Leisure battery

Good Morning!
Could I please ask for some advice about leisure battery life span? Just returned from a trip incorporating both wild parking and a campsite stay. The battery showed “good” on the control panel for the whole trip (so being charged by the solar panel).  All was well during the first nights stay at a car park. Then moved to site with EHU. No problem. Last night spent at a Park n ride car park and the battery completely died within 1.30 hours of returning to the van. Everything totally died…lights, TV, phone charger. The status on the control panel had dropped to 9 and “poor”. Torches out! Then checked the panel again after about 10 mins and the status had gone up to about 10 and “fair” so tried one of the side lamps that worked. LPG tank was full. Any ideas please?

I would go to Halfords if your on the road and replace it, assuming it's the original leisure battery, they have a good selection of own brand batteries made by Yuasa I'm told.
Only a suggestion,it's what I would do
Have a safe trip.
Boaby

If being charged by solar and EHU and not holding capacity, battery is 99% certain dead or dying
My 105Ah battery powers whole van 12v bits, usually only on solar re charge, so only common denominator.....the battery!

Unfortunately the condition status given by the systems is quite basic and pretty much simply on the present voltage and not actually the battery condition, so a dead battery that is showing 12v due to being fed solar/EHU will be shown as 'good' still.

As above, a voltage down to 9 is a sign of a kaput battery.  As you've seen it'll 'charge' up to 12v but then crash quickly as it's unable to hold onto the charge.

Agree a new battery is needed.

In terms of life span - that's unfortunately quite subjective as it depends on usage and how well maintained, but I'd expect a well managed battery to give at least 5 years life minimum, and potentially quite a lot longer when well maintained with solar etc.

Life span varies enormously but 5 years is good enough. Buy a new leisure battery.

Ensure that the solar panel is always connected to the battery.
A lead acid battery is only really happy when 100% charged.

I got 5 years  still good , to go 2x 105 amp lucas calcium  .

Thank you everyone for your replies. Next question is where to go to buy a leisure battery for a Motorhome? Never done that before (this is my first van). Burlington Boaby mentioned Halfords? I wouldn’t have even thought of them for a leisure battery. I know it’s under either the driver or pax seat and doesn’t look like a conventional battery. I probably would have contacted Marquis but they haven’t proved to be that helpful with aftercare once they’ve successfully completed the sale. Help please!!!

Tayna is pretty well regarded. Every battery that I've bought from them has arrived very professionally packaged.

Ellie-mae wrote:Thank you everyone for your replies. Next question is where to go to buy a leisure battery for a Motorhome? Never done that before (this is my first van). Burlington Boaby mentioned Halfords? I wouldn’t have even thought of them for a leisure battery. I know it’s under either the driver or pax seat and doesn’t look like a conventional battery. I probably would have contacted Marquis but they haven’t proved to be that helpful with aftercare once they’ve successfully completed the sale. Help please!!!

I'm assuming your not wanting to exchange the battery yourself, most Halfords outlets,especially the units with MOT/ repair facilities should be able to exchange it for you.
I think they charge £30 on top of the cost of the battery, make sure they take the in line fuse out before they disconnect the battery,it should be located very near the battery,
Go online and find your local Halfords.or a local motorhome dealership,  most dealerships have a stock of leisure batteries ready to be exchanged.
Boaby

Ellie-mae wrote: and doesn’t look like a conventional battery. 

Unfortunately that is exactly what it does look like, so much so that unscrupulous manufacturers were badging starter batteries as leisure to try and get more market.

A few can have two terminals at each pole but these are few in number and a bit specialist so not often seen.

Yes Halfords have genuine leisure batteries on sale so as suggested may be worth asking them if they will fit it. Avoid AGM, not appropriate for your use whereas EFB will give you some benefits.

Please pardon my ignorance Hairy Fool! AGM? EFB?

Ok. My daughters just looking that up online…types of batteries we think! But yes…a little phone call and rrip to Halfords in the morning.
everyone for your invaluable help and advice, as always.

Sorry and yes a little research before going in will help, not all Halfords staff are as knowledgeable as they like to think.

Absorbant Glass Mat batteries are spill resistant and were thought to have a number of benefits, often specified as starter batteries with stop start engines. Time has shown them not to be as good as claimed in the long term.

Enhanced Flooded Battery is closer to a standard battery but has greater charge cycles.

Spill resistance sounds like a good idea on the face of it but when is it going to matter? You probably won't remove it until  it is replaced and in the case of an accident on the road the emergency services are well versed in dealing with batteries so will assume in all cases the battery could leak, they haven't the time to read the side of it. In any case you won't be in a position to care or be able to tell them. A bigger concern would be the bomb you are carrying i.e. the gas tank.

Ellie-mae wrote:Ok. My daughters just looking that up online…types of batteries we think! But yes…a little phone call and rrip to Halfords in the morning.
everyone for your invaluable help and advice, as always.

Let us know how you could on   ,  some Halfords ( participating stores only) offers discount to CAMCand Cc&C members,not sure if that includes batteries.  
Boaby

If we’re talking leisure batteries then I’d suggest go to battery mega store and get a lithium (LiFePO4) type. I bought two 100ah from there recently to replace a couple of aged AGM types and I’m very impressed. Almost the entire capacity is available for use without negatively affecting the batteries life span and they even have a built in battery management system with Bluetooth so I can monitor each battery with an app on my phone. Overall I’m very impressed indeed. They’re only about 40% of the weight of the AGM ones too.

Saxtonma wrote:If we’re talking leisure batteries then I’d suggest go to battery mega store and get a lithium (LiFePO4) type. I bought two 100ah from there recently to replace a couple of aged AGM types and I’m very impressed. Almost the entire capacity is available for use without negatively affecting the batteries life span and they even have a built in battery management system with Bluetooth so I can monitor each battery with an app on my phone. Overall I’m very impressed indeed. They’re only about 40% of the weight of the AGM ones too.

Not sure if that would be a simple drop in replacement in a 2016 Nuevo.
As much as I love the idea of lithium, I think a simple lead acid replacement might be more appropriate in this instance.
And also the cost of such battery????

A 100Ah EFB circa £100 vs £500 typically for 100Ah LiFePo4 

AND the former is compatible with 2016 battery management systems