Campers Motorhomes - Understanding the Role of the Leisure Battery
Have you ever thought of purchasing a motorhome and enjoying the associated lifestyle. Good idea, it's a pursuit practiced and enjoyed by many around the world, but be aware of the difference between living in a motorhome compared to living in your domestic house. Do not jump into buying a brand new motorhome without thinking it through and being comfortable with your new found responsibilities.
The basic principles of a motor home and a domestic house are the same in that you have four walls, a roof over your head, admittedly much less space in your leisure vehicle, but it is a space in which you can live in and travel in for a lengthy period, with the correct planning. Like a domestic house you have running water and power - and these are the two key components of the motorhome you must understand.
Electricity in a domestic house requires no maintenance, until something breaks. Electricity and your supply of power in a motorhome requires constant attention. Unless you are plugged in to a mains electricity supply at a campsite, your power supply is coming from a limited source. These sources include, your vehicle battery, your leisure battery, generator power and solar power. These all require constant vigilance. Your leisure battery is generally intended to provide a small amount of voltage supply for a long period of time, for example the power required to light the living area of your motorhome. But it also does power the 12 volt points such as 12 volt televisions, dvd's, toilet flushing, water pumps etc. It recharges when the vehicle engine is on (via the alternator) or when plugged in to camp site mains electricity. The leisure battery may, in some cases also be powered by solar panels.
Managing your leisure battery in your motorhome does take some care and attention, but once you take care not to run it down completely, you should avoid embarrassing confiscances. Do not forget to care for your battery in the winter time - take time to charge and discharge it during those cold months.
