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Leisure battery mismatch on 2007 A/Sleepers?


peejay

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Posted

Just noticed today on the back of a motorhome mag that Autosleepers are marketing their new 2007 Transit based Wilton and Ascot models as having "85ah & 60ah (total 145ah) leisure batteries".

 

I'm certainly no expert on this and I might have it wrong but I thought you had to have 2 batteries of the same type/power output etc or one drags the other down (?)

 

I wonder if they have come up with some new technology to enable them to do this?

 

pete

 

Posted

Auto sleepers are unlikely to be fitting dual leisure batteries on any of their motorhomes as standard. I would therefore assume that one of the listed motorhomes will have the 60 AH and the other the 85Ah battery. Either that or the standard fitment is 60 AH but an 85AH is an option.

 

D.

Posted

peejay: Out of interest, which magazine was the "85ah & 60ah (total 145ah) leisure batteries" statement in? And was the information within an actual Auto-Sleepers advert?

 

The Auto-Sleepers website provides the following data for leisure battery capacities relating to motorhome models built on Ford chassis:

 

60Ah - Amethyst, Duetto, Pollensa, Ravenna, Rienza

85Ah - Windsor

60Ah AND 85Ah - Ascot, Eton and Wilton

 

According to the website photos Duetto, Windsor, Ascot, Eton and Wilton are now constructed on the latest Transit chassis, while Amethyst, Pollensa, Ravenna and Rienza continue (apparently) to soldier on perched on the now obsolete chassis. (That's just a throw-away observation: I can't think why it should impact on leisure battery capacities.)

 

Dave's assumption that Auto-Sleepers have got their AND's and OR's confused is logical, especially as Duetto is quoted as having a 60Ah battery and Windsor an 85Ah one. Conversely, it would be odd for A-S to offer just a meagre 25Ah as an upgrade.

 

Motorhomes based on Year 2000-onwards Transits normally have a single leisure battery housed in the cab passenger-seat-box, with an 80-85Ah gel type being par for the course. However, I'm pretty sure a second battery could be shoe-horned in if necessary. So, on the face of it, a worthwhile upgrade from 60Ah to 120Ah would be a practical proposition. (By the way, I'm assured that cab seat boxes on 'new' Transits are identical to the 'old' model's design.)

 

Little point speculating about this, so I've e-mailed Auto-Sleepers for clarification. I'll post their answer if and when I get it. (Or should that be "if OR when"!!)

Posted

Hi Derek;

 

The advert was on the outside backpage of March 2007 Practical Motorhome.

 

I only noticed this beacause of the wording "85AH & 60AH (TOTAL 145AH) LEISURE BATTERIES" If they were 2 different battery options why would they quote the total collective AH ?

 

Like you, I fired off a quick email and have received this prompt reply today.....

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Dear Mr. Jenkins,

 

Thanks for your enquiry regarding batteries on the Ford Wilton.

 

I have spoken to our technical department who assure that although the batteries are fitted in tandem the way they are configured means

the lower capacity one wont drag down the higher one.

 

If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Regards

 

Phil Bennett

-----Original Message-----

From: pete jenkins [mailto:**@****.******.co.uk]

Sent: 01 February 2007 18:50

To: sales@auto-sleepers.co.uk

Subject: 2007 model leisure batteries

 

 

Hello.

 

I've just seen your advert for the new 2007 Transit based Wilton. It states that 60 and 85 (total 145ah) ah batteries are fitted, does that mean there are 2 batteries fitted in tandem?

If so, wont the lower capacity battery drag down the higher one?

 

yours sincerely

 

Mr P Jenkins

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Late edit - according to their website both the Ascot and Wilton have this battery arrangement, both on the new mk7 transit chassis...

 

http://www.auto-sleepers.co.uk/ford_Ascot_Conv.htm

http://www.auto-sleepers.co.uk/ford_Wilton_Conv.htm

 

Intriguing

 

 

pete

 

Posted

As I said earlier, according to the A-S website ETON also has a 60Ah + 85Ah leisure battery arrangement.

 

All A-S models built on the latest Transit have diesel-fuelled blown-air heating, so plenty of leisure battery capacity will be desirable. Odd though that ASCOT and WINDSOR, with similar dimensions, apparently have different battery set-ups. If I go to the NEC show I'll ask the A-S guys about this.

 

I remember asking Clive Mott-Gotobed (years ago) about the implications of parallel-connecting different capacity batteries. I can't properly recall his advice, so perhaps he could repeat it, please.

Posted
I note the A/S response to your query and hope it works out as I have an automatic (Durashift) 2006 A/S Eton with both 60ah and 85ah leisure batteries. The Ford base comes with the vehicle battery and 60ah leisure battery under the drivers seat. A/S add the 85ah leisure battery in the offside underseat storage in the habitation area.

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