T5 Trident Leisure Battery

Hi All!
Our leisure battery went flat mightly fast on the last trip despite only limited use. I think it's time to invest in a new one. 
We only use the battery for lights, running the heating (Webasto diesel) and charging phones.
So two questions:

1. To save me having to extract the current battery from beneath the drivers seat, does anyone know the size / model / terminal configuration of the battery we need?

2. What's the current view on battery types? Should i spend the money on a 'proper' gel leisure battery or will a quality 'cranking' battery do the job?

Many thanks!
Steve

Steve,  get the best and highest leisure  battery you can, will pay in the long run, due to the heating system you have, I had the same in my Topaz, it does take a lot out of the battery, you can help by running the engine when you first switch the heating on, hope it is not teaching granny to suck eggs, apologies if so, just ignore.

Cannot help with the size, my battery was under the cooker, which was more accessible, off hand I think it was 110ah.

Type in 'Leisure battery' in the Search box (Top right)
Our Topaz's is under the side bench in front of the boiler and is a 75/80 Ah. dimensions matter!
Someone with a Trooper/Trident should be along soonest with words of wisdom.
The comments on the Eberspacher are sensible, as the heater ages the Glow plug shield carbons up and needs a good 12.5+ volts to initiate fire up. Running the engine works till the Eber. has struck.
also at that age (2008) make sure the battery electrolite is up in the cells.
frederic

scrumpyjack14 wrote:Hi All!
Our leisure battery went flat mightly fast on the last trip despite only limited use. I think it's time to invest in a new one. 
We only use the battery for lights, running the heating (Webasto diesel) and charging phones.
So two questions:

1. To save me having to extract the current battery from beneath the drivers seat, does anyone know the size / model / terminal configuration of the battery we need?

2. What's the current view on battery types? Should i spend the money on a 'proper' gel leisure battery or will a quality 'cranking' battery do the job?

Many thanks!
Steve

If the existing battery has served well for several years I would personally get a like for like replacement and as there are so many variations of AS installation it would be sensible to take the trouble to examine your existing installation before purchase.

A deep cycle leisure battery will not service the Webasto very well. Many quality leisure batteries are actually cranking batteries and they are much more useful in a motorhome as they charge faster than a deep cycle battery.

Thanks all for the replies - i'll try and have a good look at what's fitted after work today and carefully measure it. Will probably go for a good quality Bosch leisure battery.

Maybe this one if it fits: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thanks again,
Steve

PLOUGHLIN wrote:Check the post positions match unless you want to be rewiring.

Thanks Ploughlin - that sounds like the voice of experience!

Ok - finally got the battery out (was easy enough once i got round to doing it) and found that the leisure battery was a standard cranking battery - a Numax 72ah Silver.


What to do??

Replace with another cranking battery or fit a proper leisure battery??

Steve

As I said earlier in the thread, you will be best replacing like for like

Thanks Peter - apologies - just reread your post - much appreciated.
The Webasto may be the reason why AS fitted a Numax Silver in the first place. I'll replace with either a Numax or a Bosch silver. I think i can squeeze the very slightly larger Bosch 77ah Silver in there...

Steve

Gone for a Varta Silver 096 as the new Numax and Bosch 096 batteries are 15mm too tall! 

Hopefully the Varta will be just as good - time will tell!

Thanks everyone for the advice.