I have around a 100 ah gel sealed battery coming soon and my leisure battery is dead all together now won't go above 8 volts !! As Iv got these gel sealed batts want to test em over the winter as there free !! Question- when there on split charge would they not draw all the amps being gel sealed ? Allso if this is the case could I get a fancy relay to sort this ? At the moment I'm hot wiring in a gel sealed battery on the the leisure battery leads with jump leads when I get there and just a 34amo is lasting all weekend !! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Anyone got any ideas ? Or do we think have 2 types of battery will be fine ?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have three jelly batteries ,one is my leisure and the other two (smaller)are the either side of my tele ,I have zero problems with them... They hold more charge imo....
Probably OK. But they do behave differently. Gel work at slightly higher voltages once charged, but I think don't like high voltage when being charged. I may have the details wrong but there is a difference.
I'm just on about driving Andy my hook up only charges leisure battery buddy !! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you have a smart charger, it will have a gel setting. They still die if you let hem go flat as well, so the maintenance is the same.
Sorry Steve I should be more clear in on about whilst driving from the alternator when driving ?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sorry should of been more clear I only meant when driving on the alternator ?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lots of motorbikes use gel batteries and charge from an alternator. As far as I know a split charge relay just switches between batteries, so it shouldn't matter? If you are worried, disconnect after camping and charge at home separately on a gel setting.
The split charge relay set up I have is just a relay that disconnects the leisure batt on start up I think I'll just try it on this trip to woolacomb this week and see what happens Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Lol I don't really use the big ones these bigger ones are from a back up lighting systems upto 100ah I get some times but have a few 38&24ah batts I'm gonna run in series as they fit in the tray Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If your leisure batteries are not split charged ever then there will not be a problem. If you try to split charge them then they will never really charge as they have a slightly higher voltage under charge than wet batteries - I think it is to do with the pressure that builds inside them recombining oxygen and hydrogen. You need to tell the leisure battery charger (if it is not clever enough to spot them itself) that you are using gel batteries not wet lead acid because of the higher voltage. If the charger is for classic wet cells it will never charge them properly and they will die really quickly. And connect them in parallel for 12 volts not series unless you want seriously bright lights and melted in car entertainment. Go ahead and use them as they can be discharged deeper than wet cells (more usable capacity) but not as hard - you need different gel batteries for car starting : look at the stop-start batteries now on sale for £200+++ , but NEVER leave them flat or let them get flat. If you leave the bus for a while , disconnect the gel batteries as they will hold a charge for months but be killed in a day if they are flat. And then they do horrible things like get hot and stinky if you try to charge them when they are dead. And you do not want the bridesmaids to be arguing over who farted.
