Platinum Batteries Starter Guide - Getting the most from your Leisure Battery

21/02/2016 IN Accessories - Electrical

Leisure Batteries

As a leisure enthusiast you will want to enjoy every minute you spend in the great outdoors. Whether you are on the trail of historic sites, touring National Parks, enjoying a festival or exploring the countries of Europe, you need to ensure you have a reliable portable power solution best suited to your type of leisure break.

Leisure battery ‘Cycling’

A Leisure battery is specifically designed to be continually ‘cycled.’ This means that energy is taken out (discharged) and then energy put back into a battery (recharge), via a battery charger or during ‘hook-up’ at a campsite.

Electrical Usage

Understanding your electrical usage is critical to selecting the right battery.

‘Standard Equipment’ is simply the electrical equipment supplied with the leisure vehicle. ‘Additional Equipment’ refers to those electrical items bought into the vehicle for use during your vacation (portable TV/DVD player, laptop/tablet, kitchen appliances plus...).

Having defined your electrical equipment, you can then determine the electrical usage during your leisure break. In simple terms, we classify this usage as either ‘Low, ‘medium’ or ‘high’. For example, if you spend very little time in your caravan preferring the ; back to nature’ type of leisure break, the Platinum Leisure or Leisure Plus range is the perfect choice.

If however, your group must have their homely creature comforts at all hours of the day and night, then the Platinum AGM is best suited.

Duration of Break

The duration of your leisure pursuit is another key consideration. The Platinum Leisure or Leisure Plus range is best suited to the leisure enthusiasts venturing out for weekend breaks or an annual 2 week holiday. The Platinum AGM, ranges are perfect for longer touring adventures around the UK or Europe.

Berth of Your Vehicle

The size of your caravan, motorhome or Winnebago ‘berth’ and standard on board electrical equipment determines what battery is best suited for your needs. For example, a 2 to 4 berth caravan will be best suited to the Platinum Leisure and Leisure Plus range, whereas a 6 berth Winnebago will require the Trojan AGM or Trojan GEL range.

Frequency of Use

Another variable to consider is how frequently the leisure battery is used in the leisure application.

For example, if you are using your caravan or motorhome on a daily basis you will put more demands on the battery compared to if you are simply using it for the occasional Leisure vacation.

Hook Up

Most campsites provide options to hook up to the site’s power supply, which can bypass the need to draw power directly from the leisure battery.

With this in mind you need to determine what percentage of your leisure breaks are off grid. For example, if you typically spend 50% to 60% ‘on grid’ we recommend the Platinum Leisure or Leisure Plus range.

Should your leisure breaks be 70% to 90% ‘off grid’ then we highly recommend the Trojan AGM or Trojan GEL range.

Battery Charging

A leisure battery being connected to a battery charger Leisure batteries are specifically designed to be cycled and therefore it’s critical that the battery is recharged immediately following your return from vacation. Leaving a leisure battery in a discharged state for any length of time will cause damage to the battery, which in turn will result in premature failure or greatly reduced product life.

NCC Verified Leisure Battery Scheme

When you choose your leisure battery look for the National Caravan Council Product registered and Verified logo and check the category to be sure you are choosing one suitable for your caravan and motorhomes needs. The NCC have verified the performance of the labelled batteries through performance testing carried out in suitable laboratories to ensure that you can buy with peace of mind.

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