Leisure Batteries

Leisure batteries are specifically designed to supply power over a longer period of time as opposed to car batteries which are designed to produce a high amount of power, for example to start the car, over a short space of time.Typically leisure batteries have six cells inside the battery which are filled with sulphuric acid and topped up with distilled water. The battery casing is often made from Polypropylene and inside each battery cell is a set of lead plates which expand and contract during the charging process.

Leisure batteries have good cell separation which helps to contain the active materials inside the leisure battery and prolong battery life. The voids in each cell inside the battery are filled with sulphuric acid which acts as a conductor between the cell plates. As the cells inside the battery discharge the density of the acid decreases and the ability of the plates to produce electricity are reduced. The aforementioned condition is reversed when you recharge your leisure battery.

The lifespan of your leisure battery very much depends on what you are using it for and how often it is used. You can extend the lifespan of your leisure battery by performing basic maintenance tasks such as cleaning the terminals and ensuring the area is grease free, clean any white deposits around the battery terminals with warm water before applying petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, to the leisure battery terminals.

When cleaning a leisure battery always wear safety goggles and protective clothing as battery acid will damage your clothes and burn your skin.

You should never totally discharge a leisure battery as this seriously reduces your ability to recharge the battery back to its original state. We would always recommend that you never discharge a leisure battery beyond 80% of its total capacity. To check the state of charge of a leisure battery you may use a DC voltmeter across positive and negative terminals on the battery. If the voltmeter reads 12.7v or above then your 12v leisure battery is fully charged, if the voltmeter reads around 12.3v then your 12v leisure battery is around 50% charged and if the voltmeter reads less than 11.8v then your 12v leisure battery is very flat and you may experience problems recharging the battery to it’s original state.

When caring for your leisure battery you should always ensure that you do the following.

1)      Avoid naked flames or electric sparks when topping up (Wet Batteries only) your leisure battery.

2)      Remove the negative battery terminal connector from your leisure battery first.

3)      Ensure the leisure battery is securely fixed.

4)      Use gloves and protective clothing when cleaning or topping up(Wet batteries only) your leisure battery.

5)      Never smoke near a leisure battery when maintaining.

6)      Turn off battery charger and disconnect from electricity mains before moving your leisure battery.

7)      Always use proper clamping clips on leisure battery terminals.

8)      Ensure leisure battery venting is clear and properly positioned if pipe is supplied.

As will all other products when choosing your leisure battery we would always recommend you contact a knowledgeable battery supplier who can find you a leisure battery that is best suited to your needs as well as the correct charger or charging equipment for you. Also it always pays to ask questions about maintenance and how to keep your battery in the best possible condition to ensure you extract the maximum life possible from it.