Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > 4 wheels > Equipping the Overland Vehicle
Deep Cycle / Leisure Battery.. what to look for? Deep Cycle / Leisure Battery.. what to look for?
Register FAQ Calendar Today's Posts
Equipping the Overland Vehicle Vehicle accessories - Making your home away from home comfortable, safe and reliable.
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



Overlanders Handbook - everything you need to know, available NOW!

Like Tree1Likes
  • 1 Post By eurasiaoverland

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 9 Jun 2017
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Brunei
Posts: 949
Deep Cycle / Leisure Battery.. what to look for?
Hi guys

I'm looking for a second deep cycle / leisure battery for my truck.

The battery will be inside the cabin and will be used to power a Webasto or similar air heater only. It will be charged via a split-charge system. The trip I have in mind will partly be in extremely cold conditions.

Right now I have two option in mind...

A cheap Hankook 110Ah leisure battery. £80ish

or

An Optima Yellow Top 55Ah deep cycle battery. £170ish

On the one hand, the Hankook is cheap and seems to have a high capacity. The Optima is twice the price and half the output. So it seems an easy choice. But, I have had Optima Yellow Tops before and they were really fantastic, so I don't mind spending to get top notch batteries, but I'm in no mind to burn money needlessly.

Is the advantage of the Optima just that it is a dual purpose battery (i.e. starter and deep cycle)? For my main starter battery I have an even better unit, an Odyssey PC1400 which is rated at 900 CCA vs. the Optima's 750 CCA, so I don't feel that I especially need a backup starter battery.

So, would I be wasting my money to get the Optima?

Opinions appreciated!

Thanks

EO
__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 9 Jun 2017
thepinproject's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Chalkida, GREECE
Posts: 142
When it comes to battery, I always go for the best. You will only appreciate it when the cheap one will fail. I think they call it Murphy's Law. Plus you always get what you pay.

So, to make your decision "harder", I would consider also a good EXIDE DEEP CYCLE GEL battery.

We have bought one with 85Ah capacity for 260 euro back in November 2011. We still have it and THANKS GOD, it works just perfect ;-)

By the way, LTH have a pretty good range of DEEP CYCLE batteries and they belong to the same manufacturing group with OPTIMA.
__________________
The Pin Project | Overland Greece
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12 Jun 2017
Registered Users
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: nottingham uk/chur suisse
Posts: 96
leisure battery
i would go for a optima yellow, if your planning to keep the vehicle more than a couple of years,i am in the process of getting new leisure batteries after mine failed.but after checking the dates on the batteries they are 16 years old,so i think i've had my moneys worth.so wouldn't use any other plus no worries of spilling acid when off road.

moodybloo
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 13 Jun 2017
Gipper's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Saltspring Island,Canada/Poole,UK
Posts: 1,081
Its hard not to recommend going for another Optima, I've run a yellow top in the Discovery for 10 Canadian Winters (at least down to -40C for a while each Winter) its still going strong and never let me down for starting or winching.
__________________
Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 13 Jun 2017
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: NSW Australia - but never there
Posts: 1,235
Doesn't matter what class of battery you put in if you mistreat it by never getting it to 100% charged and always take out a little more each day than you put in. An auxiliary battery with just a passive split charge input is pretty much guaranteed to be in this situation and some would say you might as well get the crappiest cheapest starter battery you can find and throw it out every 18 months and put another in.
If you were to add an active battery charger and drive long enough each day to get a battery to close to 100% or add a mains charger for use when you have hookups then there would be some point in installing a quality battery.

One thing often missed is that an engine battery that just starts engines has the cushiest life of any battery. Start the engine - 300 amps for 1 second which is a fraction of an amp hour and that tiny amount of energy is replaced in a minute or two. So they should last for many years because they do nothing.
__________________
Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 13 Jun 2017
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Brunei
Posts: 949
Thanks for the input guys.

I'm investing a lot in a cabin air heater that will be necessary to maintain anything like a reasonable temperature in the car. So I decided to go for the best battery for the job, I got the biggest Optima Yellow Top I could find.

I don't think charging will be an issue, as I tend to drive for long stints; this is not a camper which will be parked up somewhere for a week and putter along between European camping sites.

Now I just need to fit the split charging system. And the heater.

Thanks

EO
__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 17 Jun 2017
thepinproject's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Chalkida, GREECE
Posts: 142
Worth considering is a VSR as well, which pretty much does the same job with a split charge system.

By the way, which OPTIMA did you opt for? Type & specs?
__________________
The Pin Project | Overland Greece
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 17 Jun 2017
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Brunei
Posts: 949
I got a YTS 5.5 65 Ah 975 CCA.

Will stick with the relay system as it's what I have now. Like to keep things simple.
__________________
EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.
Reply With Quote
Reply

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Motobatt Battery - Any good? kentfallen Yamaha Tech 14 10 Oct 2017 18:16
AT 750 dead battery after 5 week sit. Jumped it. Now? theoverman83 Honda Tech 13 18 Nov 2013 18:07
National Lunar Dual Battery Controller with three batteries TotalOverland Equipping the Overland Vehicle 4 14 Oct 2013 09:04
Looking to buy a 12V 10-12AmpHour battery between Mancora & Lima (Peru) arooni South America 0 7 Oct 2012 04:23
Battery trickle charger.. bacardi23 Yamaha Tech 7 24 Dec 2011 23:37

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

25 years of HU Events
Be sure to join us for this huge milestone!

ALL Dates subject to change.

2025 Confirmed Events:

Virginia: April 24-27 2025
Queensland is back! May 2-4 2025
Germany Summer: May 29-June 1 2025
CanWest: July 10-13 2025
Switzerland: Date TBC
Ecuador: Date TBC
Romania: Date TBC
Austria: Sept. 11-14
California: September 18-21
France: September 19-21 2025
Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2 2025

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

Your ad could be here, on EVERY page of the HUBB, or the whole website, or as many as you like!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 13:35.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top