Replacement leisure battery suggestions please

[Stumbleweed]

Our van had 3 x exide eguipent gel es1600 140 Ah batteries, two of which have now died.
The 2 solar panels have managed to keep the remaining one and the starting battery fully charged through the winter on a storage site. (3rd winter since we got it, 1st time all batteries went flat, had to replace starting battery. 2nd winter it was on EHU throughout).
Despite proving it can support a 7A discharge for 10 hours to 50% charged last summer, I strongly suspect the remaining battery will die soon.
Van has a Mastervolt mass combi inverter/charger suitable for various battery types, plus separate solar charger
Two questions:
1. What do people think is the best price/performance compromise for various battery technologies?
2. How do most people assess how much capacity they need?

 

[Spriddler]

Two questions:
1. What do people think is the best price/performance compromise for various battery technologies?
2. How do most people assess how much capacity they need?

Loads of suggestions no doubt but I'm a pragmatic chap.

1. I've been happy with my Bosch lead acid batteries.
2. I'd seek to increase the capacity if I kept running out of power (which I haven't).

 

[adonisito]

We run a Burstner A Class. I bought 2 of the Halfords HLB 700 batteries. We’ve had them 3 years now and been very pleased. The van has been parked up for 6 months for obvious reasons and my last test showed them to be fine. Mind you, they are trickle charged by 2 solar panels. £110 each. We are regularly off EHU when travelling.
.

 

[Stealaway]

2 X 130ah Hankook wet batteries charged by 200watt solar panels. We watch s 28" 230v TV every night for at least 3 hours through an Inverter. We are never on sites and spend at least 100 night's a year off grid. The last set lasted over 5 year's

 

[Lenny HB]

Surprised to hear your Gels have died they normally have a very long life provided you teat them properly.
Gel often represent the best value as you can discharge them to 20% and still get a long life they often last 10 years plus.

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[mitzimad]

Surprised to hear your Gels have died they normally have a very long life provided you teat them properly.
Gel often represent the best value as you can discharge them to 20% and still get a long life they often last 10 years plus.

dont think the op mentions their age ?

 

[Stumbleweed]

Thank you for the replies.

Surprised to hear your Gels have died they normally have a very long life provided you teat them properly.
Gel often represent the best value as you can discharge them to 20% and still get a long life they often last 10 years plus.

Sorry, found a receipt previous owner bought the batteries in January 2016.

We bought the van in October 2018, used it for one weekend then put it on a storage site some distance away for the winter. Didn't check it until spring, then found leisure and starting batteries dead flat. Replaced the starting battery to get it to the MOT test.

When I assessed the leisure batteries, one was obviously dead - no amount of charging would get them anywhere near 12V, but after disconnecting the worst one, the other two seemed OK - until this winter. As the days shortened the solar panels were unable to keep them topped up, so I removed both, leaving the small lead acid battery from our generator to keep the system happy / let the solar panels charge the starting battery.

I recharged both leisure batteries at home, one behaved normally the other exhibited big variations in charging current and terminal voltage and would not charge beyond about 12.2V. I pronounced this one dead too and reinstalled the sole survivor. The van has been able to keep this one fully charged as well as the starting battery. All indications are that it has survived thus far, but since it's history is the same as the other two I have to assume it won't last long.

My options are to leave it and see if it will work when I need it and hope that one unit is enough, (3 x 140 Ah seems more than most people have), or bite the bullet and buy new.

My instincts are not to parallel this battery with one or more replacements - if it goes the same way as the others it will prevent the new ones being properly looked after by what seems a decent/sophisticated 3-stage charger.

We never really use them much, up to now we've had EHU everywhere apart from the occasional overnight stop, when it's just lighting, (all LED), fridge controls, water pump & flushing the loo so one battery MIGHT be OK

 

[cmcardle75]

Our van had 3 x exide eguipent gel es1600 140 Ah batteries, two of which have now died.
The 2 solar panels have managed to keep the remaining one and the starting battery fully charged through the winter on a storage site. (3rd winter since we got it, 1st time all batteries went flat, had to replace starting battery. 2nd winter it was on EHU throughout).
Despite proving it can support a 7A discharge for 10 hours to 50% charged last summer, I strongly suspect the remaining battery will die soon.
Van has a Mastervolt mass combi inverter/charger suitable for various battery types, plus separate solar charger
Two questions:
1. What do people think is the best price/performance compromise for various battery technologies?
2. How do most people assess how much capacity they need?

1) Lithium has many advantages (except cost).

However, one that would be very important to you in your situation is that rather than requiring constant float charge or regular recharging over winter, you can disconnect it entirely and with no load at all, it will hold charge for several years with no damage at all. Even better to burn it down to 70% before storing for even longer life, as wears out more slowly at 30-70% full, and its self discharge is so low, it won't get there without help.

Your remaining solar could be directed at the starter battery.

2) Capacity required has far too many variables to even guess at. How much you travel, what sort of campsites, what charging equipment is on board, what sort of fridge/heating, what your usage patterns are, what time of year etc. etc.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Trojan

Trojan Battery | Home

Since 1925 Trojan Battery Company been a leading manufacturer of deep-cycle flooded, AGM, and gel batteries as well as our new Trojan AES and lithium-ion batteries.

www.trojanbattery.com

Best batteries I have ever used. I have tried many. Vans, cars and Motorhomes. I have one that sits for endless months. It is 12 years old. Still going strong when needed.

I have two GEL in motorhome, they have been battered and still going good 5 years on.

I can't say that of the Varta, Bosch OEM Mercedes, BWM range

 

[Raybreck]

2 X 130ah Hankook wet batteries charged by 200watt solar panels. We watch s 28" 230v TV every night for at least 3 hours through an Inverter. We are never on sites and spend at least 100 night's a year off grid. The last set lasted over 5 year's

Hi Stealaway,
Could I ask where you purchased these from as I have noted before your famous Yorkshire war cry “ how much “ I’m now possibly about to change ours and can’t justify lithium.
Ray

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[Raul]

Trojan

Trojan Battery | Home

Since 1925 Trojan Battery Company been a leading manufacturer of deep-cycle flooded, AGM, and gel batteries as well as our new Trojan AES and lithium-ion batteries.

www.trojanbattery.com

Best batteries I have ever used. I have tried many. Vans, cars and Motorhomes. I have one that sits for endless months. It is 12 years old. Still going strong when needed.

I have two GEL in motorhome, they have been battered and still going good 5 years on.

I can't say that of the Varta, Bosch OEM Mercedes, BWM range

Dito, Trojan are used worldwide by people off grid. The caveat is, you need to make sure you have enough charging capacity to put back what you used; like most batteries.

 

[Stealaway]

Hi Stealaway,
Could I ask where you purchased these from as I have noted before your famous Yorkshire war cry “ how much “ I’m now possibly about to change ours and can’t justify lithium.
Ray

Battery Megastore had the best prices and a first class service.

 

[Raybreck]

Thanks for the prompt reply , I’ll give them a look.
Ray

 

[Stumbleweed]

1) Lithium has many advantages (except cost).

However, one that would be very important to you in your situation is that rather than requiring constant float charge or regular recharging over winter, you can disconnect it entirely and with no load at all, it will hold charge for several years with no damage at all. Even better to burn it down to 70% before storing for even longer life, as wears out more slowly at 30-70% full, and its self discharge is so low, it won't get there without help.

Your remaining solar could be directed at the starter battery.

2) Capacity required has far too many variables to even guess at. How much you travel, what sort of campsites, what charging equipment is on board, what sort of fridge/heating, what your usage patterns are, what time of year etc. etc.

Thank you for this information, (particularly the point relating to not needing a float charge over winter).
I'll have another look at lithium and perhaps try a lower capacity unit, perhaps 100Ah or thereabouts with a view to adding more if I find a need for it.