Battery Help needed.

[iain26]

Our leisure batteries decided to die on us this week. I have managed to get them tested at a friendly dealers workshop and confirmed that one is totally dead and the other is around 50%. We have disconnected the dead one and surviving on the other one for now until we can get replacements.
Both batteries are about 5 years old but we only bought the van in March so a little disappointed but as we are in the middle of Norway we will have to get it sorted.
We have been recommended the national chain to buy replacements, so we have been in today and got the catalogue. Imagine Go Outdoors, Halfords and bit of BnQ all under one roof so they have a range of different batteries.
So the dilemma is which should we buy?
They have in Lead Acid batteries for “Marine and Motorhome”, “Leisure and caravan”, and then ones suitable for “Solar, Wind, and leisure use”. So of those 3 which would be best, I am assuming the ones designated as being for motorhome and marine, rather than the ones designated for caravans?

There is an age option as well but a bit on the pricey side and they only go up to 95ah and we are replacing 110ah.

Any views please
Cheers

 

[Lenny HB]

Can you post some info on the batteries on offer or perhaps take some photos of them. Just because they claim to be leisure batteries most aren't they are often starter batteries with a different label.

 

[iain26]

I can post a copy of the catalogue page but can you read Norwegian?

 

[DavidG58]

You may be surprised how well you get on with just one battery, we had the same issue 2 years ago just as we left for a three week trip round France in February

One battery did well with virtually no solar input, but we did have some sites with mains power and drove at least every other day

Give it a few days to see how you get on and maybe leave till you get home

Do you have solar? You will have massive input if you do

 

[Lenny HB]

You may be surprised how well you get on with just one battery, we had the same issue 2 years ago just as we left for a three week trip round France in February

One battery did well with virtually no solar input, but we did have some sites with mains power and drove at least every other day

Give it a few days to see how you get on and maybe leave till you get home

Do you have solar? You will have massive input if you do

Had to do that in Greece when the poxy AGM batteries failed we were only getting 20a/h out of the pair of them but we got by being careful and did have 200 watts of solar but it was October.

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[iain26]

We do have solar but the sun doesn’t shine as much as we would like . We are driving as well so it could be a possibility. Just not sure about risking getting to the remoter parts and then finding we can’t get a new battery if it does go.

 

[iain26]

boats, leisure and car erena SBILTEMA Maintenance-free battery With a long service life. Integrated flame protection. Reinforced polypropylene housing. Withstands whole (max. 45 ° mounting / inclination angle), the risk of acid leakage. * Silver-calcium batteries in the tables are marked with an asterisk (*). 1 year warranty. Lithium Miljove creates longer leisure time. which reduces suitably starting the charge control. Marine, motorhome a Ah Dimensions mm (Ixbxh) wind- V A Art. Price 12 3 ri for 257 x 172 x 220 257 x 172 x 220 80-4641 12 3 849, 849, 80-4731 98 257 x 172 x 220 001 330 x 172 x 239 80-4861 -666 1149, b0 80-41001 some Dimensions mm (Ixbxh) Art. Price * 04 257 x 174 x 220 410 x 175 x 235 80-3702 849, - 80-31101 1249, - 120 505 x 183 x 240 80-31201 1399, - Snow thrower, lawn tractor etc.

 

[iain26]

Leisure batteries for boat, Speaking extra deners oerena BILTEMA Completely flammable (paint the risk MAIN N Maintenance-free battery Solar cell, wind power and leisure. For years warranty. Powerful, reliable and maintenance-free battery, suitable for extensive and energy-consuming electrical equipment. Also suitable in combination with solar panels and the wind mark r Marin, generators It so man Designed for the high demands placed on a battery for immature use in motorhomes, caravans, baths and holiday homes, likeholds Heavy duty battery that can withstand many ups and downs. lifetime: 450-500 charge cycles at 50% DOD (discharge depth) (25 ° C) Tolerates slope (max. 45 ° mounting / inclination angle), which reduces the risk of acid leakage Integrated flame protection Polar type: Marine Twin (2 round and 2 threaded poles) Housing made of reinforced polypropylene, 1 year warranty 98 00 Leisure, somewhat 105 120 Snowframe



Sorry Google translate is the best we can do.

 

[Just smiffy]

Whichever one you go for make sure you get two... as if you put one with your other old one it could drag the new one down...

Can Someone else will give a better explanation on this please as others are more knowledgeable ??

 

[iain26]

Yes I have planned for 2 identical, when we do it. Thanks.

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[pickeringar]

I would chdck what battery types your charger supports, and choose your batteries accordingly. That may eliminate some of the options.

 

[iain26]

We have a sergant charger that will do Lead acid and AGM up to 220ah according to Sergant so hopefully got that covered thanks. It is a Px300 3 stage switching mode unit apparently.

 

[Lenny HB]

Unfortunately, the info on the batteries doesn't mean a lot, I was hoping they would have some mainstream brands.

How long are you away for & how much solar do you have, because if you can get by until you get home that would be the best option.

Are you anywhere near a Swedish border as they will probably be a lot cheaper in Sweden and you will have a bigger choice?

Another option would be to buy a cheap starter battery just to get by with until you get home.

 

[Jev88]

If your old batteries are lead acid or AGM buy the same again.

 

[iain26]

Thanks for the input everyone.
At the moment the battery is sitting at 12.7v and was 12.2 this morning, without ehu of course.
So I am hoping we can get away with it for now and sort it out when we get home.
Watch this space ?

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[Bart]

Generally with lead acid batteries, the heavier they are the better they "Should" be...
However I suggest you just see how you get on with your one battery atm.

 

[Jev88]

Thanks for the input everyone.
At the moment the battery is sitting at 12.7v and was 12.2 this morning, without ehu of course.
So I am hoping we can get away with it for now and sort it out when we get home.
Watch this space ?

I see lower readings in morning when battery is colder.

 

[iain26]

Yep, 12.2v this morning so not too worried.. yet.

 

[scotzsue]

one of our batteries failed last year, we are still working on one with 180w solar, only becomes a problem when off grid in the winter, the deisel heating is a killer. We do have a generator, but try not to use it.

 

[funflair]

Yep, 12.2v this morning so not too worried.. yet.

12.2v in the morning before any solar input is basically considered to be flat, ie 50% discharged. You have to be careful making assumptions as to the state of the battery when the sun is on your solar panel as then you are reading somewhere between actual battery voltage and solar regulator voltage, so 12.7v later in the day is not really 12.7v.

Martin

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[Lenny HB]

12.2v in the morning before any solar input is basically considered to be flat, ie 50% discharged. You have to be careful making assumptions as to the state of the battery when the sun is on your solar panel as then you are reading somewhere between actual battery voltage and solar regulator voltage, so 12.7v later in the day is not really 12.7v.

Martin

But if they are recovering enough to only get down to 12.2v in the morning after a nights use he should get by. Also as the batteries have practically had it doesn't really matter if they are taken below 12.2v.

 

[iain26]

It’s all irrelevant now. About an hour later the voltage plummeted to 9v, very little sun today as well. We only had 2 iPads plugged in so the decision has been made to buy some ones somewhere.
Off shopping today then.

 

[tacr2man]

iain26

you can find local supplier , they are suppliers of some different makers