Service battery for your camper, features, and advice for choosing

The service battery for the motorhome is the key device to operate all the accessories. Therefore it must be able to meet the energy needs of the fridge, television, pumps, electricity to charge the mobile phone, etc.

If this discharges completely, we will face the age-old problem of the impossibility of using all the electrical services installed.

Different from the RV battery for the camper is the starter battery, which is necessary to give input to the vehicle to switch on.

The service battery for the camper is used when we need energy for a long time, so it must be a slow-discharge battery.

What does it mean? It must maintain the charge over time and remain on standby for several hours without losing it. Out of necessity of this type, AGM RV batteries stand out, as they are the best at withstanding numerous deep discharge cycles. This is thanks to their technology, which allows the electrolyte to evaporate during the charging and discharging phase, at the end of which the bubbles produced mix with the acid, causing the slow-discharge battery to maintain efficient performance.

Choosing the right battery for a trip in a camper is essential in order not to run into unpleasant inconveniences that could ruin the holiday on the road.

The range of our service batteries includes:

• Lead-acid
• AGE
• Gel
• Lithium

Slow discharge Lead-acid batteries are the cheapest service batteries, and they have liquid electrolytes inside with glass fiber separators that allow a greater current capacity. They require a periodic level check and any topping up if the electrolyte level has dropped. This type of battery, during recharging, can produce fumes that can be annoying. For this reason, they are not suitable for mounting inside the camper in unventilated areas. They are a reliable and safe product and guarantee excellent value for money, however requiring periodic maintenance.

The AGM motorhome batteries (an acronym for Absorbed Glass Mat) have a liquid electrolyte absorbed in fiberglass porous mass separators. This also has the very important function of strengthening the plate. The batteries for the AGM camper are “maintenance free,” i.e., they do not require special maintenance. They are sealed to prevent the liquid from accidentally dispersing, so they can be installed anywhere and used even in situations of poor ventilation.

In the case of gel batteries, the electrolyte has the consistency of a gelatinous compound, and the container is sealed to prevent the leakage of liquids. Even here, there is no need for major maintenance. They are suitable for deep discharge cycles and can be installed close to people and electronic components.

The batteries for the AGM motorhome and the gel ones look very similar, yet there is a difference from a structural point of view in the different shapes and management of the electrolyte. The former has greater compactness between the elements, allowing longer life and better performance with rapid discharges.

Deep-cycle lithium batteries are the latest arrivals on the market. They have all the typical characteristics of lithium batteries: decidedly reduced weight, high energy density, the possibility of providing large currents, and numerous charge cycles. The cons of this product are the price still significantly higher than lead-acid batteries and lower safety than the latter. So which ones to choose? You can opt for AGM motorhome batteries: a safe, reliable, maintenance-free product.

Car batteries: tips for the summer season

Not everyone knows that car batteries suffer a lot from heat. We have provided useful tips to ensure the batteries can withstand high temperatures without problems.

From regularly checking liquids to cleaning, here’s everything you need to know!

What are the problems associated with high temperatures?

We often believe that only severe cold can damage the components of a car. As we will see in this article, this is not the case.

The car batteries and the heat do not agree at all. High temperatures are very dangerous for accumulators. When the heat hood increases, the charge of the batteries begins to decrease significantly. This is due to a particular phenomenon: we are talking about the electrochemical reaction inside the car battery, which tends to accelerate in the heat. In this way, the natural phenomenon of self-discharge tends to be much faster.

For example, we can imagine that starting from 20 °C, every 10 °C increase practically doubles the self-discharge rate.

This phenomenon, therefore, clearly explains why accumulators in summer require more frequent recharges to maintain optimal efficiency, especially when the vehicle remains stationary for a long time between one use and the next.

In addition, with high temperatures, other secondary chemical reactions are also accelerated: in this case, the rule of doubling is in force at every 10 ° C increase.

The problems that can arise in the heat are numerous!

One of them is, for example, the corrosion of the grid, which gradually reduces the conductive material of the batteries and progressively increases the performance of the starting power.

Another typical problem is damage to the battery capacity. When this happens, the accumulator can no longer be restored, and the only possible option will be to replace it.

As you can see, heat-related problems are very subtle and often difficult to recognize since they do not reveal themselves immediately. Indeed, they can be revealed when temperatures are upset: for example when the cold returns when the machine needs more energy to start the engine.

How to prevent the problems that heat causes to the batteries?

Now that we know all the problems that can damage car batteries, let’s see together how to properly maintain 12v battery during the summer months.

A good habit is keeping the car out of the sun; of course, this is not possible in many cases.

To avoid running into big trouble, the solution is to periodically maintain the car battery.

It is essential to ensure that the accumulator is as clean as possible.

Keeping the engine levels at the right standard is also very important. In this way, any breakdowns will be prevented in time.

Careful maintenance can only be carried out by a professional: it is, therefore, advisable to go, especially in periods of great heat, to authorized workshops able to diagnose malfunctions with special electronic devices. Equally important, always choose top-quality accumulators, already set up to better withstand high temperatures.

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