[Andrew46]

http://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/buy-online/caravan-batteries-boat-batteries-leisure-batteries/lucas-12v-113ah-ultra-deep-cycle-leisure-battery/prod_186.html


Any reasons why I shouldnot get it?

If money not an issue, what else would you recommend?

[john tomkins]

The bumph on their site says ...

battery is fully sealed for life and comes with a massive three year warranty. Unlike standard leisure batteries which may do between 100-150 recharge cycles the new Lucas range will do 500! yes 500!

I charge 5 to 6 days a week so even with 500 recharge cycles that's only 2 years to a battery anyway, bit dear at £95 though unless it lasts and lasts

[Andrew46]

John

Thnaks.  What have you got? Or what would you recommend?

[john tomkins]

I've got 85ah leisure battery from a local caravan place with 2 year guarantee. 1st one stopped holding a charge after a year and they replaced it no problem , this one must have been going nearly 2 years now with no problems although about a year ago I got another 85ah and keep one in the van and one on charge swapping them every night.
In 3 years i've spent less than £50 on these 2 batteries, obviously prices have gone up a lot since

[Pittmonkey]

I bought the same battery a couple of months ago. I use around 400 ltrs per day. Sometimes run two pumps from it. I put it on charge after 4 days. I intend to put a split relay on it soon.

I've always used Halfords 85 amp but cant seem to get a full 12 mths out of them without them dieing on me halfway through the day and that's after putting them on charge each night.

These Batteries are much better quality and at 500 cycles I hope to get two years out of it. If that's the case it then works out a lot cheaper than buying two 85amp from Halfords at around £90 each. I know there are places were you can buy a bit cheaper but they are cheaper for a reason.

[Andrew46]

Thanks Pittmonkey

That's the same reasonibg as me.  For £30 ish I didn't want to go for less quality but wasn't sure if the battery would be suitabel for our purpose - it obnviously is.

What charger did you get or would you recommned?  Presumably intelligent charge?

[john tomkins]

Halfords at around £90 each. I know there are places were you can buy a bit cheaper but they are cheaper for a reason.

Yeah coz they generally rip folks off with their prices.
That said, I got my intelligent charger from there and thats a good un

[rg1]

I would go for the 85ah Lucas battery. Its cheaper and you will still get up to 500 recycles.

[Pittmonkey]

After using a cheap £10 jobby I found it wasn't doing the job.

Bought one of these and did seem to get a lot more from the 85 amp Batteries.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_210939_langId_-1_categoryId_165629

Like I said above at the moment I'm only charging the New 113 amp about every 4 days.

I would never buy another Battery from Halfords. They offer a 24 month warranty but when I took a battery back that wasn't performing they put it on their meter and said it's fine. Explained that I had fully charged it but it will only last me about 3 hrs, whereas when it was new I could get two days out of it. They wasn't interested.

If you live local to Alpha batteries you can call and pick one up save a couple of £.

[Robin Ray]

I would go for the 85ah Lucas battery. Its cheaper and you will still get up to 500 recycles.

500 cycles at 113Ah will give more operation time than 500 cycles at 85Ah

At 5 amp draw a 85Ah battery will give roughly 12 hours before you start to damage the battery.
At 5 amp draw a 113Ah battery will give roughly 16 hours before you start to damage the batery.

Therfore over 500 cycles a 85Ah battery will give 6000 hours of operation time on the other hand a 113Ah will give 8000 hours.

[EZclean]

After using a cheap £10 jobby I found it wasn't doing the job.

Bought one of these and did seem to get a lot more from the 85 amp Batteries.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_210939_langId_-1_categoryId_165629

Like I said above at the moment I'm only charging the New 113 amp about every 4 days.

I would never buy another Battery from Halfords. They offer a 24 month warranty but when I took a battery back that wasn't performing they put it on their meter and said it's fine. Explained that I had fully charged it but it will only last me about 3 hrs, whereas when it was new I could get two days out of it. They wasn't interested.

If you live local to Alpha batteries you can call and pick one up save a couple of £.

what meter did they put on it?

if they just tested it with a voltmeter/multimeter then it would show up fine, full charge of  12v, this is what i did the other day with mine, but my sparky mate said yeah it will be, it needs to be under load. so i connected the pole up and run the pump, the voltage went down to 10v in about 30secs.

[Pittmonkey]

I did put a meter on it myself and it showed 12 v. They did the same. The batteries charged ok but fell flat after only a couple of hrs work.

I know they don't last forever but offering a 24 mth warranty on a leisure battery and it doesn't do what it says after 10 mths then I think I have a genuine complaint.

Couldn't be bothered persuing it and thats why I went for the one from Alpha.

[jeff1]

After using a cheap £10 jobby I found it wasn't doing the job.

Bought one of these and did seem to get a lot more from the 85 amp Batteries.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_210939_langId_-1_categoryId_165629

Like I said above at the moment I'm only charging the New 113 amp about every 4 days.

I would never buy another Battery from Halfords. They offer a 24 month warranty but when I took a battery back that wasn't performing they put it on their meter and said it's fine. Explained that I had fully charged it but it will only last me about 3 hrs, whereas when it was new I could get two days out of it. They wasn't interested.

If you live local to Alpha batteries you can call and pick one up save a couple of £.

EZclean is spot on with a battery test it should always be done under a load test or they will get an Inaccurate reading.

[rg1]

I would go for the 85ah Lucas battery. Its cheaper and you will still get up to 500 recycles.

500 cycles at 113Ah will give more operation time than 500 cycles at 85Ah

At 5 amp draw a 85Ah battery will give roughly 12 hours before you start to damage the battery.
At 5 amp draw a 113Ah battery will give roughly 16 hours before you start to damage the batery.

Therfore over 500 cycles a 85Ah battery will give 6000 hours of operation time on the other hand a 113Ah will give 8000 hours.

The difference in price between the 2 batteries equates to the same running cost per hour.  i.e 4.9pence

[weetot]

Nice big battery, but i wouldnt put it on a trolley system, or youll break ya back.