Battery power

Jun 15, 2019
2
0
0
Visit site
Hello everyone,
I thank you in advance for your help and apologise if this has been asked before. I am very new to caravan in fact I’m ‘fixing up’ a 1992 Bailey Pageant Majestic.
My question is, I need to buy a new leisure battery, the choice out there is baffling, do I go with a battery providing the highest AH say 135ah? Or does it depend on the charging system?
Thanks again for your advise.
Regards
Dave
 

Damian

Moderator
Mar 14, 2005
7,510
936
30,935
Visit site
A lot depends on circumstances of use and what equipment you have.

If you have a motor mover then a higher amp/hr battery is recommended, but you are also constrained by the size of the battery box, and most will take a maximum size of 110amp.

If you are only ever going to be on sites with electric hook up, then a smaller battery is in order.

Your charging system should take care of sizes up to the maximum, with the higher rated ones taking longer to fully charge.
 
Nov 16, 2015
10,394
2,788
40,935
Visit site
With a follow on to Damiens advice, one other thing to think about is the weight of the battery, if your on Electric hook up most of the time, then think maybe an 100 amp /hr one might suffice and you may save a few kilos on weight, that is if your tight on weight in the caravan.
 
Mar 8, 2017
391
13
1,685
wandering.me.uk
If you only intend using your caravan on an electric hook-up and don't have a motor mover, then it is probable that you do not need a battery at all.
 
May 7, 2012
8,491
1,753
30,935
Visit site
A battery is needed to smooth out the power flow. It is suggested that without one things can overheat.
If always on a hook up and no mover though, even a cheap car battery will do the job.
 
Mar 14, 2005
17,557
3,051
50,935
Visit site
From memory, in the 1990's most caravans were not fitted with simple battery chargers but were fitted with "13.8V power supplies" which generally had a current capability of between 12 and 16Amps. These would be capable of running the 12V needs of a caravan with the exception of caravan movers. Some inboard water pumps might also struggle.

They would only work when 230V ac mains was available, so all UK built caravans also had space for a 12V lead acid battery.

If went off grid caravanning, or if you had a caravan mover fitted then you do need a 12V battery. Unless weight is critical for you then going for the largest battery that will fit the box is probably the best way of covering all eventualities.
 
May 24, 2014
3,687
763
20,935
Visit site
Im sure Damian or somebody else will confirm or deny this but i have a feeling that some old chargers wont handle AGM batteries. I would look into it if you are considering one of those.

I got my current batt from Alpha batteries on on their pages for each battery it specifies the charging requirements.
 
Mar 19, 2019
76
0
0
Visit site
Another thing to note is the NCC classification of the battery, albeit not all batteries are certified

Class C - Used regularly off 12v with no 240v hookup

Class B - Usually used with a 240v hookup, but needs to power a motor mover

Class A - Usually used with a 240v hookup, no motor mover
 
Nov 11, 2009
20,098
6,131
50,935
Visit site
colinbal4 said:
Another thing to note is the NCC classification of the battery, albeit not all batteries are certified

Class C - Used regularly off 12v with no 240v hookup

Class B - Usually used with a 240v hookup, but needs to power a motor mover

Class A - Usually used with a 240v hookup, no motor mover

Are they in the right order? Think its the other way around.
 
Mar 8, 2017
391
13
1,685
wandering.me.uk
otherclive said:
colinbal4 said:
Another thing to note is the NCC classification of the battery, albeit not all batteries are certified

Class C - Used regularly off 12v with no 240v hookup

Class B - Usually used with a 240v hookup, but needs to power a motor mover

Class A - Usually used with a 240v hookup, no motor mover

Are they in the right order? Think its the other way around.

Well spotted!

Link to NCC site.
 
May 7, 2012
8,491
1,753
30,935
Visit site
ProfJohnL said:
From memory, in the 1990's most caravans were not fitted with simple battery chargers but were fitted with "13.8V power supplies" which generally had a current capability of between 12 and 16Amps. These would be capable of running the 12V needs of a caravan with the exception of caravan movers. Some inboard water pumps might also struggle.

They would only work when 230V ac mains was available, so all UK built caravans also had space for a 12V lead acid battery.

If went off grid caravanning, or if you had a caravan mover fitted then you do need a 12V battery. Unless weight is critical for you then going for the largest battery that will fit the box is probably the best way of covering all eventualities.

Prof, I think this may be the 1980s. We had a Coachman Mirage, bought new early 90s, which certainly had a charger. This was their base range, although not so basic as some, so it would probably be the norm at that time. You would be right though for its predecessor a Trophy Medallion from the late 80s.
Possibly I am a cheapskate, as I use a 75 amp class A battery despite having a motor mover. It is now over five years old and still going strong so I can justify the saving on cost and weight. Having said that it is only ever used for a bit of shunting and putting the caravan back in storage, where room is far tighter than on site. This has never taken the charge down below fair though butif you have a heavy twin axle things might be different.
 
Jan 3, 2019
47
0
0
Visit site
personally I am always on hook up, and plugged into the mains when stored at home, so don't have the need to a leisure battery,(and because i'm a tight git LoL) However I do have a 12 car battery on mine just to try not to confuse the charger (that includes power from the car when towing) and also to power a small tracker I have installed, It also keeps the memory/settings on the tv's, radio's etc,
A car battery is better than no battery but I would'nt expect it to last long if I ever needed power off grid.
be carefull too if you are hooking up to the mains without a battery installed, make sure the loose terminals are not touching any metalwork or worse still each other!
 
Mar 19, 2019
76
0
0
Visit site
otherclive said:
colinbal4 said:
Another thing to note is the NCC classification of the battery, albeit not all batteries are certified

Class C - Used regularly off 12v with no 240v hookup

Class B - Usually used with a 240v hookup, but needs to power a motor mover

Class A - Usually used with a 240v hookup, no motor mover

Are they in the right order? Think its the other way around.

:lol: I wrote it the other way, then thought, no thats wrong and changed it :lol:

Maybe there was beer involved...... :whistle:
 

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts