Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Taxi_Driver on 21 July 2008, 21:09:10

Title: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 21 July 2008, 21:09:10

I have 110amp/h leisure battery.......

How often should i charge it up?  When its not being used?

Ive been charging every month or so.....on trickle charge......if ive left it nearly 2 months it takes about 24hours on trickle charge for the charger to put its 100% charge light on....

Question is am i charging it up frequently enough or do i need to trickle charge it more often??  :-/

And also when then charger says its 100% charged am i doing damage to it if i leave it still on trickle charge  :-/

Title: Re: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: Kevin Wood on 21 July 2008, 21:14:58

I would do exactly what you're doing. Leaving it trickle charging for months on end will lead to sulphation so just charge it relatively hard but regularly enough that it doesn go totally flat in between.

Kevin

Title: Re: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: Mr Skrunts on 21 July 2008, 21:16:57

When I 1st joined the forum I had problems with flat batterys due to the cars being stood a while.  

Someone posted up and suggested that I use a battery optimiser.

Worth checking out maybe.   :y

Title: Re: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: Martin_1962 on 21 July 2008, 21:27:04

LEisure batteries are deep cycle you can really abuse them and they are fine - mine was last charged in August and is fine after being charged for last 5 weeks - it is in my caraban

Title: Re: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: Entwood on 21 July 2008, 21:27:42

If worried you can buy an anti-sulphation charger .. these charge as normal BUT also give very small bursts of a higher-than-normal voltage .. not enough to heat the plates and warp them, but enough to remove the sulphation.

I've not used one but they have been featured in caravan press, as some folks leave their 'vans unused for long periods and then have battery problems (normal built in battery charger only goes to about 13.5 volts to prevent gasing - this leads to problems if left for long periods)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?TabID=1&criteria=usb&ModuleNo=48447&doy=search&C=SO&U=Strat15

http://www.practicalcaravan.com/newforums/fm_messages.asp?FO=1&FM=376599

HTH

Title: Re: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: Taxi_Driver on 22 July 2008, 07:12:16

Thanks for the replies  :y

So should i be charging it on fast charge (about 8-9amps) every month or so then and not trickle charging it (about 3amps)  :-/

Title: Re: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: Dave-C on 22 July 2008, 07:32:39

I take mine off the towable home over winter, I put it into the shed (Outside ambient temperature) I charge it on .5 amps for 12 hrs, that fully charges it.  Then every 6 weeks I check the voltage, if it's about 12.6v I leave it for another few weeks, if it's about 12.2 it's ready for a 12 hr trickle @ .5 amps...  had it for years, never lets me down...

Hope this helps :)

Title: Re: A q? for battery experts?
Post by: ians on 22 July 2008, 09:39:13

I use a battery conditioner (I think optimser is probably the same thing).  You can leave it plugged in indefinitely.    Mine is an Oxford Maximiser,  but there are several available on ebay.  Cost around 40 quid as I recall.