# Leisure battery size advise please ...



## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I suspect our Compass Calypso is running the origianal 75 amp leisure battery that it was supplied with as it has a Brownhill Sticker on it and price label of £45.

We only get about two hours of frugal lighting out of it before the Zig tells us that we are running flat. I just put the multimeter on the battery after just over an hours use with the 12v telly and one light on and it reads 10.6 volts. That is obviously no use to us.

We have an 80watt solar panel which is obviously charging the battery ok but the battery no able to cope.

Now - would a replacement (assuming it is shot) 75 amp battery suffice for our telly and a couple of lights or do we need to get a bigger battery. Would a bigger battery charge ok with our 80 w panel.

I thank you in advance for any responses/help 

Paul


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

Try and fit as large a battery (Ah) as possible giving you more capacity.


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## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

The panel will keep charging as long as the battery needs it. So fit as big a battery as you can get in the space and go for it..,


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

as has been said, the biggest in Ah that will fit.

cabby


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

There are some issues with fitting a bigger battery.

First off, if the capacity of the battery is not replaced daily by the solar panel, the battery will gradually reduce what it can give and die.

If the usage exceeds the capacity of the panel to recharge, the same thing will happen, fitting a bigger battery only takes you further down the road before your battery dies.

So, I would suggest that before you put a bigger battery in, you do some simple tests to see exactly what you ARE using from the battery, and also see what the solar panels ARE putting back into the battery.

Having done that, you'd be in a better position to judge.

Peter


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I found this bit of info...

"One fluorescent light 0.75 A x 5.00 hr 3.75 Ah
Two reading lamps 1.50 A x 2.00 hr 3.00 Ah
Colour TV 3.00 A x 2.50 hr 7.50 Ah
Water pump 7.00 AQ x 0.25 hr 1.75 Ah
Total ampere hours = 16.00 Ah
Add 20 per cent safety margin 3.20 Ah
19.20 Ah

If this is the amount used per day, a *75Ah battery will last around four days *and be fully discharged. Never allow a battery to discharge
beyond 50 percent of its capacity. Recharge the battery after two days."

I am not even getting 2 hours out of mine so I assume the battery is goosed. I get the point about too large a battery flattening and not getting a charge . OUr usage would be very similar to that given above (although our new telly is much lower than 3 A)


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

A way of reducing your load is to change your lights to LED's where possible.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

bigtree said:


> A way of reducing your load is to change your lights to LED's where possible.


Yes, but I think that reading lights as opposed to general lighting is probably a small proportion of the power used.

We have two 9W circular flourescents in the area where we sit and sleep, plus two move over the kitchen which is in the same 'room', but we rarely have all four together. The reading spotlights haven't been used so far!

I've promised myself to look at LED lighting, but there's always something else needing to be done.... 

Peter


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

bigtree said:


> A way of reducing your load is to change your lights to LED's where possible.


I have changed a couple already and bought a new lower output 240/12v TV yet am only getting just over an hour - nothing like the four days quoted above.

I am limited to the size of battery I can fit in the battery compartment under the bed 270mm x 175mm x 240mm height. I dont really want to have to rip that out and fit a new battery comp.

I was toying with buying another 75/80 amp to fit in the existing space and then buying another to link to the primary one later if needs be.

We never experienced this problem whilst in Portugal last year as we never used the telly and obviously didnt use the lighting until very late in the evening. We are off to Scotland in a couple of weeks so would have a good trial of our new battery 

Thanks all for your replies so far.


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

An hour ago I put the telly on with two lights. The battery had been charged off the mains and lasted an hour.

I'm looking at an Alphaline 88 Ah (at least its a bit bigger than the 75 one fitted) at £57 on ebay - has anyone any experience of them??


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

Are you using an inverter to power the TV or do you chop and change if you have hookup? If using an inverter that will pull your battery down quickly.


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I have been operating the telly on 12v as its a dual voltage telly. I realise that usee thru and inverter would drag it down even quicker.


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## bigtree (Feb 3, 2007)

All you can do is try a new battery as it sounds as if yours is goosed,if you are passing by Glasgow on your Scotland trip you can get cheap hookup at Trev's Aire. :lol:


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I ordered a new battery yesterday at 2.00pm and it arrived first this this morning  I will praise the company elsewhere for their excellent service.

The new battery is in place and this evening , so far, the telly has been on for 2 and a half hours with two lights and whilst the battery isnt charging (obviously) the 'take care' light is on. The voltage still reads 12.75v and I'm leaving a couple of lights on to see how it fairs this evening and beyond with a top up from the solar panel.

The old battery sits on the bench and reads 13.5 volts - slowly discharging from nearly 14 v despite nothing being attched to it.

Job done 

Thanks for your inputs along the way! 

Paul


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

It sounds like a problem solved, we had similar and fitted 2 x 80 ah in place of just one, I have also changed all of the lights for LEDs which give a good light and cut the consumption markedly.

Every little helps and the longer the power lasts the better things are IMO.

Enjoy your Scottish sojurn.

Dave


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

Penquin said:


> It sounds like a problem solved, we had similar and fitted 2 x 80 ah in place of just one,


Cheers Dave

Out of interest (and in case I think it worthwhile) how 'physically and electrically' do I connect two batteries) together under the seating....


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

MANY threads and excellent advice on here, I connected negative to negative and positive to positive with a fuse to protect each battery, ideally it is supposed to be the load to the positive of one and the negative of the other (various excellent explanations as to why on many threads).

MOST important is same terminals together as if you do it the other way you end up with 24v NOT 12v.........

also use heavy duty wire as the load can be heavy - particularly if you use an inverter........

Dave


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## jedi (Nov 22, 2007)

Read this from Clive:

http://www.motts.org/second leisiure battery.htm

Clear information on fitting second leisure battery.

Jed


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

jedi said:


> Read this from Clive:


Ex ' cell' ent  Thanks


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I didnt plug the 'leccy' in today to simulate a proper non-EHU situation so the only top up it has had is from the overcast sky. Its running the telly and one light fine as I type this.

The old leisure battery is slowly discharging by a quarter of a volt every few hours. I think I can safely say that its goosed


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