Hi. We're new to caravanning, and still learning so bear with me and don't laugh.
We checked the Leisure Battery today and it is bone dry. We have had the van plugged into the mains , but don't know if the battery is now beyond saving.
Is it worth buying a charger, topping the battery up with distilled water, and trying to keep this battery going, or should we buy a new one?
Our van has 4 internal lights running off 12v, and it seems like the central heating blowers work only with the battery too, so although we will always camp with EHU we need a decent battery.
The local battery shop sells 110amp batteries for £55, so we would like to be sure before we spend that amount of money.
> Our van has 4 internal lights running off 12v, and it seems like the central heating blowers work only with the battery too, so although we will always camp with EHU we need a decent battery.
The local battery shop sells 110amp batteries for £55, so we would like to be sure before we spend that amount of money. <
As long as there is an adapter/transformer in between all 12V equipment should work on mains. No battery needed. Apparently the battery is used as or instead of transformer in this case. If you dont want a battery, adapt the installation.
If you don't use the battery, but only use it to run 12 V equipment wilst on EHU, don't take a heavy one. It's money and kilogrammes. If you insist on using a battery for this purpose (in order not to change the installation), a 65 A battery would suffice, plus this one would be much lighter.
A 85 Amps battery would be in between. Adequate capacity for non-ehu use (lighting plus waterpump, no TV), just in case, and by far ot as heavy as a 110Amps battery.
If you want to be off-EHU for a longer time, than choose a heavier battery, if not, choose a lighter one, or adapt your installation.
I must say, it feels rather comfortable to know, that I don't need EHU for some time. In Sweden on one campsite the EHU-area was unpleasantly crowded, so I chose for the wood-area without EHU. Great pitch for 5 days, just using the battery (in my case 65 Amps plus solar, light car, light battery).
If you do require a new battery, I have found Bristol Battery Co quite well priced and helpful. Not sure if they send out as I live local and picked mine up.
Thanks everyone for your help, I topped up the battery and charged it with 6 amps overnight, took it off charge and let it stand for 6 hours, tested it with a multimeter and it is reading 13v !, is that good? have i saved it?
Why don't you load test it yourself? give it a full charge, connect a 12v light and see how long it lasts. It may be worth keeping as a spare for non EHU sites.
We use a Mercedes 814 commercial starter battery as a leisure battery and have a 75aH battery as a spare. once the 814 battery is dead, swap over to the 75aH, then 2 days later it's time to go home.
Well done Kinsa123 that is indeed a good result - hope you have learned your lesson and now look after it. Just keep it topped up with leccy when not out in the van and make sure the plates are covered with liquid if you are leaving it for a long time take it off the van as it will slowly discharge leading to reverse polarity. Then definitely say goodbye to your battery.
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Topic: Bone Dry Battery!!
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looks like i managed to save it, it is still reading 13.52v after nearly three weeks.
