Leisure Battery

[Peter Marsh]

Could anyone recommend a particular leisure battery for on-the-field

charging? I guess around 40A should be plenty.

Thanks, guys.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I don't know that recommend is the right word Peter - but I use a 60Ah Halford's jobbie. I only got it from there because it was in a sale at £55 - otherwise I think they're more like £70. I have to say - so far its been fine and does the job and at £55 is OK, but I think you could do better if you had to pay the full price!

BEB

[Andrew767]

Peter....Try one of the trade type,local car spares shops...We picked one up a couple of months ago for £80....110Ah. Two of us share this. We use mainly 4000mah packs and both of us can fly all weekend.......thats assuming we get decent weather for a whole weekend!!

Andrew

P.s I think someone wes selling 88Ah LB on ebay for about £60 with free delivery.

[Chris Bott - Moderator]

Hi Peter

Sounds like you already know you need a leisure battery rather than a car starting type.

Leisure batteries are designed to be discharged quite a way before being recharged again, while starter batteries are designed for very high currents, but to be topped back up immediately after being used.

I've found this site useful to compare types.

If you're after something a bit lighter in weight than an 80Ah leisure (Caravan/Boat) battery then have a look at the mobility scooter ones.

[Martyn K]

This looks like a good deal

Link

Regards

Martyn

[Peter Marsh]

Thanks, chaps.

Andrew, are you charging one pack at a time? Is there a way of charging more than one if my charger can handle only one at a time?

[Andrew767]

Peter...We do charge more than one at once but by using two chargers. If your charger will only handle one at once your only option is to buy a second charger. To be honest if your packs are not too large HobbyKing or Giant Shark have 50watt jobbies for not a lot.

Andrew

[Steven Butler]

Hi

I am looking to buy a quad charger which has 4 x 50watt chargers incorporated for my heli batteries. What spec of leisure battery should I consider as suitable to run this system.

thanks in advance

[Tim Hooper]

Gents,

A farmers merchants is generally a lot cheaper than a caravan or motor factors when it comes to buying leisure batteries.

tim

[Mark Stringer]

I use a pair of sealed ups batteries that I got off ebay. A lot cheaper than a leisure battery and does me proud. They came as a pair in a cardboard box packed with polystyrene and that's where they have stayed. I work away a lot and they do all my chrages off 2 or 3 chargers for the week between the two with no problems.

I do tend to have mainly 2s, 3s and 4s packs but have flown every night for a week without any issues so they seem pretty good

[GrahamC]

Maybe more important than the brand of leisure battery is the type of charger you use to charge it and the way in which you look after it. As I understand it leisure batteries last longer if they are kept charged and like to be be maintained by being trickle charged. I invested in a modern multi mode charger that detects the condition of the battery and charges accordingly.

I paid £55 for a 75Ah Numax from a local Caravan equipment shop. It comes with a 2 year guarantee. Seems fine so far... and if I have a problem this season or next, I'll take it back! That's the advantage of buying locally!

Edited By GrahamC on 04/06/2013 22:52:18

[Eifion Herbert]

I use a 17Ah battery that was originally in a wheelchair, that I bought second hand years ago as a starter battery when I flew ic helicopters. It sat in my garage unmaintained and uncharged for years during my time away from RC until a couple of years ago when I got back into it with electrics. To my surprise it still holds charge absolutely fine, is about a quarter of the size and weight of the leisure battery in my caravan, and holds easily enough charge for a day's flying. Mind you my entire fleet runs on 3S 2200mAh, and I rarely have to put more than around 1000mAh back into them when I charge them, so it might not have the capacity for keeping larger packs topped up.

[Baz Lewis]

Couldn't agree more with Tims suggestion!
A farm services shop will stock many high Ah types due to the demand for electric fence batteries from the Farmers. They are generally pretty good value.

[crispin church]

i use one of the battery packs on my mobility scooter

i put a deans on each 12v which there 2 in each pack

i plug in my starter as well

[flytilbroke]

The Caravan Club recently reported some bad news.Caravan Club members can confirm the comment below

Not all batteries described as leisure batteries are in fact what could reasonably be classed as such (my words) Some had standard car starter internal plates, some had much less capacity than advertised including on the labels. They admit to not testing ALL label/brand and would not name the poor/bad ones as they wished the standard to be improved by the manufacturer/retailer.

Only Two types tested complied with EN50342, VARTA and BANNER, although a third EXIDE was known to comply with that standard but is not so common in the UK.

So, your choice gents.

As a long time user of Leisure batteries for Field/portable use, practicale experience says some perform ok for a limited life. Of the two EN50342, I used only and can confirm VARTA was my choice. Even though cheaper batteries looked like value they proved to be somewhat lacking, either capacity, life, or most often both. Capacity also means the ability to provide the required voltage for the expected usage.

[Barrie Dav 2]

Most of the above is related to field charging of flight batteries. I need a battery for my i,c, control panel (Starter, fuel pump, glow plug etc) I'm fed up with lugging an old car battery around and I'm wondering whether a motor cycle would be ok for this.

[TinPot Pilot]

Barry, I would say that a motorcycle battery should be fine for your use. Two of us used one "recycled" from the local council tip for free, for our glow needs, for a couple of years before it eventually died - unfortunately we haven't been able to get another at the same price !

[Barrie Dav 2]

Hell, that's bad luck TPP! Thanks for your post. If the battery starts a m/c I assume it'll power the electric model engine starter in spite of the fact that it may have longer runs to start the engine than a m/c. Incidentally will the general purpose car battery charger be ok for one of these batteries?

[Frank Skilbeck]

Barrie, I've used the 7ah motorcycle batteries for running my flight box (inc glow panel) and starter for many years now, they are fine for a weekends, or more, flying. No problems starting upto a 90 fourstroke (largest I currently use)

[Barrie Dav 2]

Thank you Frank. That seems just what I want.

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Barrie Dav 2 on 27/02/2014 14:38:27:

Thank you Frank. That seems just what I want.

Ah just one point, don't use a standard car battery charger to charge them up, I use a lower amp unit to charge mine up, I remember the first one I got didn't last very well when using a standard car battery charger, but after using a lower amp charger they seem to last for years (I can't remember when I bought my current one)

[Barrie Dav 2]

Thanks for the comments Frank. What charger/type would you advise?

[Martyn K]

I use an Optimate intelligent Battery conditioner as a charger - they are available from Motorcycle shops. They cycle trickle charge/discharge - it took 2 days to charge my 85A leisure battery - and it wasn't flat, but it does keep them in tiptop condition.

Martyn

[GrahamC]

I use one of these. One of the best value smart chargers out there and works very well. I leave the battery plugged in all the time when it is not in use.

[Frank Skilbeck]

I use something very similar to this not sure if it's exactly the same as I've had mine for 10 years plus. But one of the new multicell (Lipo.LiFe, Nimh, Lead acid) chargers would also have a suitable setting.