Leisure Battery set up

[Morganic]

I dont have a leisure battery use option fitted to my caravan. I have a 230 hook up and 12 volt converter. What do I need to have it so I can use a leisure battery when no mains electric is avaiable. Ive got space to fit a batter and charger etc.

 

[TonyH1]

Hi Morganic,

Firstly, I'm presuming you're competent with electrics. Even 12v can be dangerous if wired incorrectly. Secondly, you say you've got space - that needs to be away from the gas locker and vented to atmosphere, not the inside of the caravan.

If you're ok to continue, unless your 12v converter has a battery output (unlikely) you'll need a charger. I'd certainly recommend a smart charger (there's a range at www.ctekchargers.co.uk but plenty other sites list them) which will give superior performance and longer battery life. Obviously you'll need a leisure battery (not a car battery) with a battery tray and means to secure it, a couple of battery clamps and, if you're not plugging into a 240v socket, a means of isolating/switching off.

The maker of your existing 12v converter might be worth contacting, they'll probabably do a model which would charge a battery as well and may well fit where the existing one is.

The rest is just connecting up, and if you're competent to work on the electrics, you'll know how that needs to be.

Hope this helps

 

[JTQ]

German
made caravans and motorhomes frequently
house the battery within the habitation area of the van without external
venting. To be able to do this they use valve regulated (lead acid)
batteries [VRLA batteries] and quite usually of the GEL type.

These
batteries with the correct charger are not subject to gassing under normal
conditions and so meet the German safety standards. As they fail or if the
charger malfunctions they do start to gas off so they need to be
monitored, however as said these types of batteries are deemed safe for use in
habitation areas.

More
basic "wet" batteries are usually provided with a vent port together
with a supplied vent tube; this can be routed through the van floor, thus
achieving "atmospheric venting". This can provide a much cheaper
option than the VRLA solution..

Quite sophisticated or very basic chargers are required. Where a
charger that can fully charge the battery, like the CTEKs
mentioned these charge at voltages up to a level that can damage some devices you
may choose to use in your caravan. Things like lights, heater fans and car
radios are generally safe, but TVs and many adaptors for cameras and laptops
may not be. So if you go this route then power these sensitive things off mains when
on EHU.

The other route is a rudimentary
charger that only pushes out 13.8 volts, which neither damages equipment or
gases off the battery, but at the same time will not fully charge the battery.

 

[Morganic]

Thaks Guys for the info. Very helpful.
A dealer wanted £1300 to fit a system. I really only need the battery to power a mover if I can get one fitted. Just need a battery, box and cover and charger. Note ventilation requirement
Once again thanks