kedavi Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 This may be a dumb question, but here goes: Our new 2008 Autotrail Apache came fitted with a single 85A/h battery, and I want to add a second one. Ideally I would like the two batteries to be the same make / type, but unfortunately there is no identifying name or label on it. It has a black body with an orange top. The dealer (stealer?) is happy to fit a second battery for outrageous amounts of money (£145+), but he won't tell me what battery to fit myself. I'm wondering if they removed the label off the original one. My question is - are these batteries supplied by Autotrail as original fitment or they fitted at PDI by the dealer? If it is Autotrail who fit them, does anyone know what battery this might be? Am I correct in my thinking that it is best practice to have the two batteries of the same make / type etc so that they do the same amount of work? Thanks, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 My thoughts for your problem, would be to take out the 85amp and purchase 2 110 amp wet cells, then advertise your new 85amp to sell. Thank your dealer for his quote, but no thanks. If you do not feel comfortable about doing the task, give Dave Newell a ring. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 kedavi - 2009-03-13 8:02 AM Am I correct in my thinking that it is best practice to have the two batteries of the same make / type etc so that they do the same amount of work? Received wisdom is that it is best practice with a multiple-batteries system that all the batteries are of the same type, capacity and age - however, there is some flexibility to this rule of thumb. In your case, as your motorhome is a 2008 model, it should be OK to add a brand-new battery as your original is less than 12 months old (we hope!). Your 'add-on' battery could be of a significantly larger capacity than 85Ah (say 110Ah), but it would be no bad thing to stick to a 2 x 85Ah arrangement. It is probable that your current battery is a simple 'wet' type designed for leisure-vehicle applications and it would be wise to choose a 2nd battery of exactly the same TYPE. However, there is no requirement that the 2nd battery be exactly the same MAKE as your present one. I'd be very surprised if Auto-Trail supplied their dealers with battery-less vehicles. Normally original-equipment leisure-batteries are good quality and branded (Exide, Varta, etc.) and the fact that yours is un-labelled does make me wonder if it is a dealer-replacement (especially as your dealer seems to be being coy!) If you want to know the make(s) of leisure battery that Auto-Trail fit as original equipment, then Auto-Trail should be able to tell you. But, as installing a same-make 2nd battery is not an imperative, I suggest you just obtain a same-type, good quality, 85Ah battery and parallel-connect that to your present one. There is plenty of earlier forum discussion about adding extra batteries. This is a recent thread that should be useful. (NB. The link I gave to Clive Mott-Gotobed's website is no longer valid.) http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=14357&posts=15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kedavi Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 Thanks for the pointer to the previous thread. On the Autotrail there is no need to directly parallel the batteries within the battery compartment since the on board charger facilitates the management of two seperate leisure batteries, having seperate fuses and outputs to each one. There is also seperate cabling to the battery compartment for each one, and at present there is a spare connection cable just waiting for the additional battery to be installed. Having read the other thread you pointed me to, I am now much happier to locally source a similar type battery and install it. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 kedavi On reflection, the 85Ah capacity you've mentioned seems peculiarly low for an original-equipment leisure battery on a modern Auto-Trail model. My 2007 Auto-Trail brochure quotes a minimum 100Ah for any battery fitted to that model-year's range and the MMM February 2009 test-report of a Frontier Arapaho quotes 110Ah. This makes me even more suspicious that your 'mystery' battery is non-standard. The only battery design with a black casing and yellow top that easily springs to mind is made by Elecsol (see MMM Feb 2009, pages 180-184 for photos), but these are distinctive, well-labelled and not cheap - so I doubt that's what you've got. Might be worth speaking to Auto-Trail about the 85Ah (apparent) anomaly and - depending on their reply - interrogating your dealer further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kedavi Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 I've just looked in the tech spec brochure and it states 110A/h, so you are correct. I will remove the battery later today and inspect it closely and take some dimensional measurements too. Perhaps it is a 110A/h that is on - I was really just guessing at 85A/h. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kedavi Posted March 13, 2009 Author Share Posted March 13, 2009 It's an Elecsol 110 I reckon. Not cheap! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Dimensions of an Elecsol 110Ah battery are (L x W x H) 353mm x 175mm x 190mm, weight = 25.2kg, and price (as you've no doubt found out!) around £110. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kedavi Posted March 14, 2009 Author Share Posted March 14, 2009 Exactly right Derek. I looked on the Elecsol web site and found a photo of my battery. There was also an endorsement stating that Elecsol were to be standard fitment to Autotrails from 08 onwards. So that's what mine looks to be, despite it having no label on it. Because they seem to be a good quality battery I might consider fitting a second Elecsol 110 if I can find a local supplier and a reasonable price. Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 At least that answers the question as to why the cost of installing a second battery was so high, £110 for the battery alone, so the cost of fitting it wasn't so massive after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Try www.tanya.co.uk for all types of battery (based in Wales but will deliver). I am having to replace the two Elecsol's I purchased in 2003 and have just ordered two Elecsol 100 from them and expect delivery on Monday. Two 110's will not fit in my Battery compartment. Also Outdoorbits who have an offer on at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 JohnP Are you sure about the www.tanya.co.uk address? It seems to be some sort of search facility and not a bona-fide sales outlet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Don't forget to order and additional lead from Sargant Electrical to connect up your second battery. There is a second loom in the battery compartment which the extra lead plugs into. Cost is about £15. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 spospe - 2009-03-14 4:42 PM JohnP Are you sure about the www.tanya.co.uk address? It seems to be some sort of search facility and not a bona-fide sales outlet. The correct address is: www.tayna.co.uk ... obviously getting it mixed up with his mistress! :D :$ ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Clive now has his own web domain. The motorhome section can be found here :- http://www.motts.org/MOTORHOMES.htm Regards Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted March 15, 2009 Share Posted March 15, 2009 Mel B Yes you beat me to it. www.tayna.co.uk. We had a Deputy Principal where I worked. All white court shoes and tight skirts! What a picture!!!!. Must have been bad memories, certainly no mistress. She frightened all the men, single and married. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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