Which leisure battery to go for? (1 Viewer)

Lenny HB

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Oct 18, 2007
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So glad you agree with me in the end. No offence meant with the fruit pastel remark and I accept you have the best interests of members at heart, as I do. The sooner an national or international standard is produced for a ' leisure battery' the better we will all be for it.
I don't remember agreeing with you.:D
 
Oct 29, 2008
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Shaudt electroblocs don't get on too well with Banner batteries especially AGM. That's why after quite a lot of reading I went for Varta batteries.
It depends which model. Ours is the newer EBL119 model which is supposed to be ok with AGM batteries. It has a selector for AGM. How many people select the correct charge regulator for AGM batteries? I had the option of Schaudt, Votronic or Victrron
I'm going with the Votronic.

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FJmike

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It depends which model. Ours is the newer EBL119 model which is supposed to be ok with AGM batteries. It has a selector for AGM. How many people select the correct charge regulator for AGM batteries? I had the option of Schaudt, Votronic or Victrron
I'm going with the Votronic.
Well you learn something new every day and I stand corrected
 

Springer 52

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We are in calpe spain near benidorm does anybody know where we can buy a new battery ours is a new battery is a starter battery but its not charging any help will be appreciated thanks
 

funflair

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We are in calpe spain near benidorm does anybody know where we can buy a new battery ours is a new battery is a starter battery but its not charging any help will be appreciated thanks
I done really know BUT I have read that the large supermarkets like Carrefour are as good a bet as any for a reasonable priced starter battery.

Martin

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funflair

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I done know who decided that AGM batteries were suitable for leisure vehicles or whether we are just being used in a big experiment, I have faith in EXIDE as its a long standing name in battery technology and possibly because we have EXIDE batteries and happy with them. On their web site they only seem to recommend AGM as stop/start or dual batteries for pure equipment they seem to favour Flooded lead acid or GEL, in my book our motorhome leisure batteries are "equipment"
I know this is for marine application but there is not a lot of difference in my book, if you click their caravan/motorhome range they only list GEL for running equipment.

Martin
 
Feb 9, 2008
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@PhilandMena , This thread is about AGM's failing with a Sargent charger.
Well I read it and it's a bit thin don't you think ! Nothing about why the OP stated his Sargent charger was not supplying enough voltage or even if it was faulty ? Does not say how old the AGM batteries were and how they were being used. However, to put an end to this to and fro and back and forth about Banner batteries and Sargent chargers I accept there is another post on this forum about a Sargent charger that is not suitable for the two leisure batteries in the OP motorhome.

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OP
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DL42846

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Just had a thought, as I am about to fit a GEL battery and up grade my battery charger to one that can handle a GEL charge. I'm wandering if I will have to do anything to the Solar panel. Does the solar panel go through the charger or does it go to the battery direct. I can see a flickering light on something that appears to come down from the solar panel. there are no settings that I can see from the solar panel.
 

funflair

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Just had a thought, as I am about to fit a GEL battery and up grade my battery charger to one that can handle a GEL charge. I'm wandering if I will have to do anything to the Solar panel. Does the solar panel go through the charger or does it go to the battery direct. I can see a flickering light on something that appears to come down from the solar panel. there are no settings that I can see from the solar panel.

I think the simple answer is yes the solar charger should be set to GEL, the more complicated answer might depend on how big the battery bank is and how much solar panel you have.

Certainly the safe answer is yes it needs to be set to GEL.

Martin
 
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DL42846

Deleted User
This what I have at the moment, I presume I now need to get one that has a Gel setting.



e
IMG_20170223_193756347.jpg

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DL42846

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Just been looking on line and can find anything for a GEL battery solar panel charger.
 

funflair

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This what I have at the moment, I presume I now need to get one that has a Gel setting.



eView attachment 149367

To be fair if that's a solar controller it has to the cheapest looking one I have ever seen, no offence intended:LOL: Votronic certainly do MPPT controller with GEL function.

Martin

EDIT @ €16.89 it is not the most expensive.
 
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DL42846

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To be fair if that's a solar controller it has to the cheapest looking one I have ever seen, no offence intended:LOL: Votronic certainly do MPPT controller with GEL function.

Martin

EDIT @ €16.89 it is not the most expensive.

Even I thought it looked like a load of Italian crap. I presume I should be looking at something like this:

Votronic 250W 12V dual battery MPPT solar charge controller motorhome camper van
 
Apr 27, 2008
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Mine can be set for flooded sealed or gel and can be programmed from a laptop for any custom parameters you like.

SolarEpic MPPT 30A Solar Regulator 100V PV input Tracer 3210A Series Charge Controller With LCD Display

Available from Amazon but can't put in the link.
 

funflair

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Even I thought it looked like a load of Italian crap. I presume I should be looking at something like this:

Votronic 250W 12V dual battery MPPT solar charge controller motorhome camper van
A Votronic 165 duo will be OK up to 165 watts of solar but apart from that YES.

Martin

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DL42846

Deleted User
Up date on up grading my leisure battery. My upgraded battery charger arrived this morning. The first one they sent me was not what I had ordered. I ordered a Nordelettronica NE 287 which should be more or less be a straight swap for my NE 143. The NE143 doesn't handle a GEL battery. They originally sent me a NE 186 which has been replaced by the NE 287. I think they were trying to get rid of there old stock.
The NE287 went in without any major problem other than being a little fiddly. Set the charger to the GEL setting. Fitted the GEL battery which also went straight in without any problems. Connected the Electric hook up and everything seems fine. Checked the charge rate on the control panel and 14.2 volts going into the battery which is what I am told is correct for a GEL battery.
The Solar panel controller with a GEL setting arrives tomorrow. Looks like a ten minute job ( famous last words) I have ordered a Photonic dual battery controller which can run a GEL battery although I only run off the one battery. I don't think I will be using the second slot for anything. My engine battery seems fine, it has stood idle for a couple of weeks and started the engine on the button. I presume just using the one battery for the solar panel should charge it up quicker and being a GEL battery I think they take a bit longer than a normal acid type battery.
Hope to get away for the weekend to test it all out.
On looking at the old battery that I have taken out it has a small round window which is green inside. I presume that's telling me the battery is still in working order?
 

Lenny HB

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All sorted then, it is worth connecting the starter battery side of the dual controller up as need never to worry about having a flat starter battery.
 
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DL42846

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All sorted then, it is worth connecting the starter battery side of the dual controller up as need never to worry about having a flat starter battery.

It had crossed my mind. I assume I just have to run L and N wires from the controller to the + & - of the starter battery.

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Sep 10, 2012
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@Mikescuba I know this is an old thread which is why I am asking.
How is the leoch gel battery doing?
Toss up between exide g85 and leoch gtp12110
TIA
Bern
 
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DL42846

Deleted User
@Mikescuba I know this is an old thread which is why I am asking.
How is the leoch gel battery doing?
Toss up between exide g85 and leoch gtp12110
TIA
Bern
The GEL battery was doing very well. Still working like new. I sold the van in march and bought a newer one. Was so impressed with the leoch battery I immediately fitted two new ones to the new van

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