Has anyone used two leisure batteries 110amps and joined them together before. Red to red and black to black?
To get more substainable power.
To get more substainable power.
Leisure batteries wired together
- Thread starter m_374230109
- Start date
+ve to +ve, -ve to -ve as not all batteries are colour coded.
Do you really need 220Ah battery capacity (and weight)?
Do you really need 220Ah battery capacity (and weight)?
If you use two batteries, connect the batteries into the system taking both battery positives to the caravan positive, and both battery negatives to the caravan negative.
You must not connect in series as this would give you 24v and would fry most of your equipment.
Be aware of safety - you must transport a battery appropriately. I can't remember the specific rules, so I won't confuse the issue by potentially talking cr@p. I'm sure someone who knows will post soon.
You must not connect in series as this would give you 24v and would fry most of your equipment.
Be aware of safety - you must transport a battery appropriately. I can't remember the specific rules, so I won't confuse the issue by potentially talking cr@p. I'm sure someone who knows will post soon.
Don't do it.
Why? It's not a good idea to wire two batteries in parallel - yes you do get twice the capacity - but if one battery is in slightly "worse" condition or any mismatch, then the "better" battery feeds power in the other battery - and this isn't good. The same happens when charging.
The safe way is to use the batteries in sequence - use one first, then when that has discharged - use the second.
If you don't want the hassle of manually switching over, then you could buy a change over switch - and even arrange for the batteries to be charged separately - but if you had to ask how to connect the two batteries in parallel, it's probably not a good idea for you attempt this significantly more complex wiring.
So - use the two batteries one after the other.
Robert
Why? It's not a good idea to wire two batteries in parallel - yes you do get twice the capacity - but if one battery is in slightly "worse" condition or any mismatch, then the "better" battery feeds power in the other battery - and this isn't good. The same happens when charging.
The safe way is to use the batteries in sequence - use one first, then when that has discharged - use the second.
If you don't want the hassle of manually switching over, then you could buy a change over switch - and even arrange for the batteries to be charged separately - but if you had to ask how to connect the two batteries in parallel, it's probably not a good idea for you attempt this significantly more complex wiring.
So - use the two batteries one after the other.
Robert
I agree with Rob Jax it is better to use them consecutively - that is what I do
If you really need to run 2 together they should be the same size, type and in similar condition and state of charge.
Do you know you can duy bigger batteries if you really need more? I think Elecsol do a 220 Ah battery
If you really need to run 2 together they should be the same size, type and in similar condition and state of charge.
Do you know you can duy bigger batteries if you really need more? I think Elecsol do a 220 Ah battery
Hello M
Like other correspondents I am not sure why you think you need so much 12V power. Not to mention the massive extra weight of the battery.
Of course it is down to your own choice, but most caravanners can usually survive a whole week on a 110Ah.
This is usually achieved by carefully selecting what you turn on, and of course not forgetting to turn things off again. It may also be down to limited use of things like Tv's etc.
There should be no problem at al if you use pitches with electric hook ups, as most caravans have a built in charger to keep the battery topped up.
If you were able to post more details we may be able to suggest some viable alternatives.
Like other correspondents I am not sure why you think you need so much 12V power. Not to mention the massive extra weight of the battery.
Of course it is down to your own choice, but most caravanners can usually survive a whole week on a 110Ah.
This is usually achieved by carefully selecting what you turn on, and of course not forgetting to turn things off again. It may also be down to limited use of things like Tv's etc.
There should be no problem at al if you use pitches with electric hook ups, as most caravans have a built in charger to keep the battery topped up.
If you were able to post more details we may be able to suggest some viable alternatives.
I've come across plenty of people carrying a second battery in the car. You should have it in a suitable box and it has to be secure to stop it flying about.
Towsure sell battery box's for that purpose and I used to carry a battery for my boat and kept it topped up from the Caravan socket a few years back.
http://www.towsure.com/default.asp?t=246
Towsure sell battery box's for that purpose and I used to carry a battery for my boat and kept it topped up from the Caravan socket a few years back.
http://www.towsure.com/default.asp?t=246
M,
If you really need 200+ AH of power, then you could do what my Swiss colleague does - a 44 watt solar panel to recharge their 100AH battery during the day.
They take a three week vacation in the Summer - usually going somewhere warm without mains hook-up - and their solar panel maintains the battery in a 100% charged state.
You can find these threads by searching the forum for "Solar Panel"
Robert
If you really need 200+ AH of power, then you could do what my Swiss colleague does - a 44 watt solar panel to recharge their 100AH battery during the day.
They take a three week vacation in the Summer - usually going somewhere warm without mains hook-up - and their solar panel maintains the battery in a 100% charged state.
You can find these threads by searching the forum for "Solar Panel"
Robert
We have a roof mounted solar panel but it's not exactly a cheap option.
If you pay out for a SP you need like Rob suggests something quite large output wise.
But be warned, friends woke to a flatish battery in Spain late this summer, their
If you pay out for a SP you need like Rob suggests something quite large output wise.
But be warned, friends woke to a flatish battery in Spain late this summer, their
Have you tried using a generator to supply that extra bit of power needed to run esential things like the TV, or the hair dryer. These are reletively cheap and at
Is that last posting a windup?
1. Search for generators on this forum: they are not popular. They are noisy, inefficient and polluting.
2. Petrol is currently
1. Search for generators on this forum: they are not popular. They are noisy, inefficient and polluting.
2. Petrol is currently
Dave...Where do you get petrol for a quid a gallon? Are you being confussed and using parafin in your genny. If you really do get it at a quid and it is legal then I and many others would be very interested getting some of it. I would even concider going back to a petrol towcar.
M....an answer to your original posting. Have you thought about getting back to basics and caravanning without all of the new fangled power guzzleing devices. My van had gas lights with no battery at all. I woundn't think of taking the likes of a TV set of a hair drier (My haif fell out mant years since.
I have recently seen wind generators in my local DIY store. They are a bit expensive but are free to use and use no petrol so if you need a lot of power to run your un-necessary gismos they may be of use to you.
M....an answer to your original posting. Have you thought about getting back to basics and caravanning without all of the new fangled power guzzleing devices. My van had gas lights with no battery at all. I woundn't think of taking the likes of a TV set of a hair drier (My haif fell out mant years since.
I have recently seen wind generators in my local DIY store. They are a bit expensive but are free to use and use no petrol so if you need a lot of power to run your un-necessary gismos they may be of use to you.
Mike
I use a generator every now and again and its a 2.6KW one that is quiet enough to have a conversation by it. It has a smart thottle that means it will run for nearly 8 hours on a tank.
Not all generators are bad, BUT you do get what you pay for!
I use a generator every now and again and its a 2.6KW one that is quiet enough to have a conversation by it. It has a smart thottle that means it will run for nearly 8 hours on a tank.
Not all generators are bad, BUT you do get what you pay for!
If you went away when petrol was a pound a gallon you must have done about 20 years. What did you get done for? It must have been something more serious than your present crime of messing up this fine forum.
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