2nd leisure battery and LED lights

I'm wondering whether to fit a second leisure battery to increase the time we can spend without using a hookup (we go to a festival where we park up for 7-10 days). Under the driver's seat in our 1999 Transit Duetto seems the obvious place to put one, in a marine type battery box I guess, and wired in parallel to the existing leisure battery. Any reason why not? It would be much cheaper than a solar panel. Any thoughts welcome please.

In the same vein I wonder if I can swap the little spotlight bulbs for LEDs and extend our battery life?

We swapped all our bulbs for led ones never had a problem with 1 leisure battery, that should have no trouble powering lights and a phone charger for 2 weeks

To extend the life of your batteries carefully go through your equipment and see what you can replace with a lower wattage version. Certainly replacing bulbs with LEDs will go a long way but there may be other things to look at too. Also, do you need everything you take?

If that is not enough then yes, you can put as many batteries in parallel as you like. This will in effect double/triple etc. your Amp Hour rating. Practically you may be better off just checking whether you can get a higher capacity battery. My 2002 Transit has an option of a second battery under the drivers seat but I have never looked in there.

As you increase the capacity of your batteries they will last you longer but if you run them too flat it will take a lot longer to replenish them. If you do run two large batteries flat at your festival I would suggest that you disconnect them from the charging circuit and charge them from the mains when you get home. It is possible that your vehicle battery will try to recharge the "flat" batteries and deplete its own supply of amps.

jennyandpeter wrote:We swapped all our bulbs for led ones never had a problem with 1 leisure battery, that should have no trouble powering lights and a phone charger for 2 weeks

Ditto us.

Heavy users of 12v are the Satellite TV (top of the list for length of time it is on rather than the Amps being used), heater fan (high Amps but obviously only on in winter and even then only for short periods) and water pump (highest user in terms of Amps if you are addicted to showering but otherwise a low user).

Under the driver's seat sounds okay but a decent fitter will have to ensure that the box is vented to the outside of the van to ensure that no explosive mixtures build up within the living space.

Much easier to change lights to LED's and go easy on the usage.  If you are still in need of more Amps then I suggest that you get a portable solar panel.  (Always remembering the "portable" = "easily stolen" so never leave it outside when you are asleep or away from the van!)

Hope this helps. 

Best regards,

There were 2 leisure batteries under my OS settee when I bought the van, it was devided into two compartments, I took out one battery  as needed the storage room, to store my wheeled waste water container , watering can, RAC tyre inflator plus jack etc. all neat in one place,   replaced the other  battery with a higher new one, changed lights to LED`s  don`t use the TV very much anyway then only when on EHU, it is an Avtex which is low powered, haven`t run out yet.

If you do add a 2nd battery it should be the same age as the original or close to it. Also it should be rated at the same amp hrs and the same type. ie gel, sealed, open and preferably the same make or they will not be working or charging equally at there full capacity. As suggested previously I would bite the bullet so to speak and go for the largest solar panel you can afford and store, The folding type are good for storing and a motorbike security chain and pad lock used on the vehicle towing eye will deter the opportunist thief.  lm sure LED lights were designed for campers. They are one of the best modifications you can do on your van. Most owners of older vans have converted to LEDs.  Hope that helps