Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Technical questions and answers about the Mazda Bongo

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sotal
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Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by sotal » Sat Jun 13, 2015 7:05 pm

For use as a leisure battery what is better...

1 - A small battery labelled up as a 'Leisure battery'

or...

2 - A much larger capacity Bosch S5 battery
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by teenmal » Sat Jun 13, 2015 7:17 pm

3- a large dual purpose battery, best of both worlds..
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by philpdr » Sat Jun 13, 2015 7:23 pm

Leisure batteries discharge at different rates to starters which are designed to produce a higher initial "surge" to crank the engine over.There's a good fact sheet in the members area.Really if you're going to be wild camping or just nowhere near a mains hook up you want the largest leisure battery in terms of amp hours you can physically fit,a lot of us fit a 110ah.
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by sotal » Sat Jun 13, 2015 7:46 pm

It was just a thought based on the fact that the bongo I'm getting comes with a fairly large starter battery, but a fairly small leisure battery.

The car I'm selling has a large Bosch S5 which is still in its 5 year guarantee period.

The battery is an 019 size. 190mm x 175mm x 345mm. Will this physically fit in either the starter or leisure battery tray under the bonnet?
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by scanner » Sat Jun 13, 2015 7:47 pm

sotal wrote:It was just a thought based on the fact that the bongo I'm getting comes with a fairly large starter battery, but a fairly small leisure battery.

The car I'm selling has a large Bosch S5 which is still in its 5 year guarantee period.

The battery is an 019 size. 190mm x 175mm x 345mm. Will this physically fit in either the starter or leisure battery tray under the bonnet?
Probably not it may be a few cms too long, BUT the only way to know for sure is to try it.
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by mikeWalsall » Sat Jun 13, 2015 8:42 pm

I have large starter and leisure batteries .. both fit ..on .. the trays rather than in them ..

Both still 'sit' low enough to fit into the wing recess and not hit the bonnet .. which would very dangerous with terminals hitting metal..

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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by sotal » Sat Jun 13, 2015 8:55 pm

mikeWalsall wrote:I have large starter and leisure batteries .. both fit ..on .. the trays rather than in them ..

Both still fit low enough to fit into the wing recess and not hit the bonnet .. which would very dangerous with terminals hitting metal..
Do you what size your batteries are?
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by mikeWalsall » Sat Jun 13, 2015 9:12 pm

(all in inches) ..

Starter battery 13 3/4" long X 6 3/4" wide X 7 1/2" high ..

Leisure battery 13 1/2" long x 7" wide X 9" high ..

The leisure battery is a tight fit length wise as it sits on the lip of the tray .. but it goes into the wing recess OK .. but I would say length and height are at the limit ..

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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by sotal » Sat Jun 13, 2015 9:22 pm

Thanks for that - that means your starter battery is virtually the same size as the Bosch one I have.

Might just be worth swapping that one with the current starter and look to upgrading the leisure battery in the future if necessary.
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by mikeWalsall » Sat Jun 13, 2015 9:26 pm

Both my battery trays are original Bongos .. As both my batteries are two big to fit inside the 'lip' of there trays .. I got some 1/2" rubber to fit inside the trays so the batteries are cushioned on that ..
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Re: Leisure batteries vs normal batteries

Post by teenmal » Sun Jun 14, 2015 8:37 am

philpdr wrote:Leisure batteries discharge at different rates to starters which are designed to produce a higher initial "surge" to crank the engine over.There's a good fact sheet in the members area.Really if you're going to be wild camping or just nowhere near a mains hook up you want the largest leisure battery in terms of amp hours you can physically fit,a lot of us fit a 110ah.

You can purchase Dual Purpose Leisure batteries, a 105 amp will give approx. 950 CCA (cold cranking amps) .
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