Leisure batteries

[froggy]

My bay is wired (was wired but i've removed it while carrying out repairs) with a split charge relay and a leisure battery but what do people actually use the leisure battery for?
I will need a new leisure battery but cant decide if the cost of a battery is worth it as i dont have a clue what to use it for. The Bay has a electric hook up if we go to a camp site, so not sure what, or if, to run off the 12V electrics.

 

[creationblue]

Most people use then to run interior lighs mainly but any 12v chargers ect, travel dvd players, but your right most things can be run off mains.............if you are on a site with leccy of course!

CB

 

[rustydiver]

Got a 120 amp leisure battery on mine. Good charge b4 going on hol in Aug still going strong. Use it for Lights, fridge running DVD etc.

Look in your local autofactors/ auto electric shop paid about £40 for mine.
Seen same battery in boat chandlers/ caravan shop for double.

 

[froggy]

Could always rewire the circuit but leave off the Live feed from the Starter battery, it not doing any harm and leaves me the option to reconnect it IF i ever decide that i need it

 

[Guest]

depends if you camp on site or off trail, i can think of better things to spend £100 on if you have hook up.

 

[halfpint_fighter]

We have the 12v socket on the leisure battery, the interior light and the stereo.

No worries about running the main battery out while camping. If the leisure battery needs charging while at a campsite we have the battery charger stores under the seat.

The electric hookup lead is one of those separate units with 3 sockets so it can be used in the bus or awning.

 

[Guest]

you can get the portable solar trickle chargers that suction to your window.

I'm wondering if you can use them while taking power from the battery?. They seem compact and pretty useful if you have no hookup?

 

[mk2matt]

i run my solar panell 24/7 as it has a 1 way feed, so when driving it dont get power from battery only feeds it

cost £10 from maplins

going to buy a few more for the other cars, as great for when you aint using the car, so car dont drain the battery

 

[halfpint_fighter]

I have a solar panel but it is one of those cheap maplin ones which gives out about 1W. It will maintain the leisure battery but not really charge it.
The bigger ones get quite expensive.

 

[dubberdaz]

I have 2 Solar panels fitted inside my roofrack (13w each) . They are large ones and help keep charge to my leisure battery together with a Zig charging unit as i have 12v fridge freezer, dvd, tv, blown heating and CD player for music. Most shows and some of the nice camps sites I go to have no hook up :wink:

 

[Guest]

I have 2 Solar panels fitted inside my roofrack (13w each) . They are large ones and help keep charge to my leisure battery together with a Zig charging unit as i have 12v fridge freezer, dvd, tv, blown heating and CD player for music. Most shows and some of the nice camps sites I go to have no hook up :wink:

so you can practically run that setup with just 2 panels? thats trick!

it would be interesting to know what the average wattage you would need to be self sufficient at a site. 26W isnt alot for a TV but i supposed it not used continuously or directly from the panel.