# Are these two batteries ok together?



## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

I have a factory fitted Pilote 105Ah battery in the MH and a 'spare' battery from a MH I sold recently.

Are the vented Pilote battery and the 100Ah Elecsol sealed battery all right to use together?

Both batteries are less than 1 year old.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Their charging requirements as sealed and vented are different, but they would survive OK. You'd have to keep the charging voltage for the wet battery lower than the sealed, but in real terms it isn't hugely significant as long as both are kept well charged.

Peter


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I am not going to disagree with Lister but on an earlier thread, reports indicated that both batteries should be of the same value and where possible of the same age.
I believe that where batteries with two different ratings i.e.110ah and 100ah it will be the lower ah value that will be delivered from each battery i.e. 2 x 100ah.

I am open to be corrected on this matter.

Alan


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

It is good practice when having batteries in parallel together to have the same make,age,and capacity.If one of them is on the way out it will tend to drag the other down.

However if I was in your situation I would probably use them together,they are both fairly new,lead acid,and are of similar capacity.I would check the terminal voltage of both batteries after a charge and left standing for 24 hours.If there was not much difference between them I would have no hesitation in using them together.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

You are correct.

cabby


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

rosalan said:


> I am not going to disagree with Lister but on an earlier thread, reports indicated that both batteries should be of the same value and where possible of the same age.
> I believe that where batteries with two different ratings i.e.110ah and 100ah it will be the lower ah value that will be delivered from each battery i.e. 2 x 100ah.
> 
> I am open to be corrected on this matter.
> ...


The critical thing is the age, rather than the capacity, Alan, the combined pair that you mention would deliver the combined capacity, not the lower one you mention.

There is no electrical or chemical 'mechanism' that would stop this happening.

The age is more significant as the rate of self-discharge increases with age, and the available capacity of the battery decreases, so an old 110AH may be down to 85ah or so.

Peter


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## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

The Elecsol battery I used to have (which looked like the one in the photo) was vented. If you look at the LH and RH ends, there will either be 2 small red plastic plugs or 2 small holes (if plugs removed).


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

You can avoid the problem of dis-similar batteries by separating them with a marine, (1,2 and both) switch like this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DURITE-MA...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item43bf350384

Although you have to manually choose which you use, I find it give me much more flexibility. Also if one goes flat while watching TV you can switch to the other.

I also prefer it even if the batteries are matched, as one dropped cell can bring the whole lot down.


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

Many thanks for the helpful replies.

I've put the Elecsol alongside the Pilote battery with a fused connection and strapped them together.

If anyone sees any problems with this set-up please let me know.

I'll keep them charged up and let you know how I get on with them.

747 - I can't see any plugs or holes at either end of the battery.


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

is the Elecsol in a tray or straight onto floor ? (possibly standing on a piece of blue carpet)

I think it is wise to sit all batteries in a tray or battery box in case they leak acid


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

In my expert opinion :lol: and this applies to any batteries, even in your TV remote, you should always pair like for like, different types is no a good idea in anything nor is different amperage, but they will usually work to the detriment of the more powerful one being dragged down by the weaker on.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Kev_n_Liz said:


> In my expert opinion :lol: and this applies to any batteries, even in your TV remote, you should always pair like for like, different types is no a good idea in anything nor is different amperage, but they will usually work to the detriment of the more powerful one being dragged down by the weaker on.


The 'weaker' battery can only pull the 'more powerful' battery down if it is defective. Batteries of the same voltage can be paralleled and no harm will come to them as long as they are both in good condition and both kept up on charge.

The different types that Keith has are not normally put together, but as I said in an earlier post, it won't hurt as long as etc etc.

Batteries are an electro-chemical storage device, not something out of the Space Shuttle. All Lead-Acid batteries have very similar charging and discharging characteristics, with the main variations being caused by sealed or vented, and variations on the sealed theme, but at basics they are all Lead-Acid technology.

Battery companies love to baffle customers with b*llsh*t, sorry, 'Technical Information', but apart from the addition of Calcium in recent years, nothing has really changed.

Peter


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

listerdiesel said:


> Kev_n_Liz said:
> 
> 
> > In my expert opinion :lol: and this applies to any batteries, even in your TV remote, you should always pair like for like, different types is no a good idea in anything nor is different amperage, but they will usually work to the detriment of the more powerful one being dragged down by the weaker on.
> ...


Yeah but, but, but.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Sounds like you ran out of buts....   

Peter


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

listerdiesel said:


> Sounds like you ran out of buts....
> 
> Peter


Well I did preface it with "in my expert opinion" and a  so hopefully no one took me seriously and I figured someone, who knew what they were talking about would correct it, but I only got you   so we'll still have to wait for a real expert to come along


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

You'll have a long wait.... 8) 

Peter


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

listerdiesel said:


> You'll have a long wait.... 8)
> 
> Peter


I'm still trying to work out the wattage for the radio power supply :roll:


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

About 15W quiescent current normally, more for an older radio. Peak draw on loud music can be quite high, up to 20A or so, even more if you have one of the high-end sets, but for normal listening that PSU I mentioned will be fine.

Peak transient currents are normally handled by the smoothing capacitors in the PSU and radio, you don't normally need to rate the PSU for them.

Peter


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Ta PEter, I just won a CB radio PSU, which will be more use than the plug type, if I need to test any 12v stuff on the bench.


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

An update and rethink.

I decided to get the batteries checked over to find out how good, or bad, they are.

I took them to a local branch of Manbat, battery distributors, and had a very good chat with the guy in reception about my batteries and batteries in general.

They put both batteries under test, they had them for four days, and gave me a print out report.

The Pilote battery had a 93.3% capacity, which is apparently very good, and should be good for a few years more.

The Elecsol disappeared off the scale soon after starting the test and in their opinion was only good for scrap – which I've done.

The Elecsol is apparently not much better than a normal car battery, with a leisure label attached, and totally unsuitable for Motorhome use.

As a matter of interest the Pilote battery weighs almost 25 kilos and the Elecsol about 16 kilos - my saloon car battery weighs just over 12 kilos.

I put the Pilote battery back in the MH and took it to a local Motorhome and Caravan servicing business.

Again I had a good half hour chat with the owner and he did tests on the battery, solar panel connections and checked the battery when electrical appliances were switched on.

When all the Led lights were on, 16 in total, fridge/freezer on and the Combi heater working the battery was holding its own and coped well enough for him to say that there should be no problems when not on EHU.

We don't have a television, and aren't thinking of getting one, but if we did get one we should go back to see him and check the battery performance again. 

The test at Manbat cost £5 + vat, which I thought reasonable enough, and the Motorhome service owner refused to accept any payment – well done that man!

So now I've had everything checked over I feel confident enough to consider the wildcamping option when we go away next time.

Again thanks for all your replies, advice and opinions.

:wav: :wav: :wav:


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