First time collecting caravan from storage – will my leisure battery be dead?

[The roaming room]

This is the first year I’ve owned a caravan, so I’ve never collected one from storage before. We’re picking it up on Monday after leaving it in storage at the end of August. It’s been kept inside a barn in France.

We bought a leisure battery for around £100 (I think it may be AGM), and I’m wondering how likely it is to be flat or dead when we arrive.

Should I buy a replacement and take it with me just in case? If so, is this something I’ll need to do every time I take it out of storage? Or would it be better to remove the battery over winter and recharge it at home in future?

I’m a bit concerned about battery issues affecting the start of our holiday, especially as I’ll likely need to use the motor mover—the pitch we’re heading to is quite tight, and the caravan is stored about a two-hour drive away.

At the same time, I don’t want to spend money on a new battery unnecessarily.

Any advice or experiences would be really appreciated!

 

[Mel]

What van do you have?

If a Swift, did you isolate the 12 volt by turning the black button on the Sargent unit to off?
If it was a good battery and everything was turned off and isolated there is a reasonable chance that it is OK, but wouldn’t like to promise.
Next time take it home and put it on a smart charger while you are away from your van.
If worst case scenario, it is dead, then is there an opportunity to procure one nearby to storage?
If it was me, and I was worrying about it, I would take a back up battery. But I am a “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” pragmatist
Mel

 

[Woodentop]

To the OP, remember if it is a British caravan carrying a UK registration plate the same as on your car you must now register the caravan with the DVLA (costs IMSMC £26), have a special white plate made up with the caravan registration number issued by the DVLA and adhere it to the upper left (as in UK nearside) of the rear panel of the van - somewhere towards the corner.
I would assume that it already has a large white oval "UK" sticker?
Also, if you are worried about the battery go do a bit of web surfing and see what the cost of an equivalent battery would be in France. Places like Leroy Merlin, Brico, etc. IIRC sell them. THIS might be a good starting place? Also from what I remember in the EU it is more common to find such items carrying the original manufacturers branding rather than badge marketed as it is over here.