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Conventional lead-acid starter and leisure batteries have inspection caps so that the level of acid can be inspected in each of the cells. This also enables the cells to be topped-up using de-ionised water (also sold for steam irons) so that the electrolyte just covers the top of the lead plates. Each compartment houses a series of positive and negative lead plates. These have a grid construction so that lead oxide paste can be pressed into all the apertures. If you have recently disconnected a charger or have been driving a motorhome or towing, a reading will be higher than normal. After a battery has been receiving a charge, it is recommended to let it settle for at least four hours before taking a voltage reading.
Leisure Batteries FAQs | Halfords UK
Some leisure vehicles, such as those used for off-road quad bikes and jet skis, have a greater likelihood of tipping over. An accidental inversion might also result in the loss of a battery’s corrosive acid which, in turn, might cause personal injury. In response to this, batteries are installed which have a non-spill electrolyte in the form of a gel. Unlike a ‘wet’ battery, a gel battery’s casing is completely sealed. Recently, some imported motorhomes have been fitted with a gel battery rather than a lead-acid battery, but this is for added safety during a crash. From an electrical perspective, batteries with a gel electrolyte are unlikely to perform any better than wet-acid types. Also be aware that when recharging a gel battery, the charge voltage must not exceed 14.2V. Information on charging requirements is a subject in its own right. This gives your typical daily consumption. It is surprising how much power is required and how we take it for granted. Heavy consumption equipment like motor movers will have a detrimental effect on the battery performance for the reasons explained below. batteries as they aren’t designed for starting vehicles. To get the amp rating, simply multiply the What size leisure battery do I need? – You will first need to work out what your consumption is going to be on the 12V equipment you use and for how long it is used then, if required, factor in what seasons you go away. An example is shown below: That is the situation we faced with, and the short term solution was to fit a smaller battery. It's ironic really that you have to reduce the size of the battery to cope with all the extra items wanting power.
Leisure batteries’ two-fold tasks
The compartments in the casing of lead-acid batteries are also filled with diluted sulphuric acid referred to as the electrolyte. The casing also has a gas outlet for releasing any hydrogen created during re-charging. This must not be allowed to become detached. Whereas a 12V battery is unlikely to cause electrocution, if the terminals or their couple cables are shorted-out, it can cause a fire. Let’s take an example. If a battery which is nominally rated at 60Ah is operating in temperatures of 15C, this ten degree reduction will bring about a 10 per cent reduction in its capacity. This now means that it effectively performs like a 54Ah battery. The temperature issue can have adverse effects for caravan and motorhome users who enjoy winter sports. Not only will a battery face greater demands when providing their lighting, fan-assisted heating, and evening TV entertainment during long, dark evenings; its effective capacity is significantly lower than it would be in warmer conditions. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO 4) batteries are another form of very deep cycle battery. They're self contained units with their own on-board charge manager. Having elminated lead they typically weigh half as much as an equivelant output lead-acid battery so the weight saving is a benefit. They can also be fully discharged and recharged and during the discharge cycle they can retain a stable voltage level and they can be rapidly recharged.
Leisure Battery Terminal Streetwize SWTT108 Snap On Leisure Battery Terminal
Standard leisure batteries (also referred to as auxiliary batteries, deep-cycling batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).
Types of conventional lead-acid batteries:
Moreover, in a genuine leisure battery, these envelopes also contain glass fibre sheets to press against the lead oxide paste held in each plate. This combats the tendency during constant re-charging for the paste to become loosened and then completely detachedfrom the lead grid. Most caravan control panels have a light display or battery condition meter, some of which don’t provide a precise indication of its charge level. More accurate information is obtained by taking a reading across a battery’s terminals using a digital meter. When using a hand-held meter, note the following points: You buy a new caravan, and there are just two leads to the battery - a positive and a negative. You can probably even lift the battery out and place it on the ground without having to disconnect them. It's all very straightforward and easy to manage. The 12V equipment in a caravan or motorhome relies on a leisure battery. This important item is not normally supplied with a new caravan whereas most new motorhomes have one as standard. Batteries that are designed to start a vehicle are made differently from batteries specifically intended to run caravanning appliances. This is because their operating requirements are different. For instance a vehicle battery has to provide a high current surge to start an engine, but once that has been achieved, a vehicle’s alternator immediately replenishes the power it provided. We then needed a pair of leads to connect the battery to the junction box. We decided to go for a cross section of at least 20 sq mm as this would give us 100 amp plus capability, especially bearing in mind the very short run to the junction box.
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