Need help choosing the right battery?
If you can email us a list of appliances in your caravan, motorhome, or camper van, we can estimate the power needed for your caravan and recommend a few battery options.
If you are considering a new Habitation Battery, please give us a call with your vehicle’s Make, Model, Age, and information on the current Leisure Battery fitted.
What is a leisure battery?
The leisure battery will power all 12v appliances including your lighting, and water pump!
Accessories can be run off the 12v system, however accessories will increase the rate at which the battery drains. The higher the amp, the faster the battery is drained.
What are the different types of leisure battery?
The three main types of leisure battery are:
Lithium
Benefits:
- Half the weight of a lead-acid or AGM battery
- Higher voltage capacity
- More power efficient
- Fit in any position (upside down, on its side…)
Unlike other batteries Lithium (Li-on) batteries can re-charge hundreds of times and remain stable. It is not a requirement out of season to keep the battery on charge.
AGM
Benefits:
- Copes better with vibration (e.g., potholes)
- Well suited for Motor Movers
- Discharge below 50% without damage
- Un-spillable
Lead-Acid
Benefits:
- Entry level battery
- Low cost
Any battery you decide to buy will not last forever and its life will depend on how well it is maintained and how often it is used.
Owners often compare batteries by their capacity which is measured in Amp hours (Ah). However, a batteries life expectancy is based on how many times it can be recharged. Consider both capacity and recharge cycle when comparing options.
What is my average amp usage?
Battery capacity is labelled in ampere-hours (Ah). You can calculate your battery usage with the length of time the caravan will be in use, and the number of active appliances.
Here is an example table showing approximate Ah each appliance uses.
| Appliance | Watts | Amps | Number | Use in hours | Ah |
| Fluorescent Light | 13 | 1.1 | 3 | 4 | 13.2 |
| Spotlight | 5 | 0.4 | 2 | 2 | 1.6 |
| LED Light | 2 | 0.1 | 4 | 5 | 0.8 |
| Pump | 7.0 | 1 | 1 | 7.0 | |
| Toilet Pump | 1.2 | 5.0 | 1 | 0.5 | 2.5 |
| Water Heater controls | 0.1 | 1 | 12 | 1.2 | |
| Space Heater Fan | 1.0 | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | |
| TV | 8.0 | 1 | 3 | 24 | |
| Total | 59.3 |
Amps i.e., 59.3 amps per day
How to maintain Habitation batteries?
Lithium batteries require little maintenance. Simply remove after a season and store in a cool place, out of direct sunlight. Ensure it is left at a minimum of 50% charge.
AGM batteries must not be stored in a discharged state; this will cause sulfation. Alike all other batteries, store in a cool dry place with ventilation.
Lead-Acid batteries should be re-charged after use. Ideally check every two months and re-charge if necessary, to ensure long and trouble-free battery life. A battery left below 12.4 V will deteriorate quickly and will not be able to return to its original capacity.
If you are considering a new Habitation Battery, please give us a call with your vehicle’s Make, Model, Age, and information on the current Leisure Battery fitted.
