| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| Treacodactyl |
Deep cycle 12v 'leisure' batteriesFollowing on from the electric fencing thread, http://forum.downsizer.net/viewtopic.php?p=347710 , I need to buy a 12v battery for my fencer. As the price is going to be £40 to £50 I'd like to get a decent one.Is there anything to look out for or any recommendations? The ones I've seen don't seem to be guaranteed and I know some car batteries are guaranteed for at least 3 years so I assume I can track down a long life leisure battery. |
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| crofter |
car battery faq here: http://uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq.htm | ||
| dpack |
halfords may be worth a look | ||
| Jonnyboy |
Why not try and get a cheap car battery from the scrappy and use the money you save to buy one of those solar trickle chargers? | ||
| Treacodactyl |
Many thanks for the info Crofter, there's more there than I could ever want.  I'll take a look in Halfords the next time I pass one.
I could pick-up a second hand car battery but some people I know who've done that also suggested I don't have a battery energiser as the batteries only last a few months. A deep-cycle battery should outlast several car batteries and be more reliable I gather and at £40 I don't think it's worth trying something else. |
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| Jonnyboy |
Ok, How do they cope with really cold weather? | ||
| dpack |
they are ok in benders , 3 trickle charge things (laptop sized )will power a battery to charge up batteries to :run mobile phone ,led lights.head torch ,small cd player , local cb radio
old car batteries should be recycled |
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| Treacodactyl |
I had a look in Halfords and their premium car batteries have a 4 year warranty and their standard batteries have a 3 year warranty but their leisure batteries only have a 2 year warranty. I expect the car battery warranties would be invalidated if used for electric-fencing.
So it seems they expect leisure batteries to no last that long. 
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| dougal |
Ideally, you'd be after a "traction" battery rather than a "leisure" battery. Check out the number of full discharges expected... http://www.solar-power-answers.co.uk/battery.html My guess is that a battery intended for a stairlift might be excellent for an electric fence... though a caravan battery should last much longer than a car battery. |
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| dougal |
So I poked around and you could have a mobility scooter 'AGV" battery for like £25 but if you were spending £50 you could have a Gel one... (inc vat & delivery...
Gel is better if only for reduced self-discharge... http://www.mobilityscooterbatteries.co.uk/choosing-your-battery.html then click the button at top of page for Gel... ! |
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| Northern_Lad |
He lives in the South East; really cold for them is balmy for us. And I think the warranty levels might suggest not as well. |
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| Treacodactyl |
Thanks for the link although this is getting a bit confusing. The link says marine batteries fall into the traction battery category but one of the leisure batteries I've seen are also referred to as marine.
Looking at fencing, the battery should last about 6 weeks. So even if the plain leisure battery only lasts for 200 charges that's well over 20 years. 
Looking at the other link the prices start at £130 = VAT for a 80 amp/hr battery and I can get an 85amp/hr leisure battery for a little over £40 inc VAT. Another thing to remember, if the fence is used in a remote location there's a chance the energiser and battery will be stolen so that's a good reason to keep the costs down. |
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| Treacodactyl |
Actually, I've just had a look and I'm not sure what Amp/hr battery I need although ones around the 85Amp/hr batteries tend to be the ones I've seen sold with the more powerful energisers. | ||
| Treacodactyl |
Bump and an update. I did get the Halfords leisure battery in the end. I only use the electric fencing at night and it's only in a garden but after a few months use the battery still seems virtually fully charged. Certainly for me it seems the best choice. | ||
| FiddlesticksTim |
Interesting.
FWIW, I've been given some old Fire Alarm (12v 24Ah) batteries which I'm trickle charging with a Solar Panel and that's working out really well. Better still, they were free
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