What is a decent large leisure battery to buy?

Technical questions and answers about the Mazda Bongo

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Fredalorian
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What is a decent large leisure battery to buy?

Post by Fredalorian » Sun Aug 13, 2023 4:37 pm

Over a month ago now I purchased my Bongo and the sellers notified me that the leisure battery needed replacing. So off I went to GSF and they told me that the only leisure battery that matched my Ford Freda 2ltr petrol is the one in the photo below. So I bought it and put it in and it has been good. It's a little small for the battery tray so I got an adjustable bracket to hold it in.

Today when I was out my starter battery gave up and Bongo wouldn't start in the iKea carpark. With only two hours until closing I rushed across the road to B&M and bought some £3 spanners and took the starter battery out and put the leisure battery in that slot instead and hooked it all up. It started up immediately and I drove home with a big sigh of relief.

What I would like is some suggestions for a bigger better leisure battery I can order online. I don't have a solar panel yet so it would be good to have something that lasts well and I don't think the one I got from GSF is a proper leisure battery at all. Just what they had available to sell me that day that happened to be ok for Freda. I've heard that normal batteries aren't meant to be constantly discharged completely like leisure batteries.

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g8dhe
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Re: What is a decent large leisure battery to buy?

Post by g8dhe » Sun Aug 13, 2023 5:00 pm

Welcome aboard!
Leisure Battery selection

There is no biggest best. The battery trays are not standard, there after market addons they vary in size.
Measure the width, depth and height under the bonnet, note that the bonnet supports have hollows in them to maximise the clearance height above the terminals. Make sure you know which way you need the terminals, ideally +ve at the centre rear and -ve nearside rear, but check your cables!
Then look thru somewhere like www.tayna.co.uk/leisure-batteries/
for the largest capacity in AmpHours that will fit the tray, select the right terminal layout, order.
Most will be in the size of 80-120AmpHour capacity.
Stick to sealed, flooded, lead acid batteries, your alternator only knows how to charge that type, it doesn't know how to charge AGM or Lithium batteries and you will not get the best life but pay a premium instead!
Geoff
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Bob
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Re: What is a decent large leisure battery to buy?

Post by Bob » Sun Aug 13, 2023 5:11 pm

Leisure batteries are indeed very different to starter batteries.

That said, even leisure batteries should not be fully discharged.

I've always had good service from Tayna:

https://www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries/? ... RUQAvD_BwE#

Since the LB isn’t a Mazda fit it’s normally a case of measuring the tray and finding one that fits, rather than asking the supplier for a 'Freda/Bongo' one. :wink:
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Re: What is a decent large leisure battery to buy?

Post by Bob » Sun Aug 13, 2023 5:12 pm

Snap. =D>
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Allans
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Re: What is a decent large leisure battery to buy?

Post by Allans » Wed Aug 16, 2023 9:15 am

BBL also supply good batteries. You may have a branch near you. https://www.bblbatteries.co.uk/
Servicing Bongos since 2003 in Plymouth, Devon http://www.allansvehicleservices.co.uk
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