but you will still be better off than you are now.

Peter #1

by -mojo- Tue May 05, 2015 5:34 pm

I would stick with one battery and add a decent sized solar panel. Don't forget that if you add a second battery it is likely that your split charge will take significantly longer to charge them while the engine is running, and there's a good chance you will end up just trying to use two half-charged batteries instead of one fully charged one.

Also, make sure that you allow both batteries to vent any accumulated gas from charging before connecting them together - there will almost certainly be a spark as you connect, and a battery gas explosion is not fun (I've seen the resulting mess from one, with sulphuric acid sprayed all over the place).

by Peter Brown Tue May 05, 2015 5:39 pm

-mojo- wrote:I would stick with one battery and add a decent sized solar panel. Don't forget that if you add a second battery it is likely that your split charge will take significantly longer to charge them while the engine is running, and there's a good chance you will end up just trying to use two half-charged batteries instead of one fully charged one.

Also, make sure that you allow both batteries to vent any accumulated gas from charging before connecting them together - there will almost certainly be a spark as you connect, and a battery gas explosion is not fun (I've seen the resulting mess from one, with sulphuric acid sprayed all over the place).

I agree the solar panel is the best option and the concerns Mojo expresses are valid.

Peter #1

by oldfred Tue May 05, 2015 7:31 pm

I don't think you'll need generator, if the leisure battery gets low at bedtime then run the engine for 10 minutes.
A solar panel will useful if you're not travelling around.

We've got one and have never ran out of power since we fitted a Varta 85 AH battery, it takes up much less room than a 100 AH under the seat.

We don't have a TV and use mainly LED lighting.
Hope this helps
Fred

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