Motorhome Battery

[gkracing786]

Hi, I have coverted a Transit van into a motorhome and need to buy batteries to run the electrics. I will be mainly on the road when I go away. So would not be on hook up. If any one can advise me on the best batteries to buy. They are going under some seats but depending on size of batteries I can change the size of the seats. I will be running a water pump, 12v tv, 8 led lights, thetford electric toilet, 12v phone charger socket, fridge 3 way, carver water heater gas and electric and a diesel heater. I have a sterling charger wired up to charge the batteries.

Again the size of the batteries is not a big issue as I can adapt the seating. I have read a earlier thread and the varta 81153 or 81154 was recommened but space was a issue in that choice. So I am not sure if there is anything more suitable out there.

Thanks

Danny

[StuartO]

It's the type of battery you need to consider, so whether to spend the extra money on a gel type leisure battery or settle for somethig cheaper, like a liquid lead acid battery or an AGM. Choosing the charger should follow choosing the battery and if you want to avoid reliance on hooking up, then fitting solar panels will be highly desireable. A battery will ony accept charge at a finite rate so a big battery charger isn't the answer. Even a full day's drive won't fully recharge big leisure batteries.

 

My MH came with two 80 AH Exide gel-type leisure batteries and they are still working well eight years later and 130 watts of solar panels keeps them topped up nicely so we can stay off hook ups as long as we like.

 

Unfortunately Exides like these are £200 each (and you can buy 80 ah so-called leisure batteries as cheaply as £70 or so) and the solar panels nd regulator are not cheap either.

 

Your 12v TV (if you use it a lot) and the diesel heater will gobble up battery capacity but if you have solar panels working for you a single 80ah leisure battery might be enough. I suggest you try one good gel battery and at least 100 watts of solar panel and see if that covers your needs.

 

 

 

 

[lennyhb]

Gel and AGM batteries have the advantage that you can discharge them lower and a life of more discharge cycles but it comes at a price. Gels and AGM's can accept discharge of 80% without much effect on their life where wet cells it is not recommended to go below 50% to avoid considerably shortening there life.

Gel and AGM's are also much better for fitting under seats as most do not require venting and can be fitted on their side if required.

 

As Stuart says if you are not going to use hook ups its worth investing in solar panels my set up is 2 x 95 A/H AGM batteries and 2 x 100 watt solar panels, we never use hook ups.

[Derek Uzzell]

Motorhome converters have generally moved away from fitting gel-type leisure batteries, using instead AGM-type (as fitted to lennyhb's recently acquired Hymer) where nil-maintenance is important (eg. when the battery is beneath a swivelling cab-seat).

 

Gel and AGM batteries are maintenance-free and allow deep discharging, but the gel-type needs a special charging regimen to attain full charge. Both types are normally significantly more expensive than the traditional wet-acid type.

 

If the battery's physical size is not an issue and you can install it where it can be vented and its electrolyte-level can be checked periodically, I suggest you opt for a biggish-capacity wet-acid Banner "Energy Bull".

 

http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/banner-leisure-batteries/

 

"Energy Bull" batteries have come out well when independently tested and are fitted as standard by several major motorhome manufacturers.

 

 

[gkracing786]

Hi, thanks everyone for your replies. I now have a choice between varta 95 ah agm g14 at £150 each or 135 ah energy bull at £135 each. I am going to add 2 x 100w solar panels to the sterling battery charger. I am going to use 2 batteries in total in the motor home. Help please with the best choice if you consider I will be going away every 3rd weekend.

Thanks,

Danny

[Tracker]

No doubt the experts will give me flack for this, but to me a battery is a battery and there is often a greater difference in durability between batteries of the same brand than there is between brands and types.

 

So two batteries of any sort starter or leisure or brand (EXCEPT Elecsol who are known to be 'variable' quality) that come with a decent warranty and are large enough to fill where you want them would be my solution as I for one am more than a little disillusioned with over hyped over priced poor quality alleged leisure batteries.

 

Have a look at the 'Tayna Batteries' website for a variety of sizes and types and if you want expert advice they are very helpful.

[lennyhb]

With such a small difference in price for a good branded AGM I would got for the AGM's. Do check the charging regime required, some AGM's use the Gel charging regime e.g. Banner running bull AGM others use the wet cell setting.

[Derek Uzzell]

lennyhb - 2014-07-06 6:24 PM

 

With such a small difference in price for a good branded AGM I would got for the AGM's. Do check the charging regime required, some AGM's use the Gel charging regime e.g. Banner running bull AGM others use the wet cell setting.

 

I'm aware that Banner's website advises using a 'gel' charging regimen for their "Running Bull" AGM batteries. Assuming that your Hymer has Banner batteries, does your Hymer handbook confirm this?

 

The reason I ask is that, when I replaced my Hobby's Exide gel battery with a Banner AGM battery, I was wary of continuing to use the charger's gel charging regimen. It seems to be advised generally that AGM batteries should be charged using an ordinary wet-acid regimen and the RoadPro website recommends this for the Running Bull batteries they market.

 

https://www.roadpro.co.uk/retail/product_list.aspx?prod=Banner+AGM+Batteries

 

I asked Banner(UK) about this and was told that either regimen would be OK. As the technical details for my cbe-made charger indicate that the gel regimen is more rigorous than the wet-acid one (and I give my leisure-battery a very easy life) I now use the wet-acid regimen.

[Brian Kirby]

Pending Lenny's reply, Derek, I've had a look at our manual. Basically it ducks the issue, by saying:

a) Always replace the battery like for like, and

b) Don't change the battery type selector switch position.

So, Nanny knows best - unless she's changed her mind over the past 12 months and told Lenny different! :-) Ours has the same Banner AGM type battery as Lennys, but only one.

[lennyhb]

When Hymer fit Banner AGM's they set the Electroblock to the Gel position.

In my previous van with an EBL 101 when set to Gel it will take the battery up to 14.3 v then hold at that voltage for 8 hours before reducing to a float charge of 13.8 v, set to wet cell it only maintains the 14.3 volts for one hour before reducing to 13.8 v.

My current van has an EBL29 (same as Brian's) there is no mention of the charging regime in the instructions but it does say ;-

 

"AGM battery: Schaudt GmbH recommends charging AGM batteries

with their chargers in switch position ”Lead-gel battery”.

We believe that AGM batteries can be charged perfectly this way. However,

suitability must be checked using information from the battery

supplier and the charging parameters of Schaudt equipment. The

charging parameters are specified in the operating and installation

instructions."

 

Obviously looking at the charging regime if not sure or are a light power user like Derek the wet cell setting is the safe option.

 

I will email Udo Lang at Schaudt and ask about the EBL 29 to see if it is any different.

 

[Tracker]

gkracing786 - 2014-07-05 1:34 PM

 

Hi, I have converted a Transit van into a motorhome and need to buy batteries to run the electrics. I will be mainly on the road when I go away. So would not be on hook up. If any one can advise me on the best batteries to buy. They are going under some seats but depending on size of batteries I can change the size of the seats. I will be running a water pump, 12v tv, 8 led lights, Thetford electric toilet, 12v phone charger socket, fridge 3 way, carver water heater gas and electric and a diesel heater. I have a sterling charger wired up to charge the batteries.

Again the size of the batteries is not a big issue as I can adapt the seating. I have read a earlier thread and the Varta 81153 or 81154 was recommended but space was a issue in that choice. So I am not sure if there is anything more suitable out there.

Thanks

Danny

 

I don't know whether the Sterling charger or the engine alternator is capable of charging any batteries with a different charging regime other than good old fashioned wet cell lead acid and as there does not appear to be any mains control unit being installed as it does not seem to be needed it seems to me that this thread seems to be getting unnecessarily complicated?

 

 

[Derek Uzzell]

This is RoadPro's Banner Batteries information document

 

https://www.roadpro.co.uk/images/pdfs/Banner%20Batteries%20Information%20and%20FAQs.pdf

 

I don't know where the answer to the question "What’s the best way to charge a Banner AGM battery?" comes from but, as my cbe charger is said to produce a 'maintenance voltage' of 13.8V at the gel setting and 13.5V at the wet-acid setting I now use the latter charging regimen as it tallies with Road Pro's 13.6V recommended float-stage maximum.

[Derek Uzzell]

Tracker - 2014-07-07 2:08 PM

 

I don't know whether the Sterling charger or the engine alternator is capable of charging any batteries with a different charging regime other than good old fashioned wet cell lead acid and as there does not appear to be any mains control unit being installed as it does not seem to be needed it seems to me that this thread seems to be getting unnecessarily complicated?

 

 

The thread has certainly become complicated, but not necessarily "unnecessarily complicated".

 

Danny's Transit's alternator will use a 'wet-acid' charging regimen and, if he chooses the Banner Energy Bull option (and if his Sterling battery-charger just produces a wet-acid charging regimen) there will be no potential complication.

 

However, if he chooses the more expensive Varta AGM option, questions arise as to whether - if the Sterling charger has a gel-regimen setting - this setting should be chosen for charging the Varta AGM batteries or, if (as seems quite likely) the Sterling charger just has a wet-acid charging regimen, whether it woud be preferable to opt for the higher capacity, cheaper Banner batteries.

 

As Danny seems to want around 200Ah of battery-capacity and there don't seem to be any dimensional restrictions on the batteries themselves, which batteries (other than the Varta/Banner ones) would you advise he buys?

 

(I don't understand your "...and as there does not appear to be any mains control unit being installed as it does not seem to be needed..." statement.)

[Tracker]

Derek Uzzell - 2014-07-07 2:45 PM

 

As Danny seems to want around 200Ah of battery-capacity and there don't seem to be any dimensional restrictions on the batteries themselves, which batteries (other than the Varta/Banner ones) would you advise he buys?

 

(I don't understand your "...and as there does not appear to be any mains control unit being installed as it does not seem to be needed..." statement.)

 

I've used these on a boat and a van both as starter and leisure batteries for two years with no issues and it seems as good a starting point as any other for comparison purposes until a better choice comes to mind?

 

http://www.tayna.co.uk/019-Powerline-Car-Battery-Reviews-8896.html

 

Sorry but I can't see how you are confused Derek.

As there appears to be no mains unit and no built in charger all the talk of charging regimes for different batteries is academic.

I guess if Danny needs mains power an inverter would be as good a choice as any - but that is a whole new ball game!

If it were my van I would seriously consider a solar panel with regulator and split charging relay to keep all the batteries in fine fettle both when in and out of use.

These too might well not have a charging regimes for other than lead acid?

 

PS - If you buy more than one battery from them Tayna will probably not give you any discount but they might be persuaded to only make one delivery charge if you ask them nicely!

[gkracing786]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the info. I had to do some background as it did get a bit confusing. I have read up on the charger and it is recommended to use open lead acid batteries in preference to gel or agm. So I think I am going for 2 x Banner 135ah energy bull leisure 95901. I am going to charge the batteries with the sterling bbc121250 battery to battery charger and 235w solar panel. I am glad I started the post as I assumed the charger would have charged all the batteries the same and may have made the wrong choice.

Please advise on my choice being suitable or not.

Thanks again everyone,

Danny

[simon says]

You seem to have chosen a good setup esp. with the big solar panel.

Alpha batteries have this £150 "Deal pair for 2 x Xplorer™ 110ah deep cycle batteries" which should do you as well. The trick is to keep the discharge to no more than 50% of the battery which is about 12.24v when the battery is at rest. I suggest a cheap voltmeter like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLUE-LED-Auto-Car-Truck-Voltmeter-Gauge-Voltage-Panel-Meter-5V-9V-12V-24V-3-30V-/251274910537?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item3a8126db49

to enable monitorng.

 

In my converted Sprinter I use the sterling b-b with 300 ah batteries and 250 watts solar. It's mainly needed to run a 12v compressor fridge/freezer which it does quite well.

 

Simon.