Second leisure battery

[Malcg]

Hi to all, we are new members and just ordered our first Motorhome. (Autosleeper corinium duo) we intend to do some wild camping. Do we need a second leisure battery? Thanks in anticipation.

 

[LesW]

Depends on your 12v consumption, and whether or not you have any solar power.

We manage indefinitly without EHU with a 100ah battery and a 100w solar panel, but don't have a telly, but do keep various appliances charged, laptop, phones, speaker etc..

 

[XxAnthxX]

Welcome......

That would depend on your usage, ah of original battery fitted, solar input and amount of time off grid.....

Most people will say you can never have too much battery and solar power, but there’s loads of people who manage perfectly well with the bare minimum.

Edit...... LesW has the fastest fingers first again

 

[MikeD]

I would try it first, see how you get on with what you have at the moment.

I put a 2nd battery on our first van but suspect we did not need it.

Our current van we have a 100w solar panel with a 140a/h battery and for the type of camping we do does us fine.

But as we usually travel in Spain during the Spring and Autumn there is lots of sun.

UK in winter I doubt it would cope well at all.

 

[XxAnthxX]

I would try it first, see how you get on with what you have at the moment.

Malcg That sounds like great advice from MikeD .....

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[poppycamper]

As Funsters say depends on your needs and what you do.
We very rarely use EHU and rely on solar.
We also only watch tv (videos) when weather is yuck... result.. Catch 22.
When we need power, can't get it cause no sun.... when sunny we sit outside so no need for telly.
Therefore we have much more battery capacity than we need just to give us leeway between when nice and when not.
This obviously for UK.. different scenario if abroad with lots of sun.

 

[Lenny HB]

We have 3 batteries and 300 Watts of solar, battery power is OK but could do with a lot more solar but out of space on the roof.

I'm in the camp if you can never have too much power. Last month had to survive 14 days off grid in Germany and there was hardly any sun. I was in hospital for a week and couldn't drive for quite a few days after. We just survived.

 

[Ivory55]

Can’t go wrong with an extra battery, just remember fat/thick cable to connect them to get the best from it.

 

[bigtwin]

The short answer; probably!

Ian

 

[Ingwe]

We have one105Ah leisure battery (would like another one but difficult to site it) and 120watts solar panel. We do get by with this but it does require careful usage, especially if you watch TV. We watch 90 minutes or so TV and also charge up laptops, phones etc. Depending on the amount of sunshine we can just get by with this without hookup for a week or so.
However, it's much easier when in Spain and Portugal in the winter as it is much brighter than here.
I think if you can easily fit a second leisure battery, that's the way to go.

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[XxAnthxX]

We have one105Ah leisure battery (would like another one but difficult to site it

Is it under the passenger seat in a Peugeot/fiat based van?

 

[Ingwe]

Is it under the passenger seat in a Peugeot/fiat based van?

No. The leisure battery in our Peugeot based Bailey is under the passenger's bed. Accessible from outside the van.

 

[XxAnthxX]

No. The leisure battery in our Peugeot based Bailey is under the passenger's bed. Accessible from outside the van.

Ah right.....just I have two 105ah batteries under the passenger seat in a x250 Fiat and people say they won’t fit, I even had space for the Victron Smartshunt to live there too, just.

 

[Ingwe]

Ah right.....just I have two 105ah batteries under the passenger seat in a x250 Fiat and people say they won’t fit, I even had space for the Victron Smartshunt to live there too, just.

I'm envious. The only feasible space for a second leisure battery is in the space under the passenger's bed but that would use up most of the usable space in what is already pretty limited storage space in the Bailey and connecting them would also be quite difficult due to the routing of the cable.

 

[Bobby-gg]

Ah right.....just I have two 105ah batteries under the passenger seat in a x250 Fiat and people say they won’t fit, I even had space for the Victron Smartshunt to live there too, just.

Have you got a pictures of your installation

I've got a single leisure battery installed in the bottom of a cupboard behind the driver seat on my X250 and would love another for extra capacity

Rob

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[XxAnthxX]

Have you got a pictures of your installation

I've got a single leisure battery installed in the bottom of a cupboard behind the driver seat on my X250 and would love another for extra capacity

Rob

Probably only of the front battery and Smartshunt.
I‘m not sure if I took one from the top before I put the seat and swivel back on....but I’ll check, as I usually do take pictures.

 

[poppycamper]

This may be another advantage of lithium.... They can be mounted on there sides and ends....
Bet a lot of you can fit two batteries in your battery box either end upside down or Sidy ways (if you know what I mean)
2 small lithiums still better than one equivalent lead acid.!!!

 

[XxAnthxX]

This may be another advantage of lithium.... They can be mounted on there sides and ends....
Bet a lot of you can fit two batteries in your battery box either end upside down or Sidy ways (if you know what I mean)
2 small lithiums still better than one equivalent lead acid.!!!

I’d fully agree....if I could afford them and the upgrade to the charger etc....

 

[bigwood]

As I have said before we are lucky with our Transit to have a second leisure battery under the passenger seat. To make full use of our solar panel I have upgraded the wiring to get the most out of what we have. Before we change the leisure batteries next year I am going to upgrade the solar controller.
With 100amp and a 110amp battery we seem to have managed quite a while of grid.

 

[Stealaway]

Hi to all, we are new members and just ordered our first Motorhome. (Autosleeper corinium duo) we intend to do some wild camping. Do we need a second leisure battery? Thanks in anticipation.

No point unless you have solar panels.
What would you want to do of an average evening while off grid?

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[two]

If you anticipate problems, you could spend cash unnecessarily. Whilst the pounds in your bank account may be adequate, those of your remaining payload may not. You can get by with what you have and it might be a good discipline to get used to doing so if you can. Rather than a second battery, you might entertain a battery to battery (B2B) charger. Take your time, however, and discover what your most pressing needs are before pursuing solutions.

 

[Andacami]

Nice choice of Motorhome We have the 2017 version; leisure battery is under bench seat behind driver, it looks to be tight for getting a second battery in there, I've not measured up though.

As others have said, see how it goes before deciding and also as noted, you'll need a method of charging so solar us a must if no access to EHU or doing lots of mileage.

 

[two]

I don't have solar.
Our demands are very low in Summer and there is insufficient sun in Winter when extra might be needed.
That's why I suggest B2B.

 

[nicholsong]

I would always want two batteries, because if one develops a fault it can be isolated till replaced, with second battery sufficing.

Geoff.

 

[Lenny HB]

I would always want two batteries, because if one develops a fault it can be isolated till replaced, with second battery sufficing.

Geoff.

I like 3 as on the last van 2 failed at the same time (they were AGM's).

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[nicholsong]

I like 3 as on the last van 2 failed at the same time (they were AGM's).

With that luck I would want 4, or 6.

You're the sort of guy who would get to Germany before he needed a gallbladder operation !

How are you progressing now? Nearing normal I hope.

All Best.

Geoff

 

[Ivory55]

I would think battery before solar, as you can set off with 2 full batteries and charge as you move, but solar would only fill the one battery you have and once fully charged it will take no more.

 

[poppycamper]

I don't have solar.
Our demands are very low in Summer and there is insufficient sun in Winter when extra might be needed.
That's why I suggest B2B.

But surely it depends on what you do when away.... sit on THS and don't move....
B2B useless.... solar good!!
Move van every day to drive around ... Then
B2B great solar less so.
So the OP really has to sum up his needs then decide.
What's good for one Funster ain't necessarily good for another.

 

[fullfat]

With that luck I would want 4, or 6.

You're the sort of guy who would get to Germany before he needed a gallbladder operation !

How are you progressing now? Nearing normal I hope.

All Best.

Geoff

 

[Lenny HB]

With that luck I would want 4, or 6.

You're the sort of guy who would get to Germany before he needed a gallbladder operation !

How are you progressing now? Nearing normal I hope.

All Best.

Geoff

Thanks for asking.
Progress lot slower than expected, get tired quick doing anything that requires any effort but a bit better every day.