Leisure batteries - Maintenance Free ?

[S-MaxJon]

I have a problem with my 4 year old leisure battery.My battery wasn't powering the 12v when power went off at a site the other weekend.I have borrowed a battery charger,taken the battery out and checked the water levels in the battery.The cells are bone dry !! Is this common or has anybody else had the same problem.

My question is - are they maintenance free ? The van is always plugged into the mains by the way.

 

[mauron]

Hi Jonathan,

Maintenance free batterries do not have "access" to the electrolyte or plates inside the battery.

If your battery has "screw tops" or a lift off plug that allows access to the elctrolyte levels then it is probably NOT maintenance free and will need topping up with distilled (or possiblu de-ionised) water to keep the levels above the internal plates.

Hope this helps,

Ron.

 

[mikecandsarahb]

not all maintenance free battery are sealed, if you look at vauxhall's older car batteries they were mainenance free but had screw tops,

some batteries dont have a huge life span, and will after a few years start to run low, with your van always pluged in will reduce the life of the battery but not by a great deal.

ive seen this problem alot with mainenance free car batteries so if can happen to them im sure it can to leisure batteries.

reguards mike

 

[TD42]

It does not matter whether a battery is called maintenance free or not If you have access to the plates & can see the plates are dry then it should be topped up. A point worth knowing is that a normal caravan battery charger does not fully charge the battery & if it is not removed for charging with a 2 stage charger periodicaly the battery will fail usually within a couple of years. If you have a gel filled battery this also needs a special charger. these chargers can be bought at mostcamping shops usualy called "inteligent chargers" about

 

[TD42]

should have read a caravan battery charger does not charge the battery fully