Caravan 12V Leisure Battery Independent Test - Very Revealing!

24/01/2016 IN Accessories - Electrical

These batteries were being sold mainly by caravan and motor home dealers in the genuine belief that they were retailing genuine 12 volt deep cycle batteries to their customers.

The performance of many of these leisure batteries was suspect and the test were intended to check the accuracy of the performance claimed and the suitability of the construction

It was expected in 2012 when EU an directive was issued on the performance labelling of starter batteries that leisure products would be included but at the last minute they were excluded on the grounds of difficulty in categorising them, so no specific legislation exists, except perhaps the Trades Description Act?

The test was at the request of caravan journalist and TV presenter John Wickersham and carried out by myself.

The test was witnessed in part (some of the tests took 24 hours) by the following: Bailey Caravans, The Caravan Club, The Camping & Caravan Club, The Motor Caravanner's Club, Andrew Harris of the Motorhome Channel, and John Wickersham of Haynes Publishing and the Caravan Channel.

The tests were first to fully charge the batteries to 100% then check CCA (starting ability), weight followed by a discharge test (for true capacity).

They were then all cut open to reveal the internal construction which shows whether the battery is a purpose built unit or a starter battery labelled as a deep cycle or leisure battery.

A proper cyclic battery has its plates lined with fibre-glass. This type will achieve around 400 cycles (a discharge from 100% down to 50%).

The starter battery type will give usually around 80 cycles. I fully expected at least 3 of the brands to be genuine. I was in for a shock as eight of the 9 in the test were starter batteries labelled as a leisure or cyclic battery!

	Ah Claim	Weight Claimed	Weight Actual	Volts	Full Charge	CCA Test	Discharge Ah	Discharge time to 10.5 volts	Comments
1	90	24.60kg	24.20kg	12.90v	12.90v	791cca	92.30Ah	22hr.59min	Capacity ok, thin plates, no glass matt, it is a starter battery
2	100	19.60kg	15.40kg	13.20v	13.20v	398cca	39.70Ah	9hr.54min	No capacity, small thin plates, this is worst of all
3	110	25.20kg	20.30kg	13.00v	13.00v	529cca	50.60Ah	12hr.36min	Again no capacity, small plates, diabolical!
4	90	24.5kg	23.50kg	12.90v	12.90v	581cca	65.30Ah	16hr.16min	Poor capacity, small plates, no glass matt, it's a starter battery
5	100	22.50kg	22.40kg	12.90v	12.90v	760cca	102.10Ah	25hr.26min	Good capacity, good cca, no glass matt, good starter battery
6	110	25.00kg	20.90kg	12.90v	12.90v	763cca	64.70Ah	16hr.07min	Poor capacity. small plates, no glass matt, it's a starter battery
7	90	21.50kg	20.60kg	12.90v	12.90v	631cca	66.40Ah	16hr.32min	Poor capacity, poor cca, poor starter battery
8	90	22.60kg	20.60kg	12.90v	12.90v	653cca	84.50Ah	21hr.02min	Same supplier as 7, better capacity, still poor starter battery
9	100	24.19kg	24.10kg	12.90v	12.90v	608cca	98.30Ah	24hr.28min	Good capacity, thick plates lined with glass matt, hoe it should be

In Row labelled 9, you can see the results for the Banner Energy Battery, which was the only battery to comply with its own labelling.

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