Guide to Charging a Leisure Battery from Generator

A leisure battery is a deep-cycling battery designed to power appliances inside a caravan or motorhome. Leisure batteries don’t power the engine, they only power items like the fridge, TV and other small electrical devices. Unlike a car battery, this type of power source is designed to withstand multiple deep discharge cycles and recharging. They provide a steady flow of energy for long periods while you’re travelling off-grid. Like any other equipment, the key to a leisure battery’s longevity lies in its care and maintenance. In this blog, we’ll investigate how to charge your leisure battery from a generator to ensure your adventures are fully loaded.

If you need power off-grid, trust Vital Power to keep you connected. We offer industry-leading power solutions and expert support.

What Is a Leisure Battery?

If you’re an established caravan, motorhome or campervan voyager, you’ll understand how vital a leisure battery is to the smooth running of your mobile adventures. If you’re a newbie camper, learning the facts about a leisure battery is essential knowledge. A leisure battery is the power source that feeds 12V electronic items in a motorhome or other mobile vehicle, like the fridge, TV and lighting. In other words, leisure batteries seriously affect your vehicle’s comfort factor.

Leisure batteries are designed to provide a steady electricity supply over a prolonged period. They can usually withstand repeated deep discharge (up to 100% of their capacity) without significantly reducing their performance. This is called ‘deep-cycling’. Leisure batteries also perform another important function; they are able to smooth out fluctuations in the power supply. 12V devices should not run directly from a charger because they are prone to power surge irregularities, but when connected to a leisure battery, the power is supplied smoothly and constantly. There are a variety of different types of leisure batteries available, the most popular being lead-acid and lithium-ion.

Lead-Acid Battery

The most basic lead-acid battery is a wet lead-acid battery. This type is filled with a liquid electrolyte that requires topping up. They are often preferred by either sealed lead-acid batteries that require no maintenance or topping up, or gel batteries that are generally leak-proof and also maintenance-free.

Lithium-Ion Battery

This more expensive leisure battery is a considerable step up from lead-acid batteries. Lithium-ion batteries charge faster, have a longer lifespan, are lighter in weight and have a higher energy density.

How to Charge a Leisure Battery From a Generator

Once you’ve experienced life with a leisure battery, you probably won’t want to be without it. So it’s important to understand the best method of charging your battery to get the most out of this valuable piece of equipment. There are a number of different ways to charge a leisure battery, but when you’re off-grid, away from mains power, using a generator is a super reliable way to keep your battery topped up. Looking at Vital Power’s extensive range of generators for sale, you’re probably wondering which one to choose so let’s take a look at what features you’ll need to charge a leisure battery:

 

• 12V DC output. Many portable generators have a 12V DC output specifically for charging batteries.
• Stable Power. Some generators produce an alternating current (AC); AC generators create a current that reverses direction intermittently. A preferable choice is an inverter generator. This portable power supply produces a clean and stable power supply, or ‘pure sine wave’. This consistent power supply is created by converting AC power back to DC then back to AC, and is much more suited to leisure battery applications like small electronic devices.
• Reliability. When you’re venturing into remote locations, you need a power source that won’t let you down. Inverter generators offer reliable, clean, fuel-efficient energy. They’re also quieter than diesel generators.
• Noise. Choose a generator with a quiet feature. No one wants to disturb a tranquil moment with the rumbling of a generator at work. Vital Power offers a selection of silent camping generators, perfect for mobile home use.
• Battery Charger. Although a leisure battery can be charged directly from a generator, it’s advisable to connect the battery through its original charger plugged into the generator’s AC output for a more regulated power supply.

Tips For A Healthy Leisure Battery

Maintaining the health of your leisure battery is essential to maintain its reliability and longevity. Here are some helpful tips to keep your power source in tip-top condition and on hand to support you while you’re out and about.

• Keep it charged – allowing your battery to run down completely will seriously affect its performance. Charge it up once you have used it to maintain its ready state and level of performance. You can use a trickle charger to keep the battery charged when your motorhome is not in use.
• Check it – check your battery health regularly and at least once a month.
• Manufacturer charge – around every six weeks, charge the battery fully using the original manufacturer’s equipment provided.
• Correct charger—leisure battery chargers are not cross-functional. An AGM charger will not work with an LFP battery.
• Correct water – if you have a non-sealed battery requiring fluid top-ups, always use de-ionised or distilled water.
• Clean it – keep the battery and its terminals and connectors clean. Apply petroleum jelly to prevent corrosion.