Keeping battery in tip top condition,

[ANTHONYB1]

Hello,please can someone tell me how to keep my leisure 110 amp numax battery in top condition.My previous one was replaced when it was just 14 mths old because of a dud cell,now its replacment is failing to perform over the last few weekends we have been rallying,charging it back up at home on the monday ready for the following weekend.This battery is just 12mths old but the dealer,not very far from Burnham on Sea,insists that the warranty starts from the original sale date.I always trickle charge winter time,and when on hook up,knock the zig charger off.

Is the battery getting a memory,so thats it only charges itself so much.I have put a drop charger on it and shows green,good cond, but a hydrometer test shows white,cells need attention.Any advice gratefully received.

regards anthony.

 

[TD42]

I understand from your posting that you charge at home & assume that you remove it from the van & use a multi stage charger? The chargers fitted to most vans do not fuly charge a battery & the battery life can be reduced considerably You can buy an "inteligent" charger for about

 

[ANTHONYB1]

Hello Tony,Thanks for the info,after the weekends rally I always recharge the battery at home off the van,using a automatic charger.What I do not understand is why this battery,which is a numax,will not hold a charge for a reasonable time.I still have a exide 110 amp battery which is 7 years old that out lasts the numax,both of which are treated the same way.As I mentioned this numax battery is already a replacment for a previous one which failed because of a dud cell.

regards Anthony.

 

[RogerL]

Lead acid batteries don't have "memory" - that's Ni-cads.

Ordinary leisure batteries have a design life of 100 cycles of 50% discharge - in the main the calculation is proportionate at different levels of discharge - ie 250 cycles at 20% discharge or 62 cycles at 80% discharge.

In addition to limited cycle life, the actual amp hour capacity of a battery decreases as it's life progresses. The effect of this is to increase the depth of discharge towards the end of it's life - so hastening the end.

If you discharge the battery deeply every weekend then a year is a reasonable life expectancy.

Sealed VRLA (valve regulated lead acid) batteries have a design life of 200 cycles at 60%, that's 2.4 time better than conventional, and are much better value.

The Numax CXV range of VRLA batteries would be more cost-effective for your needs - most caravan dealers stock them or can order them in.

http://www.tayna.co.uk/catalog/585/0/Leisure-Batteries-Numax-Sealed-Leisure-Batteries-page1.html

 

[ANTHONYB1]

Hello Rogerl,Thanks for the comments,but this battery is just 12 months old,and been used only this last few weekends as a stand alone system.Picked up some information last night on some other forum which was really good so I will be visiting the the dealer again to discuss my issues.

regards Anthony