# Halfords Leisure Battery and Gas during charging



## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Hi all,
Just found the MHF Site and there's a load of great information here 

So - I've a question I hope someone could help me with:
We've just bought our first MH (2001 Eura Mobil 515 Sport) and it needed a new leisure battery.
I went and got the 110 Ah Leisure Batter in Halfords:










After reading up on leisure batteries (in the Haynes Motorcaravan manual) I came across this : "During charging, a battery sometimes gives off a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. This is lighter than air, explosive, and has a distinct odour." 
Anyhow, it goes on to say that you should place the batter in a ventilated area (ours goes under the floor in the MH interior) or you should connect up a ventilating tube to the battery.
The old battery I took out (A DETA battery) had a tube connected to it, and obviously, a place to connect that tube to, however the Halfords one does not have anywhere to connect the tube.

Additionally, there was a tiny generic booklet (i.e. not halfords branded) with the halfords battery that I've just read and it says the battery should not be used indoors.

So - is the halfords battery a proper leisure battery for use in a MH (seeing as it even has a little picture of MH on the side of it) ? 
Or is it sealed battery that I don't need to worry about ? 
(BTW : The Halfords has little caps on the top which look like they could be screwed off for checking the cells - does this mean it's not sealed ?)

We've used it for one full night on our first trip away at the weekend and everything seemed fine, but I'm just checking...

Anyhow, just a little concerned as to whether or not it's safe and if I should return it, or has anyone any advice/experience with these batteries ?


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## Wytonknaus (Jun 18, 2007)

If you look at the ends of the battery you will find a plug at the top in the centre at each end. This should be a push fit and is where the 90 degree bent piece of tubing goes to attach the drain pipe to, you will find the one on your old battery should fit.

This is of course in theory, but I had the same problem and went to halfords who gave me the 90 degree bent bit I was missing.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Battered*

Hello,

Please do tell me you did not get battered £199.99 for the battery?

Available here >Click here for battery 110ah< and if you Pay £10 to become a member you get a 5% discount off that!.

Trev.


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

> If you look at the ends of the battery you will find a plug at the top in the centre at each end. This should be a push fit and is where the 90 degree bent piece of tubing goes to attach the drain pipe to, you will find the one on your old battery should fit.


Cool - I'll check that so - just didn't notice it when I examined the battery - will report back when I check 



> Please do tell me you did not get battered £199.99 for the battery?


It was €199 (I'm in Ireland) and I'm afraid I did pay it 
We had just got the MH and the Mrs wanted to head off for the weekend and it was Friday evening.....


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Battered*



deadl0ck said:


> > If you look at the ends of the battery you will find a plug at the top in the centre at each end. This should be a push fit and is where the 90 degree bent piece of tubing goes to attach the drain pipe to, you will find the one on your old battery should fit.
> 
> 
> Cool - I'll check that so - just didn't notice it when I examined the battery - will report back when I check
> ...


€Ouch


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

OK - So I've ceheck the battery and there is nowhere to plug in the tube for the gas 

I just dropped down to Halfords at luch time, and the 70Ah battery has got the holes at either end, but not the larget white 100Ah battery I have.

I asked the guys working there, but they had no clude. They said they will call head office and call me back with what they find out (But I'm not so confident on this...)

Anyhow here's pics of the 4 sides of the battery, and the top of the battery (Click the text to see the pic) :

Top of Battery

Right side of battery

Left side of battery

Front of battery

Back of battery

If you look at the pic of the top of the battery, each of the 6 caps on it have a small hole in each - I' assuming that's where the gas comes out of !!

Anybody got any further ideas, as this is something I'd really like to get cleared up?

Should I be looking for my money back at this stage ?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

I haven't seen that type of battery before (and at that price, have no wish to). If it is a liquid electrolyte as it looks (confirm by sloshing it, or unscrew a cap to see the liquid surface) then I wouldn't want that battery potentially venting into the accommodation area of my motorhome.

If it were a gel, and my mains charger had a gel setting, I might be prepared to take the risk, but wouldn't advise anyone else so to do.

Sorry you asked MHF too late! :-(

I'm not sure what grounds you have for rejecting/ returning the battery. Were you advised wrongly by Halfords?

Dave


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Yep - there's lots of liquid in it !

I'll bring it back and look for a refund - it's not up to standard for it's intended purporse.

I'm pretty sure I should be able to get a refund - and I'm pretty sure I'm entitled to one !


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Good luck. Well, it is entirely fit-for-purpose in many motorhomes, all those with a battery locker venting to the outside. Just not yours :-(

Read this thread:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-195134.html#195134

Dave


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

I'll see how I get on.
I just talked to Halford customer service on the phone now and they reckon it should be fine based on the fact that they sell it for use in a MH.
I questioned fuerther and expined the problem, and then they said that maybe I should bring it back....
Great help !!


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

*CHECK THE CAPS WITH HALFORDS*

It is just possible that the battery is fitted with catalytic caps and that the small holes in the caps are for emergency de-pressurising should the charger go wrong and seriously overcharge the battery. Or you drive up to the top of a mountain!

Catalytic caps convert the hydrogen and oxygen produced during the later phases of the charging cycle back into water and drop it back into the cell. So during NORMAL operation the battery should not gas.

On the other hand they may not be!

If the battery gasses profilically it will smell of sulphur, it sticks in your nose!

Get Halfords to check the particular battery stock number with Halfords head office for some detailed answers.

Personally I would always recommend that batteries are in a locker that is vented to the outside, even gel batteries can gas under some circumstances and with an intelligent charger the battery voltage is actually taken to a higher voltage with gel that with wet electrolyte batteries during the later phase of charge.

I was going to say its a bit of a minefield - but only if you light a match!

Good luck


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Thanks for the info clive.

I haven't noticed any smell from it whatsoever, but maybe I'm just not smelling it 

Anyhow - my local halfords are checking it out and said they will get back to me (I rang the UK helpline myself and got the previous info I mentioned.).

I'll see what info the local halfords guys get from head office....


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Battery*

Hello again,

I would suggest that the battery is as it says "not designed for indoor use" or similar wording.

The Numax batteries that I suggested in the link for outdoorbits would be suitable as they have the connections for venting to the outside and should come with a piece of tube and elbow to enable you to do this.

If you have a Eura Mobil as you have stated this should already have a tube in place for such purpose. Ours was supplied with 2 x 110ah batteries fitted in the cellar (thats what we call it). I have added a third and have simply teed into the existing vents.

Personaly I would ask Halfords if they would take it back. Tell the Mrs. to hang on a few days before you venture out in the van again and get a Numax or similar with venting points. Numax can be vented either or both sides.

Regards,
Trev.


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Yep - I'll bring it back next week (Have other stuff on this weekend) and hopeful get a refund....

Actually - Halfords called me back today and said they have not forgotten about me, and that are waiting on the battery manufacturer (varta / bosch) to get back to them and they will let me know as soon as they hear.
I'm glad to hear that the are actually looking into this as I reckon a lot of people could get caught like this - I assumed (like the guys in Halfords when I asked them about it initially) that a leisure battery was a leisure battery until I started reading the Haynes Motorcaravan manual that I got the other day !


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## deadl0ck (Apr 16, 2008)

Got a chance to go back to Halfords today.

They refunded without quibble when I told them the "case history" - which was nice


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