Gaining an understanding of the best type of battery to buy for your caravan or camper trailer is a chore worth doing.
It will help you avoid problems that arise from inadequate power at your campsite and, in that way, make your camping adventures more pleasurable. This post looks at the best battery options for caravan (and camper trailer) owners.
What is the best battery for a caravan?
The best caravan battery for free campers – caravans not camped at a mains supply site – are deep-cycle batteries. They are often referred to as caravan batteries.
Deep cycle batteries are specifically designed to supply power steadily over a long period of time and to tolerate repeated deep discharges. They have a high capacity (amp hours) and great reliability. Some deep cycle batteries can be recharged using solar panels as well as conventional chargers.
Deep-cycle batteries have thick inner plates (say, 7mm or 0.27inch), as much as seven times thicker than car batteries. This makes them slow to charge.
Depending on the type of deep-cycle battery, it can also make them heavy, although this is not true of absorbed glass mat (AGM) deep-cycle batteries. Some lower-priced, lower-quality units have composite, rather than solid, lead plates to accelerate charging, but these batteries deteriorate faster.
Deep-cycle batteries are designed to discharge to no more than about 80 per cent of capacity. This may sound like a tight range, but it compares to an even tighter range of about 95 per cent of capacity for car batteries. To be clear, this means you should use no more than 20 per cent of a deep-cycle battery’s capacity, and no more than 5 per cent of a car battery’s capacity before recharging it.
Deep-cycle batteries should never be discharged below 50 per cent capacity. Doing so can permanently impair performance. Use a digital voltmeter to ensure the battery is discharging and charging in line with specifications.
Compared to conventional lead-acid batteries, deep-cycle batteries offer several advantages, including:
• A long life of up to 2,000 deep discharge-charge cycles.
• No release of toxic fumes when charging, making them ideal for installation in unventilated spaces.
• Virtually no risk of acid spills.
• A self-discharge rate as low as one per cent, compared to 15 per cent for standard lead-acid batteries.
• For AGM batteries, water loss is reduced by up to 99 per cent, lowering the need for electrolyte top-ups.
• True no maintenance units.
There are four main types of deep-cycle batteries suitable for campers – AGM, gel, lithium-ion, and lead-carbon. AGM and gel batteries have been around for many years and are both proven performers. Lithium-ion and lead-carbon batteries are both relative newcomers and have yet to establish a track record among caravan owners.
How long do deep-cycle batteries last?
The life of a caravan battery is best measured by the number of deep discharge-charge cycles it can deliver. When buying a deep-cycle battery, bear in mind there is a large range of price-quality options available, each with varying expected service lives.
Depending on the unit you choose, the battery will last from a few hundred to as many as, say, 2,000 discharge-charge cycles. At the top end, this means that if you go camping 50 times a year and recharge your deep-cycle battery four times each trip, the battery will last 10 years.
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Charging Your Caravan Battery
Campers are increasingly opting for solar panels rather than noisy, petrol-fuelled generators to recharge their caravan battery. Both AGM and gel batteries can be recharged using solar panels.
They can be connected using a solar regulator or charge controller. The regulator moderates any high voltage coming from the solar panel before it reaches the battery to avoid overcharging the battery and permanently damaging its performance.
In addition to using solar panels, some campers also invest in a good charger. Be sure to select a charger that automatically prevents high voltage from reaching the battery.
What size battery do I need for my caravan?
The size of battery you require ultimately depends on the size, number, and type of accessories you need to power. Campers these days are kitted up with all manner of electrical items including lighting (from conventional to LED), computers, mobile devices, portable refrigerators, electric stoves and ovens, microwaves, televisions, and even toilet pumps.
Deep-cycle batteries are available in a range of sizes. Small units start at about 30-amp hours. Larger units like 125- or 250-amp hour (aka 4D or 8D) units should satisfy even the most power-hungry users.
Fortunately, AGM batteries are not overly expensive, given their long life. As discussed below, their price is low enough so that, if weight and space are not constraints, most people can afford to connect multiple units in parallel to build a battery bank. This increases the overall power capacity campers have available to run their electrical gear.
Which is better, AGM or gel battery?
AGM batteries are preferred over gel batteries for several reasons.
Firstly, in addition to solar panels, they can be charged with conventional chargers. This is not true of gel batteries which require special chargers usable only with gel batteries.
Additionally, AGM batteries are relatively light. They can weigh as little as about nine kilograms. This allows them to be fitted snugly into most caravan storage lockers. This feature, combined with their non-spill or sealed design and robust exterior, allows them to tolerate violent road vibrations without leakage.
Finally, the performance of AGM units is not damaged by freezing temperatures. This can be an important consideration when you are both camping and storing your caravan at home.
How much does a deep-cycle battery cost?
A deep-cycle battery can cost from about $200 for a small size unit (12-volt 32-amp hours AGM battery). Larger size units (12-volt 250-amp hour AGM battery) can range up to $900 or more.
Conclusion
Installing a deep-cycle battery in your caravan or camper trailer is the best way to store and supply your energy needs while free camping.
These units form the core of most 12-volt dual battery systems – two separate batteries working in conjunction with each other but for different purposes – supplying power to campers all around Australia. With such a system, you will always be able to start up your car with its original battery and, using your deep-cycle battery as an auxiliary unit, have enough power to reliably run all your camp accessories.
Deep cycle batteries are designed to be discharged to 80 per cent of capacity without damaging performance. They should not be discharged below 50 per cent capacity. Compared to other types of batteries, they tolerate the largest number of deep discharge-charge cycles. For this reason, deep-cycle batteries are long-life batteries.
AGM units have several advantages over other types of deep-cycle batteries. They are lighter, they can be charged with solar panels and conventional chargers. And they can also tolerate freezing temperatures.
If you want to learn more about caravan batteries, we also suggest reading our guide to Anderson Plugs.
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