At Waudbys we are often confronted by customers who need advice with their leisure batteries and any problems they are having. We have collected all of our advice together to create a helpful How To page for any troubleshooting you have.
USE A LEISURE BATTERY CHARGER. A leisure battery is different to a standard car one as they charge and distribute power differently and has to be charged accordingly. Put the battery on a bench charge for 48 hours to ensure full capacity. 12.7 volts indicates a full battery, 12.3volts is half full and a reading of 11.8volts means it is fully discharged.
ALWAYS KEEP IT SECURE. Make sure when travelling the battery is secure as standard types contain acid/corrosives that can cause serious damage. It is also important to keep it vented in confined areas. Some vehicles have vented lockers for batteries.
SAFETY FIRST. Never use naked flames or smoke when near or maintaining a battery. Protective clothing is also recommended as splashes can cause burns.
WHICH SIZE? When deciding which size battery to buy think about what you will be using it for. Is it mainly for lights or do you want to run a television or fridge. A small 75amp battery will allow you to run lights, a water pump and a few hours of television for around 4 days. The Caravan Club website offers a great explanation of these running times if you need any further help.
YOUR CARAVAN DOES NOT CHARGE YOUR BATTERY. Most chargers fitted to caravans do not fully charge leisure batteries and instead deliver a trickle charge which merely keeps it from running flat. Before going on holiday you must charge the battery on a bench charge for 48 hours to avoid a flat battery on holiday.
Some batteries have indicators built in to tell you what the current charge is. Unfortunatley many of these only test one cell and cannot tell you the true health of your battery.
The average life of a leisure battery is 2 years but the more you look after it the longer it will last. Keep it dry, check the terminals regularly and keep an eye on the cells unless you have a maintenance free battery.
Please contact us if you have any further questions regarding batteries or any other problem and our team will be more than happy to help at info@waudbys.co.uk or 01430 422523.
