Leisure Battery

[rossko]

We have just returned from our first weekend without EHU. How low is it safe to run the leisure battery down to please. How long should it last just using for lights & pump? Is it normal practice to top it up by running the engine?

Thanks

[Tomo3090]

Hi, I don't know how old or what type your van is but the normal thing is that your van should have a built in charger that chearges the battery when you hook up. It should also charge it when you drive around. Depending on how old your van is, how big your leisure battery is and how good the alternator is will depend on how much charge goes in over a set time.

 

You will knwo when you've got to the low charge limit because the lights will go out and the telly won't come on! Again it is how long is a piece of string? It will depend on how old the leisure battery is, how big it is and what you use. Are your lights LED or something else? How much water are you pumping? Do you have blown air heating? Do you use the loo in your van? Do you use a telly/sat dish/freeview box? The list is endless and the best thing is is to do some tests where there is a hook up to hand when things start going out. That will give you a better idea as to how your van performs with your stuff.

[spospe]

rossko

 

Just as a guide. Our Duetto with a 90a/h battery gives us an easy 3 nights supply at this time of year. We do not have a TV, but we do have a diesel heater (higher current drain than gas).

 

It is generally thought that you should not discharge a lead-acid battery below 30% capacity in order to maximise its life. Having said that, flattening it (below 11 volts) once or twice does not seem to have too much of an effect.

 

[rossko]

Thanks spospe thats what I was trying to establish - how low it was safe to allow the battery charge to get to. We will check the battery size & stick to the 30% rule