 | Home > Tdi > Leisure battery woes and choices |
 
|
|
|
| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 4289   
|
If your existing system does what you need, stick with it. P The only thing I'd look at is using EFB type lead acid battery. Still a wet cell type, but more resilient to being discharged. They will work fine with your existing alternator and split charge. A lot of stop/start car batteries are moving back to wet cell efb from AGM as AGMs haven't proved as durable as expected. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
|
||
29th Jul 2024 6:22pm |
|
| Mdm Member Since: 11 Sep 2013 Location: Sunny Lancashire Posts: 1652
|
if your existing system has worked fine and covers your needs then i would replace with the same. not sure how many years its done though?
we run an agm leisure battery and its fine for fridge and lights at night etc for 2-3 days (depending on use it does do more) eve in hot weather trips. |
||
|
29th Jul 2024 9:15pm |
|
| 300TDi CSW Phil Member Since: 03 Apr 2016 Location: Bracknell Posts: 803 
|
It is currently an agm battery and is at a guess 7 ish years old. I used to get 2-3 days out of the fridge camping but now it is a few hours.
It would be handy if I could get an extra couple of days or charge it without the engine running though. 1995 300 Tdi Epsom Green - It's a keeper. Wide Track Sankey- In bits- Gone to a new home M0XQS |
||
|
29th Jul 2024 10:27pm |
|
| MarkBrown Member Since: 03 Oct 2022 Location: Mid Wales Posts: 546  
|
I’m thinking about upgrading mine, dc dc charger, inverter, lithium battery, induction hob and perhaps small fridge with water pump, lights inside and out and the night heater. Possibly a small air fryer. Not sure about the solar panel. It’s a one person camper. I’ve currently got a vsr and second lead acid battery which runs lights and the heater, which is fine.
|
||
|
29th Jul 2024 10:31pm |
|
| Mdm Member Since: 11 Sep 2013 Location: Sunny Lancashire Posts: 1652
|
that's done very well. i would keep the same maybe goto a bigger amp battery if you have the space.
the dc-dc and lithium battery is a great set up a few friends have it and it will run a coffee machine, hot plate etc without issue. unless your staying in one place without running the engine or solar top up it can be a fair chunk of money to spend. i run mine without solar at the minute as i dont want to spoil the roof tent with panels. or you could do what a lot of aravan folk do and take a small silent generator to top up when off grid and provide 240v as well |
||
|
30th Jul 2024 7:19am |
|
| MarkBrown Member Since: 03 Oct 2022 Location: Mid Wales Posts: 546
|
From my research, you’ll get 50% of the available capacity out of the lead battery, 60% from the agm and 90-95 % out of a li-on one. Also the more expensive li-on’s have a built in heater, so they’ll charge below 5 degrees. Apparently they’ll last 10 years too. But it really depends on what you want from it and then how it’s charged. I found the solar panel on our sprinter van to be more effective at charging than the dc-dc charger and of course it works when stationary.
|
||
|
30th Jul 2024 8:05am |
|
| Ianh Member Since: 17 Sep 2018 Location: Essex Posts: 2421
|
Re an EFB as opposed to an AGM. I agree with Bluest, with our old school alternators an AGM will not last or perform as it would with an alternator designed for AGM batteries. An EFB is a far better and cheaper choice. The Varta LED range is ideal, being a dual purpose leisure and starter battery with minimal self discharge. |
||
|
30th Jul 2024 9:12am |
|
| 300TDi CSW Phil Member Since: 03 Apr 2016 Location: Bracknell Posts: 803
|
Well nearly a year on and I had to bite the bullet for this years planned trips.
Out has come the AGM and the VSR and in has gone...... 100Ah Lifepo4 (There wasn't a Lead Acid with good ratings available to fit the space). A Victron MPPT Solar controller A 100W roof rack mounted Solar panel (currently peaked at 98W) A Sterling DC-DC Battery charger with reverse function to maintain the starter battery when the solar is all going well. A second 100W freestanding panel for when parked up for extended periods (this one has Peaked at 103W when plugged into the eco flow River 2) I am hoping this years trips will be less sketchy in terms of running the fridge and the LED lights in the roof tent. 1995 300 Tdi Epsom Green - It's a keeper. Wide Track Sankey- In bits- Gone to a new home M0XQS |
||
|
14th Jul 2025 11:46pm |
|
| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8318  
|
I think adding the solar will be the game changer regardless of the dc dc charger or the lifepo4 change for usual camping needs, ie less airfryer and induction hobs
My 150w180w(?) solar with victron charger will keep 2 x 105ah numax leisure batts charged for a week through UK summer with 2 fridges, lights, webasto powered heated shower system and numerous powerbank and phone charges. We go away and end up static for upto 10 days whilst children compete, they and their friends all charge phones and power banks from my truck over ten days. Phones and large power banks take a fair whack out. There are min 4 max 6 items on charge throughout daylight hrs. I have a blue sea split charge which allows reverse start battery charging too when aux batts are full. Cheers James 110 2010 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
||
|
15th Jul 2025 9:04am |
|
| Mo Murphy Member Since: 01 Jun 2008 Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts Posts: 2360 
|
My leisure battery came to the end of its life on the the Spain / Portugal trip in May so I've bitten the bullet and gone Lithium too with dc-dc / mppt charger and using my existing 80w solar panel. I'm using Renogy gear. Not done much with it yet but the battery is always 100% 😉
Mo  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen. 50 Shades of Pennine Grey |
||
|
15th Jul 2025 12:59pm |
|
| jst Member Since: 14 Jan 2008 Location: Taunton Posts: 8318
|
What's the advantage of dc dc charger over std vsrs!
That lithium is tiny, like for like capability I take. Cheers James 110 2010 XS Utility 130 2011 M57 bespoke Camper 90 2010 Hardtop 90 M57 1988 Hardtop |
||
|
15th Jul 2025 1:34pm |
|
| Mo Murphy Member Since: 01 Jun 2008 Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts Posts: 2360
|
The dc-dc charges the Lithium in the appropriate manner taking account of its state of charge. Lithium batteries need careful charging to get the most out of them and stop them catching fire !
The battery is a 100ah straight swap but is much more compact as you can see in the photo. Using Lithium means I can run the battery to 100% flat instead of 50% with a lead acid leisure battery and so give me double the run time on the fridge. It will also tolerate more discharge cycles. Time will tell if it's lifespan is as long as the claims ! The battery monitor runs from a shunt with the lcd monitor by the fridge and i have Bluetooth monitoring and control of the dc-dc charger. HTH Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen. 50 Shades of Pennine Grey |
||
|
15th Jul 2025 1:47pm |
|
| 300TDi CSW Phil Member Since: 03 Apr 2016 Location: Bracknell Posts: 803
|
The DC-DC chargers (speaking for the Sterling one I got) are "smart" so to speak in that you tell them what the Leisure Battery chemistry is (it assumes the main battery is Lead Acid) and it charges it in an appropriate fashion.
The Sterling also has a reverse flow so if the solar panel is doing its job and the leisure battery is at 100% it will top up the main battery up to 10A on the one I have which can do 25A from Main/Alternator to the Leisure battery. It also has a jump start function so should it not go to plan you can force the leisure battery to charge the main battery to get it started. I believe that VSR's once the minimum voltage threshold is met activate and dump charge to the 2nd battery. Mo Beat me to it. 1995 300 Tdi Epsom Green - It's a keeper. Wide Track Sankey- In bits- Gone to a new home M0XQS Last edited by 300TDi CSW Phil on 15th Jul 2025 1:54pm. Edited 1 time in total |
||
|
15th Jul 2025 1:53pm |
|
| Mo Murphy Member Since: 01 Jun 2008 Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts Posts: 2360
|
Click image to enlarge Currently sat on the drive, the battery is full and not even needing any float. Sometimes it'll be taking 0.2-0.4 amp as float charging from the solar. Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen. 50 Shades of Pennine Grey |
||
|
15th Jul 2025 1:54pm |
|
|
|
| All times are GMT + 1 Hour |
< Previous Topic | Next Topic > |
Posting Rules
|
Site Copyright © 2006-2025 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
