# Has anyone found a place for a 2nd leisure battery?



## frenchfancy (May 21, 2005)

Have just bought an 06 Swift Sundance 590RS, which up to now we are very pleased with, the only thing is there is only one leisure battery placed under the floor, has anyone put a 2nd one in and if so where please?


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Why do you need a second one? If you are doing a lot of camping away from mains would a solar charger help? These work efficiently (if it is reasonably bright) to keep a battery topped up. 

A second battery adds weight and needs to be in a ventilated place so that when it charges it cannot build up explosive gas in a confined place. I think there are also problems with charging two batteries if both are not matched - if the resistance of one differs then the current flows different to each - this can cause problems (and is one reason why a leisure battery may not get fully charged when the van is being driven)

I have seen similar threads and articles about the problems in various places but cannot say I have spoken to anyone that has actually needed a second battery wired in.


----------



## eddied (May 9, 2005)

*Batteries*

 Buon giorno Penguin and Frenchfancy,
I think you'll find that lots of m/homers have installed a second leisure battery, to allow for a greater degree of autonomy when out and about and away from EHU. What for ? TV, video, hairdryers, microwaves, heating, and all those interesting and useless gizmos you can run off 12 volts (or 230 with an inverter).They can be charged as per usual either wiith the vehicle alternator, via EHU, or with solar panels.
Where do you put it? Well my main leisure battery was originally in the rear locker - moved it to under the driver's seat. A second leisure battery is in the generous space available under the rear facing front dinette bench. Lots of room for another 2 or 3! 
saluti,
eddied


----------



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

We have the main battery under the drivers seat, I thought to put another eventually under the rear facing seat just behind it. I'm wondering about the comment above regarding matching batteries and uneven charging. Is that really a problem. 

Also in a moment of haste we bought a 100 amp hr battery listed as truck battery. We were leaving for the weekend and found the one that had been stuck in the last minute by the seller to be dead even after charging for 4 days. Is there really a big difference between the battery designed to start a truck and one for living space use?


----------



## johng1974 (Jan 17, 2007)

Jhelm yes there is..

A starting battery should not and cannot really take many discharges, and doing so will tend to knacker it..

A deep cycle leisure battery is more or less designed to run pretty flat often.. (which tends to happen in the 'house' section)


hope that helps

John


----------

