Insulate leisure battery

[Duncan2580]

Is it possible or safe to insulate your leisure battery in its habitation flooring.
I have a 1999 auto trailer and it is in the flooring of the motorhome and I had issues with it when I went away the last few days due to the cold. It is fine now but just interested in any feedback.
Thanks

 

[Richard n Ann]

The voltage drops slightly due to the cold but I wouldn't have thought you'd have any problems with it, maybe it's coming to the end of it's natural life

 

[Duncan2580]

The voltage drops slightly due to the cold but I wouldn't have thought you'd have any problems with it, maybe it's coming to the end of it's natural life

Thanks for the prompt reply. The battery is only a few months old

 

[Richard n Ann]

What issues did you have with the battery? I suppose we are talking about UK ambient temperatures so -2°c?

 

[Duncan2580]

It was about -4 in Northumberland and the lights which are led started to flicker then the heater fan stopped. I checked the battery with the monitor and it was down to 13%.
When I got home it was back upto 88%
I have 3 x100 solar panels

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[Tombola]

Is it lead acid.
cold wont affect it that much unless it gets to severe -10s and such.
If it was -4 you can expect 5-10% affected, but remember its probably not -4 in the battery compartment.

had your van charged the battery on the way home via b2b or alternator

And remember if you are checking under load it will show a lot less than after its settled with no load.

was the battery from a reputable dealer and had a good full charge

 

[autorouter]

What kind of monitor are you using? Does it just read the voltage, or does it have a shunt which measures the amps into and out of the battery? How was it charged up from 13% to 88%? Was this from driving (how far?) or solar (was it sunny?).

 

[Duncan2580]

Thanks for the info, I always disconnect the battery before taking a reading.
The battery is in a galvanised container, metal is always cold that’s why I asked is it safe to insulate

 

[Duncan2580]

What kind of monitor are you using? Does it just read the voltage, or does it have a shunt which measures the amps into and out of the battery? How was it charged up from 13% to 88%? Was this from driving (how far?) or solar (was it sunny?).

The monitor just tells me the percentage it’s charged. I have the latest solar panels on it as they only need clear daylight. Yes I drove 200 miles home. The solar panel has a monitor in the cupboard which tells me the amps when charging.
On the off chance would the fan on the heater drain it a lot? As we did have it on a lot when it was working another issue but I will get that serviced as I only got the motorhome this year and I don’t know when it was last done.

 

[Duncan2580]

The monitor just tells me the percentage it’s charged. I have the latest solar panels on it as they only need clear daylight. Yes I drove 200 miles home. The solar panel has a monitor in the cupboard which tells me the amps when charging.
On the off chance would the fan on the heater drain it a lot? As we did have it on a lot when it was working another issue but I will get that serviced as I only got the motorhome this year and I don’t know when it was last done.

This is the monitor I have

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[Raul]

That tester won’t tell you the real capacity remaining. It just guesstimates based on voltage reading. Cold to affect a lead acid battery it has to lower than -35C, probably in Siberia or Alaska. The mild cold will have a effect on battery, but not that severe. It is recoverable and will bounce back as it warms the plates under charging or discharging. If the reduced performance at only -2 it shows up, maybe your batteries tells you that they are near the end, and less capacity then before.
Flickering lights could be a intermittent loose connection as well, things do vibrate when driving. Needs more investigation.

 

[Duncan2580]

Can you recommend a good monitor then please

 

[Raul]

Victron battery monitor, often referred to as smart shunt.

 

[pappajohn]

This is the monitor I have

View attachment 840411

A ten quid Aldi multimeter will be more use than that.
It's primarily aimed at the starter battery.
A multimeter has many functions,, voltage, resistance, amps etc.
Can even check if a fuse is really good when it appears to be....that meter can't.

 

[Duncan2580]

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[Richard n Ann]

Probably not as sophisticated as the victron but I like my NASA BM1

 

[Duncan2580]

Thanks is it easy to install. I am not technically minded anymore and it is quite difficult to get around some things . I have solar panels which tell me the amps coming in and the present state of them. Do you know whether the heater fan would use a lot

 

[Tombola]

Do you know whether the heater fan would use a lot

no , half an amp for the truma 6e combi
what system have you got, and how many ah is your leisure battery (is it lead acid)

 

[Richard n Ann]

Thanks is it easy to install. I am not technically minded anymore and it is quite difficult to get around some things . I have solar panels which tell me the amps coming in and the present state of them. Do you know whether the heater fan would use a lot

Was for me, I suppose the hardest bit is cutting the 80mm or so square out of the wall to mount the screen. Then you've got the shunt to bolt onto the battery negative terminal and about 4 more thin wires... Then you have to move all the existing negative cables onto the shunt

 

[Duncan2580]

no , half an amp for the truma 6e combi
what system have you got, and how many ah is your leisure battery (is it lead acdi)

I have a carver 2000 leisure master.
Unfortunately the compartment to hold the leisure battery would only hold a 90ah and yes it’s lead acid

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[Otter Spotter]

One thing that hasn’t been picked up in your threads is that you say you are using a fan heater and that will drain your battery, don’t expect your solar panel alone to recharge the battery in winter, low light and short days. As for a battery monitor, a Victron shunt with Bluetooth will give you real-time view of battery condition on an app on your smart phone.

 

[headlight]

Thanks is it easy to install. I am not technically minded anymore and it is quite difficult to get around some things . I have solar panels which tell me the amps coming in and the present state of them. Do you know whether the heater fan would use a lot

My heater fan uses about 0.25AH on its lowest setting and about 2.5AH on its highest setting to give you an idea.

 

[Duncan2580]

Was for me, I suppose the hardest bit is cutting the 80mm or so square out of the wall to mount the screen. Then you've got the shunt to bolt onto the battery negative terminal and about 4 more thin wires... Then you have to move all the existing negative cables onto the shunt

Doesn’t sound to bad, thanks

 

[Duncan2580]

One thing that hasn’t been picked up in your threads is that you say you are using a fan heater and that will drain your battery, don’t expect your solar panel alone to recharge the battery in winter, low light and short days. As for a battery monitor, a Victron shunt with Bluetooth will give you real-time view of battery condition on an app on your smart phone.

Thanks I did ask the question several times about the fan, I am concluding that was the issue as we did have it on a lot.
Thanks again

 

[Richard n Ann]

Doesn’t sound to bad, thanks

Think the orange goes to the starter battery, it just displays the voltage, which is enough information usually just to keep an eye on it.

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[Duncan2580]

Thanks

 

[Duncan2580]

My heater fan uses about 0.25AH on its lowest setting and about 2.5AH on its highest setting to give you an idea.

 

[headlight]

Are you talking about the 12 volt blower fan for gas heating or a 240v fan heater ?

 

[Duncan2580]

Are you talking about the 12 volt blower fan for gas heating or a 240v fan heater ?

Not sure but I had it on the blowers to circulate around the motorhome. It was running on gas

 

[Tombola]

I have a carver 2000 leisure master.
Unfortunately the compartment to hold the leisure battery would only hold a 90ah and yes it’s lead acid

The carvers uses more, max 1.5 amps and as low as 0.8 .

So if you work on 1 amp per hour, then 24 hours would use half your batteries usable capacity (24 -28 ah approx) , your lead acid is 90ah, so usable is really half this, 45 ah.

but if you had on full blow then 1.5 amps, will deplete your battery far quicker

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