Opinions on a New Battery

[JamesH]

My caravan battery is on its last legs and I need to buy a replacement.
There is a huge choice available on the web, all with differing specs, which I am unable to differentiate between.
Can anyone give an opinion on the one detailed below which to me seems a good offer?

12v. 88 ah. 500 cycles. Sealed for life and maintenance free. 4 year warranty.
Anti-flashback safety labyrinths (I’ve no idea what this means)
£72.99 inc. VAT and next day delivery.

I look forward to receiving your considered opinions.

 

[JTQ]

For a good compromise of spec and price I suggest you will not go far wrong with a Banner Energy Bull battery.
Here is a link but I dont know this supplier is necessarily the best price. Hunt as there are big mark ups on batteries so the potential for varying prices.:

http://www.tayna.co.uk/Banner-Energy-Bull-Leisure-Battery-95601-P8269.html

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello James,

The specification you provide is unusual as most caravan batteries (Leisure batteries) are only available in 85or 110 Ah capacities. So I assume that you are not looking at a leisure battery but more of a car (Cranking ) battery.

The two types of battery I have mentioned are designed to do differnt types of jobs, so which you need really depends on whether you will be using your caravan with or without the electric hook up (EHU) or just relying on battery for for electric needs.

Cranking batteries are designd to be able to provide large currents for short lengths of time, as you need to start a car. Their internal construction allows them to do this, but they dont like longterm discharges such as you would find in a caravan. Using them in this way can shorten their lives considerably. However if you are using an EHU with the caravans internal battery charging system then the battery is likley to fulful all the your needs ok. If this is your usage then you could get away with quite a small battery capacity even as low as 45Ah

If you do not use EHU pitches, then you need the biggest battery you can fit in the caravan. The battery needs to be the leisure type which are designed for long slow deep discharge cycles.The down side to these,is they dont like large discharges so don't try to start your car with one.

I have already mentioned size, but which evey you go for do check it will fit in the battery box provided.

 

[Parksy]

......12v. 88 ah. 500 cycles. Sealed for life and maintenance free. 4 year warranty.
Anti-flashback safety labyrinths (I’ve no idea what this means)
£72.99 inc. VAT and next day delivery.

I look forward to receiving your considered opinions.

A prime example where Google will supply an answer James.
Have a look at this and bear in mind that batteries produce gas ( Hydrogen mainly) when they are being charged.
The last thing that you need is to inadvertently short out a battery and have the spark igniting any residual gas, because it could result in more than a case of severely singed eyebrows

 

[RogerL]

The specification you provide is unusual as most caravan batteries (Leisure batteries) are only available in 85or 110 Ah capacities. So I assume that you are not looking at a leisure battery but more of a car (Cranking ) battery.

85Ah and 110Ah are just nominal capacities - recent legislation requires battery manufacturers to label each battery with it's exact Ah capacity AND define the discharge conditions used to determine that capacity - any battery will show a different capacity if tested over 10 hours or 20 hours.
If you look at any good manufacturers' sites you'll find they have both 105Ah and 113Ah, for instance, which in the past would simply have been labelled 110Ah.
If a battery is still labelled 110Ah with no definition of test conditions then it's best avoided.

 

[ProfJohnL]

THank you roger for the heads up,

It still doesnt change the crux of my answer though concerning types of battery and how to use them.

 

[RogerL]

THank you roger for the heads up,

It still doesnt change the crux of my answer though concerning types of battery and how to use them.

We've all had that argument before - for my part I will NOT buy a "leisure" battery, mainly because it's not a defined type just a vague concept.
I use a car battery because we mainly use EHU and all the battery does is power the mover, for which a good cranking battery is more suitable than a "leisure" type - on the odd occasion when we go off-EHU I use a good quality marine battery.
I can buck the conventional wisdom because I also avoid the use of on-board power supplies for charging purposes and always use a proper smart charger.

 

[Surfer]

Try Elecsol which has a 5 year no quibble warranty.

 

[RogerL]

Try Elecsol which has a 5 year no quibble warranty.

Why?
The "no quibble" part has been contradicted a number of times on caravan forums.
They don't do anything different that caravanners need.
Good batteries will last more than 5 years if looked after properly.

 

[JamesH]

A big thank you to all who responded to my request for information.

After looking at all the options and taking into consideration my requirements I have ordered a Xplorer 88ah sealed flooded lead acid battery at a price of £72.99 inc delivery from Alpha Batteries.

I based this decision on the facts that :-
We always use CL sites with EHU.
The 12v supply is only used for lighting and water pumps.
We only use a Motor Mover to move the van in and out of our garden.
It fits into the caravan battery box.

Thank you all once again for the trouble you took in replying, very much appreciated.

 

[DeliDave_]

Try Elecsol which has a 5 year no quibble warranty.

We have an Elecsol one and it was smaller and lighter than the old one and works very well.Very pleased so far but Elecsol cannot be named in good or bad posts on another forum due to threat of legal action,unusual as forum moderators often say no-one ever sued for being praised,they are the exception that proves the rule lol

 

[Gafferbill]

I can buck the conventional wisdom because I also avoid the use of on-board power supplies for charging purposes and always use a proper smart charger.

..........my caravan 12 volt power supply is a 'proper smart charger'

The origional unit failed and was replaced with one of these.

http://www.amperorassociates.co.uk/c-battery_chargers/BatteryC-3_18A.html

 

[Damian]

They are not the only ones to threaten legal action.
There is another company who cannot be named in good or bad light for the same reason.

NOTE: If anyone tries to name the other company the post will be removed immediately and the poster will face the real probability of being suspended from the forum.

 

[Gagakev]

They are not the only ones to threaten legal action.
There is another company who cannot be named in good or bad light for the same reason.

NOTE: If anyone tries to name the other company the post will be removed immediately and the poster will face the real probability of being suspended from the forum.

Now thats got me thinking

What if like me you are genuine,and dont know who the other one is, name the manufacturer of the battery you have in the van and its the other one ? Just looking for advice thanks

 

[Parksy]

Don't worry Kev, we'll hide the evidence and keep you safe from persecution

Damian is I think referring to a situation that has arisen on a different caravan forum who have faced the threat of legal action from a product manufacturer.
Naturally they asked their membership to refrain from mentioning this company in posts after the threat was made. It's doubtful if a 'legal action' would have much chance of succeeding against the forum but, in common with any reputable forum, those concerned have tried to protect themselves because legal threats usually involve those under threat having to shell out for expensive professional legal advice just in case.
Unfortunately some of the members of this other forum had allegedly not taken too kindly to what they saw as an attack on their freedom of speech.
This forum is similarly threatened from time to time so if the company was inadvertently 'named' on this forum one of us would remove or edit the post just to protect the forum and an email containing an explanation would be sent to the o.p., so no need to worry.