12 V Leisure Batteries – Lithium, AGM and Gel

12 V leisure battery: lithium, AGM or gel?

Unlike a starter battery, a leisure battery stores energy to power a motorhome, a campervan, a boat or an off-grid solar installation. We offer three technologies, all maintenance-free:

• 12 V lithium battery (LiFePO4, lithium iron phosphate): 60 to 300 Ah. It has a built-in BMS – the management system that balances the cells and monitors voltages and currents – plus Bluetooth, and delivers up to 250 A on discharge. It is much lighter: 11.9 kg for the 100 Ah model, against 29 kg for a 110 Ah AGM or gel battery in our catalogue. Partial charging does not shorten its life, and it follows standard battery-box dimensions, which makes replacing a lead-acid battery easier.
• 12 V AGM battery: a sealed lead-acid battery whose electrolyte is absorbed in glass-fibre mats. From 20 to 320 Ah, it is the cheapest option up front and a classic motorhome leisure battery.
• 12 V gel battery: another sealed lead-acid battery, with a gelled electrolyte, from 60 to 220 Ah, very low self-discharge and M8 copper terminals. It stands up well to repeated cycling.

For large banks, the 6 V AGM battery (370 or 460 Ah) is fitted in pairs, in series, to make 12 V.

What capacity do you need?

Estimate your daily consumption in watt-hours: power of each appliance × hours of use, then add them up. Divide by 12 V to get the amp-hours to store. Example: a 60 W fridge running for 10 hours uses 600 Wh, or 50 Ah a day.

Then add headroom. A lead-acid battery (AGM or gel) lasts longer if you avoid discharging it deeply, so choose a larger capacity. A lithium battery copes better with deep discharges and incomplete charging.

Charging and looking after your battery

Your mains charger, solar controller or battery-to-battery charger must offer a profile for the technology: LiFePO4 for lithium, AGM or gel for lead-acid batteries. The wrong charging voltage shortens battery life. All our batteries are sealed and maintenance-free: no topping up, and no gassing in normal use.

Wiring in series or in parallel

• In series, voltages add up: two 12 V batteries make 24 V, two 6 V batteries make 12 V.
• In parallel, capacities add up: two 100 Ah 12 V batteries give 12 V and 200 Ah.

Always combine identical batteries (same model, same capacity, same state of charge).

Inverters and DC/DC converters: completing the system

To get 230 V from your batteries, choose a pure sine wave inverter; to step one DC voltage down to another, a DC/DC converter. For a specific project, ask for a quote and we will reply within 48 hours. Business customers get 5% off the whole site with a pro account.