Leisure batteries find extensive use in caravan homes and boats. Apart from providing power for engine starting and ignition, leisure batteries serve the purpose of a power source for electrical and electronic equipments. Typical ratings are 12V, 70Ah to 200Ah.
Features to look for in Leisure Batteries
Should have deep cycle capabilities, fast charging and extended life.
Select leisure batteries that have thicker plates and separators.
Go for batteries that have sealed-maintenance free construction, VRLA types, gel type or absorbed glass mat type .
Batteries with pure lead or silver-lead alloy plates provide higher power, need less maintenance and will last for a longer period.
Rugged polypropylene case with ribs and carrying handles.
Flame proof, leak proof construction.
If the battery is mounted close to the engine, select a battery designed to work in high temperatures.
However, you can choose normal flooded lead acid batteries if you pay proper attention to care and maintenance. Flooded lead acid batteries have an advantage that they can be charged very fast. Select lead acid batteries that can be deep discharged and recharged very fast. In certain conditions you may consider this an important feature. If you have the time to maintain your batteries, flooded types are low priced and work well.
Select Known Brands
Specialist battery manufacturers like Yuasa, Varta, Exide, Odyssey and Optima manufacture leisure batteries for caravans and boats. Said to be maintenance free and claimed to work well under varied operating conditions, quality leisure batteries give you peace of mind.
Why Reputed Brands?
A battery, whether it is the flooded type, sealed maintenance-free type, AGM type or gel type, is made up of lead plates and a paste of lead paste. The electrolyte is a mild solution of sulfuric acid at the right pH level. The difference in quality is the purity of lead plates, lead paste and sulfuric acid electrolyte. Impurities reduce power and life. Another difference is the special process used to create the right spongy texture for the lead paste and ensure its adherence to the plates. This is a crucial process that determines power, recharging capabilities and life of the battery. Another feature is the way cells are isolated and plates are welded in series internally and then connected to the output terminals. Quality manufacturers follow set standards in use of materials and processes to give consistently reliable performance. If you have any questions, it is best to consult an online battery supplier who can recommend the right leisure battery and manufacturer at the right price point.