In contrast, a leisure battery has to provide a steady flow of current over a prolonged period and seldom gets replenished until the user recognises that its voltage level has substantially fallen. That’s when a re-charge is duly provided. If left long in a discharged state, a battery will generally not regain its former condition. Furthermore, manufacturers often recommend that re-charging is commenced when a battery drops to 50 per cent of its full condition. Terminal Layout: Negative (-) on left, Positive (+) on right ; with the terminals on the edge of the battery closest to you

Scottish Highlands - AB36-38, AB55-56, FK17-21, IV1-39, IV52-54, IV63, KW1-14, PA21-40, PH19-26, PH30-41, PH49-50Not surprisingly, batteries are made to be ‘job specific’. For instance, a conventional car battery seldom lasts long when asked to provide a 12V supply in a caravan or motorhome. This is partly because its lead plates are thinner and its separators (described later) are different, too. The 12V equipment in a caravan or motorhome relies on a leisure battery. This important item is not normally supplied with a new caravan whereas most new motorhomes have one as standard. Batteries that are designed to start a vehicle are made differently from batteries specifically intended to run caravanning appliances. This is because their operating requirements are different. For instance a vehicle battery has to provide a high current surge to start an engine, but once that has been achieved, a vehicle’s alternator immediately replenishes the power it provided.

What size leisure battery do I need? – You will first need to work out what your consumption is going to be on the 12V equipment you use and for how long it is used then, if required, factor in what seasons you go away. An example is shown below: Now you need to interpret the reading and although we talk about 12V batteries and accessories, this description is only nominal. If a leisure battery achieves a 12V reading, it is considered to have reached a discharged state. Sparks sometimes occur when connecting up a battery and good quality clamps are needed. Temporary crocodile clips, often supplied with battery chargers, are not suitable for permanent connections. Also note that a spark can cause ignition of releasing gas or residual gas left in a cell. This gives your typical daily consumption. It is surprising how much power is required and how we take it for granted. Heavy consumption equipment like motor movers will have a detrimental effect on the battery performance for the reasons explained below. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO 4) batteries are another form of very deep cycle battery. They're self contained units with their own on-board charge manager. Having elminated lead they typically weigh half as much as an equivelant output lead-acid battery so the weight saving is a benefit. They can also be fully discharged and recharged and during the discharge cycle they can retain a stable voltage level and they can be rapidly recharged.

Absorbent Glass Mat - Absorbent Glass Mat, or AGM, combines compressed glass fibres with acid. This extends that battery's lifespan. As sealed units, maintenance is of a minimum. They can sit on their ends and sides, just not upside down. Therefore, an AGM charger is required; and these units tend to be more expensive than Deep Cycle batteries.

Semi traction and traction batteries (also referred to as deep cycling batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).Category C is for users that require a lower capacity battery to cover basic operation of their habitation equipment for short periods away from a hook-up This is why a caravan’s 12V accessories should not be run directly from a charger – i.e. without a battery installed in the supply system. Battery anatomy Dynamic Silver car batteries are a great all-rounder, providing more power than our blue range at great value. Suitable for many manufacturers such as Ford, Vauxhall, Renault, Citroen, VW, Peugeot, BMW, Audi, Skoda, Volvo, Honda, Fiat and many more. They offer excellent cold start performance and reliability.

As mentioned earlier, AGM batteries are unusual in that they can act as starter batteries as well as leisure products. For instance, some recent cars are fitted with a supporting AGM second battery to run the many electronic aids now being installed. Similarly, their notable performance is recognised by caravanners wanting a task-specific support battery to specifically run a motor mover. So, for example, if you are planning on caravanning and would like to make sure that you can watch TV for 3 hours, your equation would look like this: From this information decide what size battery will likely be needed depending on how long you are away from a charging source. It is likely that this is not enough to meet your needs and will have to consider a top up charge. This will be covered in more depth in the Battery Charging guide. Needless-to-say, if a battery box is mounted inside, heat in the living area will help to improve its performance. However, many batteries are mounted externally where ambient temperatures can be much lower. Standard leisure batteries (also referred to as auxiliary batteries, deep-cycling batteries, lead-acid batteries, wet batteries).

Leisure batteries’ two-fold tasks

Class A - Higher capacity batteries for those who frequently spend extended time away from an electrical hook-up. Alpha Batteries bears no responsibility for whatsoever for loss occurred due to late or failed deliveries. Whereas a 12V battery is unlikely to cause electrocution, if the terminals or their couple cables are shorted-out, it can cause a fire. If you have recently disconnected a charger or have been driving a motorhome or towing, a reading will be higher than normal. After a battery has been receiving a charge, it is recommended to let it settle for at least four hours before taking a voltage reading. Upgrade your vehicle's power system with the Exide 017 Car Battery 12V 95Ah. Enjoy reliable performance, durability and peace of mind knowing that your cars electrical needs are efficiently met. Trust Exide, a trusted name in the automotive industry, to power your journey