# Help on Battery sizes



## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

Hi All,

I've read with interest all the problems with Elecsol batteries so I'm aware of the issues.

However, and its a big problem for me as we have a very tight battery box under the garage floor that would involve major surgery to enlarge. 

So where can I get hold of a greater than 100AH battery that has a maximum of no more than 195mm in height?. No longer than 355mm and no wider than 175mm

Every battery I've looked at with a capacity greater than 100AH bracket is around 220mm or greater and will not fit in our Flair. Most fall in the length and width ok.

As standard, N+B fit 85AH GEL batteries and when we came around to changing, Elecsol appeared to be the only supplier that offers a 110AH battery with a height of 190mm


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Have you looked at battery boxes and locating somewhere else in the van?
EXAMPLE


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

Hi Techno100,

As I say it would be a major job and its not as easy as that. 

For a start the whole double floor is only 290mm and the access doors are much smaller than that and would involve running long lengths of heavy duty wire or moving the chargers and inverter. It would hardly be cost effective.

Surely there must be someone that manufactures a battery that is a similar size to the Elecsol.


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

Techno100 said:


> Have you looked at battery boxes and locating somewhere else in the van?
> EXAMPLE


But here again the internal measurements are only 200mm high so I'd still have to find a battery to fit


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

Vennwood said:


> Techno100 said:
> 
> 
> > Have you looked at battery boxes and locating somewhere else in the van?
> ...


PLUS the lid provides at least 60mm more allowing for the thickness of the plastic . look at the external dimension :wink:

SOMETHING LIKE THIS FITS THE BOX EASY


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Hi 

I recently replaced my exide gel batteries and had the same problem with space. mine were mounted above one another and i needed them to be no higher than 190mm

I have quoted an old ebay number but i have just checked and it still works. 
I bought 2 x 120ah for £149.99 almost half the price of the gel.

I know you are fairly well aquainted with m/homes but when switching from gels to lead acid remember to alter the settings in the elektroblock.

SPECIFICATION
Capacity - 120 Ah
Starting Power (EN) - 950 CCA
External Dimensions in mm - L 353, W 175, H 190
Weight 25kg

170574599606 ref no.

I have only had them a short while, and have not used them in anger, but for the price, and, when the alternative is the elecsol which seems to be coming under a lot of criticism good value.

Ian


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Hi again 
THey are carbatteriesdirectltd

low height leisure batteries 4 year gtee

Ian


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170593212865#ht_1378wt_1135


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## icer (Dec 11, 2006)

Thanks techno100

that would have been a lot easier

Ian


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## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

Don't waste your money on Elecsols, get a good quality 85ah and it will most likely perform better than a 110ah elecsol

Recent post suggest looking for either semi traction or traction batteries for best performance
Alan H


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## Cyclopath (Sep 14, 2008)

The Elecsol Batteries 100ah on my Murvi are needing replacement. \i was on the phone today to them on the subject and was advised that Varta Hobby 80ah were the same size and of equivalent output to the optomistic figure for the Elecsol original fit. 
Hope this helps,

Kevin


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

A good few here with 200mm hight
http://www.batterymegastore.co.uk/products/group/?c=Battery&a=Renewable+Power


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## ChrisandJohn (Feb 3, 2008)

We've just checked our Banner 110Ah and it's 355 mm long, 175 mm wide and 200 mm high. So looks like it's just too tall for you?

Chris


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I also am looking for a new leisure battery and it must be low height to fit under the drivers seat. Not sure about the height until I remove the seat later today but has anyone views on the NUMAX Leisure battery 
Got a feeling they might be too high as the lugs stick up and what about venting, if the gas rises why have vents going down through the floor. I know we have quite a few draughts around the bottom of our doors so would they really be necessary. 
The other thread about exploding batteries is rightly frightening me, looked at the Elecsol as they fit but have a bad name.


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

Grath said:


> I also am looking for a new leisure battery and it must be low height to fit under the drivers seat. Not sure about the height until I remove the seat later today but has anyone views on the NUMAX Leisure battery
> Got a feeling they might be too high as the lugs stick up and what about venting, if the gas rises why have vents going down through the floor. I know we have quite a few draughts around the bottom of our doors so would they really be necessary.
> The other thread about exploding batteries is rightly frightening me, looked at the Elecsol as they fit but have a bad name.


Sadly that's the problem. On one hand they appear to be one of a very few batteries that will give you greater output for a minimum size however on closer analysis that is not so. Then there are the warranty issues....

The closest I've come so far is the ones on Ebay mentioned by Techno100 but they are an unknown to me.


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

Well I have just brought a 110AH Elecsol and sure enough it gave me around 5hours of using 16Amps from fully charged, which is around 80 amps of useful use which is about 70% efficient... what ever the ratting of a battery it seems you can't use the total mentioned. It would be interesting to try other batteries and see the results just useing a simple test and its quite a realistic test, and not baffle us all with all the meaningless figures that no one understands.... yes this battery is 170mm height for the very reason as others have the requirement...

NB I have a Banner battery faulty after 6 months, very poor service, contacted the supplyer no reply, contacted the main agent and no reply so if they work fine, if you have a problem don't touch them, that my first hand experience... was a expensive battery...


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## Techno100 (May 8, 2010)

I have a numax sealed xv31mf and an alphaline xv31mf same batteries different badges but the latter is £79 delivered. No problems so far. I have one in the van battery compartment and another in a large battery box under the lounge seat adjacent. 
If they go faulty at £79 I'll write it off but as I'm constantly kept topped up by solars while in storage I dont expect a failure


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

Yep they look good batteries techno but to high the height is the main issue..... its the space under the drivers seat etc and have only a max height of 190mm.. in the rear storage of my van i have no restrictions still interesting to see other peoples views on batteries...


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Just found these Gel and the size is suitable for under seats.
Only 80A/H but I am told that a Gel battery should give near to the maximum A/H. Is that correct?
That could explain why my old 65 A/H has worked so well! I thought it was at least 90 a/h but never checked.

http://www.tayna.co.uk/G80-Exide-Gel-Leisure-Battery-P7693.html


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## clive1821 (Mar 27, 2010)

Hi in my limited experience any battery is not 100% efficient just as a guide line and rule of thub I would say 75% so if you were discharging the battery at say 7.5 amps it would last for around 7.5hours on a warm day if very cold it might only last for 5 hours at the same discharge rate... its just about careful management of your electrical requirements...

The bottom line is have as much battery capacity as your van can cope with, size and weight etc.... solar pannels do help as well, and again the bigger the better in an ideal world...


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

I could not believe the size of our now de funked battery (65 a/h) as we have wilded mostly and many times not moved or even started the engine for 5 days during the summer. Obviously winter use we would move every couple of days. But we are careful what we use and I do keep an eye on the gauge. If I had needed a second battery,I would have got one, just did not need one.

See this

http://www.vonwentzel.net/Battery/01.Type/index.html


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