Spring has sprung!
Spring is finally here, and the rain has eventually stopped (Is it us or did that wet spell go on for forever!), so it’s time to start thinking about holidays in our motorhomes and caravans.
We have some top tips here for you on how to maintain & look after your leisure batteries.
Hopefully whilst your caravan has been in storage you have properly maintained your leisure battery, to ensure it’s ready for your next trip out. If you are unsure, we have listed some tips below for you, but if you need any additional advice, a charger or a replacement battery then please give us a call or pop into one of our battery centres, we’d be very happy to help.
Leisure battery top tips
- Ideally, use a leisure battery charger rather than a standard vehicle unit
- As long as it has access to daylight, a solar panel can keep your leisure battery charged. Beware of over-charging, however, particularly if your panel has a cheap regulator
- Overcharging can be just as bad for your leisure battery as undercharging
- As a general rule, never allow your leisure battery to discharge below 50 per cent of its capacity
Do’s
- Always keep your battery fully charged, even when not in use. When not in use, store in a cool environment connected to an appropriate charger.
- Always keep the battery upright and adequately secured
- Make sure your batteries are wired and installed in the correct manner
- Charge your battery after purchase and before each use
- Keep the terminals and posts free from corrosion. Lightly coat with petroleum jelly
- If you’re laying up your vehicle for the winter, charge the battery at the end of the season and remove it from the motorhome, or use a permanently connected intelligent charger
- Check your motorhome for appliances that draw a constant charge from the leisure battery, e.g. a tracking system or alarm, as you will need to counter this draw with a constant re-charge to maintain the battery and you won’t be able to remove your leisure battery.
Don’ts
- Never rely on an automotive alternator only – it may reduce battery life. Some base vehicles have “smart” alternators, which may not fully charge a leisure battery
- Never over-charge your battery. Once disconnected from the charger and, after 24 hours, a fully charged 12V battery should have a voltage of 12.7V. This can be checked with a multi-meter
- Never over-discharge your battery. A battery is fully discharged when the load voltage is 11.70V – this means charge immediately
- Never leave your battery in a discharged state for a prolonged period of time
- Never reverse the polarity on your battery charging leads as this may damage the battery and charger
If you would like any advice on the correct battery or charger for your motorhome or caravan, please give us a call or pop in – our battery experts will be more than happy to assist you.
We hope these tips have been helpful, if you would like a help post on any other battery or battery charger related topic, please just let us know.
At Shield Batteries, our friendly Battery Experts are here to help!
Not only do we supply Batteries & Inverters, but we also stock Battery Chargers to keep you Fully Charged. We can also supply Jump Packs & Jump Leads too & a huge selection of batteries to suit every vehicle or application. You can find us at the following locations….
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