 | Home > In Car Electronics > What to run from a leisure battery? |
 
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1440   
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Hi,
A leisure battery is typically needed for prolonged use at a low current, when the vehicle isn't running. Fridges and campsite lighting, the sort of things that could flatten the main battery. Most leisure batteries aren't suitable for high current applications like starting and winching. They don't like high discharge rates. If you want to use the second battery for jump starting and winching a second 'normal' type might be better suited, with a higher CCA output (cold cranking amps). Unless you do that sort of thing regularly a twin alternator set up is a bit over the top, a split charge system is usually sufficient to top up 2 batteries. Hope that helps. |
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22nd Jan 2018 9:56pm |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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Leisure batteries in twin battery set-ups are typically for running things when the vehicle is parked so as not to kill the main starting battery - fridges, lighting, etc. Your Webasto is a good example, too.
Jump starting and winching should both be done with the engine running and they should both be connected to the main battery. Twin alternators are a very specific set-up that are more commonly seen on things like winch challenge vehicles or those that are wired for 24v. Why are you going for that rather than a simple split charge system? Darren 110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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22nd Jan 2018 9:57pm |
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| DSC-off Member Since: 16 Oct 2014 Location: North East Posts: 1440
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LRA,
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22nd Jan 2018 10:10pm |
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| 300TDi CSW Phil Member Since: 03 Apr 2016 Location: Bracknell Posts: 750 
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I have a split charge system and two batteries in mine.
The starter battery (much like the original it came with) which runs the Defender and that which came connected to it from the factory (standard things like heater fan, radio internal lighting etc). Plus an alarm that was fitted the day after I bought it. The second battery (a leisure type) powers the add ons such as CB, Amateur Radio transceiver, heated seats (for cold nights sitting around waiting for scouts on night hikes), work lights front and rear, a couple of 12v accessory sockets in the front and a couple under the 2nd row seats. 1995 300 Tdi Epsom Green - It's a keeper. Wide Track Sankey- In bits- Gone to a new home M0XQS |
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22nd Jan 2018 10:15pm |
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| Mdm Member Since: 11 Sep 2013 Location: Sunny Lancashire Posts: 1632
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i see 2 different thing here
battery wise, a leisure battery powering aux heater and awning lights and fridge charged off a split charge relay from oe alternator and or std battery works fine for most folk inc me. twin alternator i do not believe is needed for this set up, we used to run 2 on our challenge motors and a pile of batteries.if you want upgrade the std one to a higher output then that's a cost effective simple way to do it.again we used to do this for winch events. i run 2 optima red tops, with a manual split charge that powers the same gear you have listed. i can also link the pair to provide max winch power when needed or too start the car if the main battery has gone flat. i also have a leisure battery for longer off grid trips just to power the fridge.at the lro show it managed 3 days uncharged running a 50 ltr compressor fridge.this had food taken out and added over the 3 days i leave these on a big ctek charger when not in use with the relay off so i can charge them 1 at a time direct and not thru the relay. this set up has worked fine for many years. |
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22nd Jan 2018 10:23pm |
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| AJC Member Since: 30 Nov 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 1366
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Thanks for the replies, the reason behind me installing a second alternator was simply because its not far off the same cost of a decent split charge set up.
I won't be doing any winch challenges, sounds like it may be more feasible for me fit 2 car batteries, just to take the load off my cranking battery? I will at some point be running a fridge from the 2nd battery too, and I will wire up a couple of charging sockets and lights for the roof tent. As it stands now, I have some rear work lights that were on for 4 hours plus last year with out the car running and there was no issue starting the defender the next day, current battery is a red optima which I got 2nd hand 5 years ago. I may speak to my local electrical specialists when I am next in there, see if there is a happy medium battery, as when I install the 2nd battery set up, I was going to replace the red optima purely for reliability reasons. As the children are getting a little older, we will find it easier to go for weekends camping etc, and I don't want to come back to flat battery. |
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23rd Jan 2018 6:19am |
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| LandRoverAnorak Member Since: 17 Jul 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 11324
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If you're going to run a fridge and lights when stationary then a leisure battery is a better choice as that's what they are designed for. Darren
110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak "You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia |
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23rd Jan 2018 8:40am |
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