Second leisure battery (1 Viewer)

PilgrimPhil

Free Member
Feb 13, 2008
32
0
West Norfolk
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1,499
MH
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Exp
2 + 1/2 years
We have a Sun Ti 650 ME (2006) and would like to install a second leisure battery as we intend to do a bit of wildcamping when we visit the Shetland Isles next year.

There is plenty of room in the battery locker for the second battery. I have just visited a dealer who has said that it would be OK to just add a new 85 amp battery and that it is a reasonably straight forward installation providing the existing wiring is "man" enough to take the extra load.

I recall reading on one of the forums that it is recommended to have two new batteries rather than risk having mismatched ones.

Can anyone advise if any upgrade of the existing wiring is required and the merits of adding a new battery or having two new ones

Thanks in advance

PilgrimPhil
 
S

stagman

Deleted User
We have a Sun Ti 650 ME (2006) and would like to install a second leisure battery as we intend to do a bit of wildcamping when we visit the Shetland Isles next year.

There is plenty of room in the battery locker for the second battery. I have just visited a dealer who has said that it would be OK to just add a new 85 amp battery and that it is a reasonably straight forward installation providing the existing wiring is "man" enough to take the extra load.

I recall reading on one of the forums that it is recommended to have two new batteries rather than risk having mismatched ones.

Can anyone advise if any upgrade of the existing wiring is required and the merits of adding a new battery or having two new ones

Thanks in advance

PilgrimPhil

No need to upgrade your wiring.Test your present battery to make sure it is in good condition and then purchase a second battery of the same type and amperage .Then connect them in parallel i.e. pos to pos -neg to neg using suitable clamps and cable ,make sure they are secure and you should now have doubled your battery usage time :thumb:
 

Geo

Trader - Funster
Jul 29, 2007
11,757
14,563
Mansfield,Notts
Funster No
35
MH
Autotrail Tracker FB
Exp
45 +years with breaks
It is generally excepted fitting a new battery next to an old one it will work, but what happens is the newer battery is brought down to the older one's capacity, It is In my opinion preferable to fit two new ones
The only wires you need concern yourself with are the new ones you will use to joint the two together, you should use cable as thick as is already used on your single battery
the motor home wiring will be unaffected:thumb:
Geo

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iceni

Free Member
Dec 3, 2007
300
117
Birmingham
Funster No
961
MH
Lowline Coachbuilt
Exp
27yrs
I always favour using 2 new batteries for the reasons mentioned. If they are close enough together. Make sure you use a heavy duty automotive cable and put a fuse holder and fuse in each one. This saves possible problems when disconnecting one of the batteries as you will have potential live terminals loose in the compartment. You can just remove the fuses. This is also safer. I also solder (as well as crimp) the connections (eyelets) onto the ends of the cables. Otherwise the crimped terminals can work loose and cause problems that are difficult to trace.

Make sure they are vented to the outside of the compartment isnt vented.

I have just bought 2 x new 110ah leisure batteries to replace my old ones and have to do the job this weekend. My old batteries are still going strong but they were purchaed in 2003 so i though better change these before they let me down

Phill
 

Kon tiki

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Oct 11, 2007
487
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North Wales
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594
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I have been trying to find a battery to match my current one at a decent price but I'm not having much luck. The one fitted is a 85 amp Exide gel battery up to now I can't find one for less than £260 :Eeek: not sure if just the one will be enough for us. We do have a solar panel fitted but this time of the year it isn't going to put much back in. We are intending to head off around Jan. 1st & just keep going south until it gets warm enough. We tend to wild camp or use aires for most of the time so we don't have too many days stuck in the one place.
 

superk

Free Member
Aug 22, 2007
495
57
Devon
Funster No
148
MH
Van Conversion now sold
Exp
8 years
Expensive because it's a Gel battery. You could replace with two Elecsol sealed batteries - much lighter and smaller - could even get bigger Ah into same space say 2x110 Ah but make sure your charger is up to it.


:Smile:
Keith

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iceni

Free Member
Dec 3, 2007
300
117
Birmingham
Funster No
961
MH
Lowline Coachbuilt
Exp
27yrs
Expensive because it's a Gel battery. You could replace with two Elecsol sealed batteries - much lighter and smaller - could even get bigger Ah into same space say 2x110 Ah but make sure your charger is up to it.


:Smile:
Keith


Keith is quite right. I bought 2 x 110ah last week at £65 each. These are normal lead acid type. As i said in my last post my present batteries lasted 5 years and are still ok.
IMHO gel batteries are not worth the extra cost. I too use a solar panel (75w with fox charger) and have had no problems in 5 years (i had the panel at the same time as the batteries , all supplied by the now sadly defunct A B Butt of leicester)

So i syggest get 2 x 110s and this will be all you need i reckon

Phill
 

BJ

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Oct 2, 2007
62
0
Funster No
511
Although i've heard some good reports of these Elecsol batteries, i've also heard some really bad reviews about them on some forums, also really bad reviews about their customer service and the supposedly 5 year guarantee.
 

superk

Free Member
Aug 22, 2007
495
57
Devon
Funster No
148
MH
Van Conversion now sold
Exp
8 years
If you could point people towards these 'bad reviews' or have definitive information from personal use or other users that have found the batteries and/or service unsatisfactory that would be helpful.

When I looked into Elecsol batteries I found that one person had a bad experience with their service and in their anger posted widely. It occurred sometime ago. That post went out with a ripple effect which of course was the objective of the posting and became folklore. I also think that Elecsol didn't acquit themselves too well in responding.

When I was contemplating whether to purchase or not - my main reason being the space available - I asked users (on another Forum) who had purchased an Elecsol what their experience was. No one complained and all reported satisfactory performance. Don Madge on here was one that reported a satisfactory three year experience.

I suggested Elecsol because they are smaller and lighter than Gel yet are sealed so if the battery is in an unventilated area (and that was the reason for installing a Gel battery originally) they would be a suitable replacement. If there is ventilation, space and security for the batteries then an ordinary lead-acid battery would suffice.


:Smile:
Keith

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BJ

Free Member
Oct 2, 2007
62
0
Funster No
511
I was looking to possible change my single 85amp/hr battery to a higher amp/hr Elecsol battery for the very reason that they are smaller and space is limited in my van.
As with anything i dont have personal experience of, i always try to find reviews on the net somewhere. The bad reviews i found were on 'Caravantalk' and 'Motorhomefacts' and there was another forum who's name escapes me at present.
I found more bad reviews than i did good reviews and based my opinion on that.
 

derekfaeberwick

Free Member
Dec 1, 2007
1,035
9
Berwick
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949
MH
Low Profile
Exp
9 Years
I was looking to possible change my single 85amp/hr battery to a higher amp/hr Elecsol battery for the very reason that they are smaller and space is limited in my van.
As with anything i dont have personal experience of, i always try to find reviews on the net somewhere. The bad reviews i found were on 'Caravantalk' and 'Motorhomefacts' and there was another forum who's name escapes me at present.
I found more bad reviews than i did good reviews and based my opinion on that.

Can't fault you're reasoning there Jeff. Seems to me to be the point of these forums and could save lots of cash. That's certainly the way I go about it.:thumb:
 

Bulletguy

Free Member
Feb 7, 2008
2,043
8
Cheshire/Staffs
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1,441
I have been trying to find a battery to match my current one at a decent price but I'm not having much luck. The one fitted is a 85 amp Exide gel battery up to now I can't find one for less than £260 :Eeek:
Expensive because it's a Gel battery....
Also because it's an Exide. Even lead acid Exides are expensive by comparison with 'fred blog' brands.

That said, many cheaper lead acid now come with a 2 or 3yr warranty.

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