When to replace leisure battery’s?

T

TOAD on Tour

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VW Grand California
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Looking for some words of wisdom please? We have a 7yr old Adria A Class and it still has the original 2 x AGM Battery’s which seem to still be going along ok, although we always stay somewhere on EHU. We are planning a 2 week holiday next June over to France and will likely be staying on Aire’s etc. with or without EHU. My query is do people think I’ve had my monies worth out of the leisure battery’s and should replace them? We’ve only had the van 1yr but know they are the original battery’s. We also had a 150w solar panel fitted earlier this year. We have the van on our drive more often than not connected up on EHU. Thanks in advance! 😁
 
Personally I’d change them before I left. I can’t imagine just how much hassle it would be to get batteries while abroad. I’d get them here in the UK, with the warranty and go on my travels feeling a lot calmer and less stressed that you’ve too many lights on etc.
 
Top them up. Put fans and lights and TV? on and use them for a couple of hours. Then turn all off. Then wait another hour (turn off solar too). Now measure battery voltage directly as an indicator of how they perform.

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Hi dd, we also have the adria sonic new to us 2 weeks ago, also interested in upgrading batteries and go lithium if it doesnt mean ripping all the origonal electrics out. Were in scarborough and also wanting to start exploring europe next year. Be interesting to what the knowledge funsters suggest
 
Why not have a little try out at home, running the heating and leave the telly on and see how they get on ?
If you were that way inclined, you could monitor the voltages too ?
 
New type Lithium batteries have circuitry on them to give them the correct charging regime, unlike the older types. You shouldn’t have to “rip out” the electrics. I would have a word with KS leisure before making a decision.
Phil
 
i am in the process of changing the 2 x 130ah batteries on my Adria to 1 x 300ah lithium BUT thats by choice as i want to use microwave and induction hob off grid, not because of the state of the batteries - i would test yours first as suggested, if theyre ok, then leave them in!

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What changes if any are you going to have to make mrb
 
You say you always have ehu so it really doesn't matter whether your batteries are good or not, likewise no real reason to have two, save weight and money and just have one.
 
Chris/Tracy said:
What changes if any are you going to have to make mrb
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very few that i HAVE to .... all i need to do is to is change the switch on the NE237 to lead acid (from gel) so that when on EHU it charges the lithium to the correct profile (or so i have been told). at some stage i may add a separate dedicated lithium charger for charging up when on EHU.

i am however choosing to do other things, such as adding a B2B, adding an additional 240v outlet, adding a 2000w inverter (for the microwave) and eventually adding a relay that automatically changes where the supply to the 240v circuits comes from, EHU or inverter so that i dont have to lift the seat cushions to swap things over. i also want to fit an easy to reach switch to turn the inverter off when not in use but still 'off grid' when im not using any 240v appliances.

i am no expert in these matters and have got all my ideas and information by asking questions on this forum and being prepared to read lots of threads on similar subjects going back over the last 3 or 4 years.

there are some incredibly helpful and knowledgeable people on here, willing to help and offer their advice/suggestions, so keep asking away !!
 
You should only need to change your batteries if their performance has degraded.

You appear not to know whether or not your batteries’ performance has degraded.

You need to do a controlled discharge test to ascertain whether your batteries’ performance has degraded.

If the performance is satisfactory, crack on, otherwise replace them.

Ian

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Reallyretired said:
You say you always have ehu so it really doesn't matter whether your batteries are good or not, likewise no real reason to have two, save weight and money and just have one.
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Thanks, I was more concerned with going to France for the first time next year and probably being off grid for a few nights.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like a controlled test is what’s needed….,that’ll be interesting…..I can barely change a light bulb!,,,
 
I'd not touch it until next year - then your batteries will be newer if you do have to change. Only six months newer, but still won't have sat in a van on charge all winter.

Do a dummy test on the drive as above, but then around Easter go and spend a couple of nights off grid somewhere in the UK. See how your batteries fair with you actually using them as you would do; if they fail then it's no big shakes and you've got plenty of time to get them replaced. If they work fine, then you know they'll do exactly what you need when away.
 
mofurt said:
I'd not touch it until next year - then your batteries will be newer if you do have to change. Only six months newer, but still won't have sat in a van on charge all winter.

Do a dummy test on the drive as above, but then around Easter go and spend a couple of nights off grid somewhere in the UK. See how your batteries fair with you actually using them as you would do; if they fail then it's no big shakes and you've got plenty of time to get them replaced. If they work fine, then you know they'll do exactly what you need when away.
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Thanks, sound advice! Much appreciated 👍
 
One of the main reasons for a battery to degrade is if it is left discharged, fully or partially, for long periods, say a few weeks. If you are always on EHU on sites and at home, and the previous owners also, then it's quite possible the batteries have kept most of their original capacity, maybe 90% or better. But then again they might have lost a lot of capacity and being on mostly EHU you maybe won't have noticed.

There's no quick simple test for battery capacity, so as has been said, pull out the EHU and switch on a few things, and see how long it lasts. Do you have any way to monitor the voltage of the battery as it discharges? Maybe one of those voltmeters that plugs into a cigarette-lighter socket, if you prefer not to get involved with a multimeter?
 
autorouter said:
One of the main reasons for a battery to degrade is if it is left discharged, fully or partially, for long periods, say a few weeks. If you are always on EHU on sites and at home, and the previous owners also, then it's quite possible the batteries have kept most of their original capacity, maybe 90% or better. But then again they might have lost a lot of capacity and being on mostly EHU you maybe won't have noticed.

There's no quick simple test for battery capacity, so as has been said, pull out the EHU and switch on a few things, and see how long it lasts. Do you have any way to monitor the voltage of the battery as it discharges? Maybe one of those voltmeters that plugs into a cigarette-lighter socket, if you prefer not to get involved with a multimeter?
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Thanks, yes have both a multi meter and cigarette lighter usb reader. What sort of voltage should I let the reading go down to?

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autorouter said:
Maybe one of those voltmeters that plugs into a cigarette-lighter socket, if you prefer not to get involved with a multimeter?
Click to expand...

I have a cig lighter socket fed by the hab battery and another (original base vehicle fitment) in the cab fed by the starter battery and use one of these to monitor battery state. I also plug it in when driving to monitor the charge rate.

(Ooops, my post crossed with yours DDuffs )

1666522343965.png
 
Someone on here will know the numbers for voltage after a load test. There was a table with rested voltage against capacity left that someone posted. Can’t seem to find it but someone will know.
 
Spriddler said:
I have a cig lighter socket fed by the hab battery and another (original base vehicle fitment) in the cab fed by the starter battery and use one of these to monitor battery state. I also plug it in when driving to monitor the charge rate.

(Ooops, my post crossed with yours DDuffs )

View attachment 679770
Click to expand...
Thanks, yes I have one similar 👍
 
Definitely change them! I recently had a battery nearly catch fire on my van last week. It was just under 7 years old. It’s was number 3 out of 4 and was boiling, spitting out acid and smoking! The pair of oldest batteries got removed and replaced. Don’t take a chance! It only cost me £250 for a pair of 100ah delivered.
 

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