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Whether you’re a fan of wild camping far away from civilization or prefer a full-service campsite with all the mod cons, a reliable source of power is a must. After all there’s nothing better than a nice cup of tea on a sunny morning or a light to see by during a stormy night.

Just as you wouldn’t leave home without insurance for your motorhome, heading off without a decent leisure battery is a sure-fire way to scupper any adventure.

But not all leisure batteries are created equal. Read our quick guide to help you navigate what can be a complicated purchase.

What is a leisure battery?

Despite the widespread availability of electric hook-ups at UK sites, always relying on these for power can prove unwise. If there’s a power cut on site or there isn’t a hook-up available then you could be left without oven ignition, fridge, heater and internal lights.

All these essential items are powered from the leisure battery. Not to mention the internal power sockets from which we charge mobile phones, laptops and camera batteries.

It’s important to be aware that your leisure battery is separate and different from your motorhome’s starter battery. The starter battery is designed to give an instant jolt of power to start the engine.

The leisure battery, on the other hand, is designed to provide a constant, steady source of power over a prolonged period of time.

While a leisure battery problem is more likely to cause inconvenience rather than a breakdown, there are still plenty of things that can go wrong in a motorhome.

Call your motorhome insurance provider to see if breakdown cover is available.

Different types of leisure battery

There are several different types of leisure battery in common use, all with their own particular advantages and disadvantages.

Lead acid batteries

Lead acid batteries are the traditional ‘wet’ batteries and are the most commonly available and usually cheapest to buy.

They come in both sealed and open varieties. Sealed lead acid batteries are designed to be maintenance free. Open lead acid batteries require you to occasionally top up the electrolyte with de-ionised water to maintain performance.

These are the least environmentally friendly batteries and can be quite heavy. Also, if the battery falls below 50% of its capacity it can cause permanent damage.

Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries

Like traditional lead acid batteries, AGM batteries contain lead and an electrolyte but are constructed differently.

In AGM batteries the electrolyte is trapped within a fibreglass mat. This means they are far better able to cope with vibration (a plus for motorhome and caravan users), they don’t leak and are more versatile.

While an AGM battery can discharge up to around 60% before suffering irreparable damage, they have a typically shorter lifespan than lead acid batteries and are more expensive.

Gel batteries

Similar to AGM batteries, but instead of using a fibreglass mat these batteries suspend the electrolyte in a thick gel.

The key advantages of gel batteries include the ability to discharge down to 80% without damage and a longer life at higher temperatures (useful if you travel to hot countries). However, they’re more expensive than AGM batteries.

Lead Crystal batteries

The general principles behind lead crystal batteries are similar to AGM batteries but they have some key benefits.

The amazing thing about lead crystal batteries is their ability to be completely discharged and then fully charged back up, without damaging the battery.

They also typically have a lifespan many times that of a standard lead acid battery and perform well at both high and low temperatures. Unsurprisingly, these batteries are usually more expensive than the others.

Lithium batteries

Ubiquitous in phones, laptops and the next generation of hybrid and electric cars, lithium batteries are now being used in the world of motorhomes.

Lithium batteries could be the future of leisure batteries as they provide a lot of energy for comparatively low weight and cope well with frequent and deep discharges.

Their main disadvantage is their current cost – but there are hopes this will come down as electric cars become more common and the technology becomes cheaper.

Leisure battery classification

Just as with starter batteries the greater the power of the leisure battery, the longer it will last and the less times you’ll need to recharge it.

However, the more powerful batteries are usually larger and heavier and therefore will have an impact when weight and space is at a premium – as it is in motorhomes.

The trade off between these competing requirements is a tricky one to balance. That’s why the National Caravan Council introduced a Leisure Battery Verification Scheme to try to make things more straightforward for consumers.

Leisure batteries are classified in one of three ways under the scheme. These are:

• Category A - for those who often use their motorhomes away from electric hook-ups, and so rely on the leisure battery to provide all their power needs when parked up.
• Category B - for those who generally use sites with electric hook-ups, but have high drain or large numbers of electrical devices.
• Category C - for those who will generally use sites with electric hook-ups and require a battery for occasional use to operate low drain devices for short periods of time when they aren’t plugged in.

Motorhome insurance cover for your vehicle

You never know what to expect when holidaying in the UK, but having adequate motorhome insurance in place can help stop those unforeseen events from derailing your trip.

The specialist team at Lancaster Insurance will work to provide you not only with a quote tailored to your needs but also a range of benefits including:

• 90 days EU cover and a 365-day option available for an additional premium
• New for old replacement available if your vehicle is less than one year old
• Up to £1,000 audio cover
• Windscreen cover
• Personal effects cover up to £5,000
• Up to £2,500 cover for awnings, gas bottles, generators and camping equipment
• Agreed valuation available if vehicle is aged 15+ years
• Optional breakdown cover from £49.95

Get an instant online quote from Lancaster Insurance today or call on 01480 484826.

Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may very between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Information contained within this article is accurate at the time of publishing but may be subject to change.