I need to replace the battery in my Freedom Twin sport and have been told I have to have a gel battery if the battery is located under the bunk bed where there is no vent hole in floor or side. Is this so?
The battery that was in it when we bought it was an acid battery.
Help please as we are away in it on Wednesday!
Ideally, if the battery is within the habitation area then it should be of the VRLA type that includes GEL; it is safer.
GEL are acid batteries, but not the cheaper "wet" type.
If you replace it with a wet battery you could drill a hole through the floor of the van and pipe the battery's
vent port outside via that.
A GEL battery will cost about 2.5 times as much as a comparable wet battery, but in use ought to last longer, but not typically 2.5 times longer.
It would be foolhardy to use a wet battery without a vent pipe in your application.
another option would be to put it in a sealed battery box with a lid and vent the box outside. if its in a box it would not be in the habitation area.. the box would isolate it..
Thanks for your replies. Could not get hold of a gel battery in time (off to Fforest Fields tomorrow) so in the end have got a sealed battery and will vent the pipe through the floor. The cost of the gel batteries is, as you say JTQU, frightening
The battery didn't come with a pipe so will have to source one, but at least we will be able to have a bit of comfort for our hols!
Very interesting the different thoughts on this - never occurred to me that it would be an issue. Surely we've all slept over batteries in the past without a second thought!
i dont think it is an issue personally.. a sealed battery that wont leak out acid if accidentally tipped over would be good enough for me..
the other possible problem is over charging.. if a lead acid battery is over charged it can or will vent an inflammable gas.. this is what the habitation area stuff is all about..
just make sure its well strapped down and not being over charged and things will be well..
Quote: Originally posted by trog100 on 16/9/2014
the other possible problem is over charging.. if a lead acid battery is over charged it can or will vent an inflammable gas.. this is what the habitation area stuff is all about..
just make sure its well strapped down and not being over charged and things will be well..
trog
But when ultimately one cell fails the other five will gas off !
Not that a VRLA battery gives continued protection for that, if not caught early.
"But when ultimately one cell fails the other five will gas off !"
that will only happens if the battery is kept in use well beyond its sell by date.. correct battery maintenance should include checking and replacing well before a cell reaches failure point..
Quote: Originally posted by trog100 on 17/9/2014"But when ultimately one cell fails the other five will gas off !"
that will only happens if the battery is kept in use well beyond its sell by date.. correct battery maintenance should include checking and replacing well before a cell reaches failure point..
trog
However as evidenced by the understandable general lack of knowledge on lead acid batteries exhibited on this and all other forums, many of us don't know how to "check" the health of our batteries. Let alone the correct method to check that health in deep cycling leisure batteries; my experience is that very few do know, and the retailers themselves, who really should know, are often woefully ignorant in the correct testing of these types of batteries.
As I said it is safer to vent them and any properly configured installation using wet batteries will always be vented. I am well aware there are DIYers who don't bother, but here I am trying to give "sound" and safe advice of the right procedure needed.
How any of us know that a bit of paste is just about to break away and short a cell is something I can't answer, hence the importance of venting the other cells to cater for that.
lead acid cells lose capacity with use.. i think most out there in use would if given a proper check be found to be in need of replacement..
it is odd with things that people use and rely on so much they dont know much about..
the military have spent a lot of time and money trying to find out when a battery needs to be replaced.. 50% of as new is a commonly accepted figure.. when a 100 amp leisure battery gets down to 50 amps for example or when a 600 amp cold start performance gets down to 300 amps..
i think people should be told to get their batteries checked out.. the idea of simply using then until they totally fail vent or explode is very wrong..
the military care because the most powerful fighting machine in the world aint a deal of use if its batteries are knackered..
a battery is only new when its new.. the moment its used it starts to wear out.. people may not know this but they should.. :)
real safety advice would be get your batteries checked.. replace then when needed.. not wait for total maybe dangerous failure..
modern technology makes battery testing very easy.. thing like leisure battery testing should be part of an average caravan service..
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Topic: Battery for Freedom Caravan
