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Hi

We all new to caravanning having previously had a tent and we all set to go away on Monday only thing left to get is a leisure battery and im not sure what size we will need.

Any help greatly appreciated

Thanks

Donna

Quote: Originally posted by daintysal on 24/5/2008

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Hi

We all new to caravanning having previously had a tent and we all set to go away on Monday only thing left to get is a leisure battery and im not sure what size we will need.

Any help greatly appreciated

Thanks

Donna

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It depends on your usage. If you are going to sites that have electric hook up then a cheap 85 amp leisure battery will do you well, it's only real function would be to smooth out the supply and to provide extra current when your demand is higher is higher than the power supply can provide. If you intend to stop on sites where there is no EHU then it's a different ball game. Then I would buy at least one 110amp leisure battery which should with gentle usage last you about 5 days, the problem then arises of what to do whilst you get the battery charged, and for stays longer than 5 days you would need a second battery to be used whilst the first one is charged. Most sites will be able to charge it for you, but you can set up a lead to plug into the S socket ( the grey one ) on the car with power only available when the car engine is running ( I use the fridge circuit for my extension lead as this is the only one on a post 1997 system that has this property ) and a set of battery clips ( not crocodile clips ) on the other. Whenever I go out my battery goes with me and gets a bit of charge daily.

I have always bought the cheapest suitable battery. When I started in 1992 I bought one 85 amp battery, and then 18 months later when I started using non EHU sites a lot I bought a second. Both were cheapies from caravan dealers, if you pick a big dealer they will have a supply of batteries and since they sell a lot you should get a fresh one. The first one I replaced with a 110 amp battery ( same idea cheapest possible from a caravan dealer about £50 ), the second went with my van that I traded in in 2003, the new van has a 110amp gel battery fitted. Both of the 110 amp batteries are still being used and the gel battery is no better then the cheap lead acid leisure battery.