As the touring season comes to an end, many of us will be storing our caravans and motorhomes over the winter. If we want our vehicles to be ready for new adventures in the spring, it pays to take good care of the leisure battery.

With leisure batteries costing up to hundreds of pounds, it also makes good financial sense to take steps to avoid battery failure and ensure it lasts for multiple seasons.

That’s where a quality smart charger like the Yuasa YCXL12 comes in. This clever device will prevent the battery slowly draining over the winter, so you’re good to go when the warm weather returns.

Take charge of winter storage

Before you lock the doors of your caravan or motorhome for the last time this year, it’s a good idea to check the health of the battery. Most Yuasa battery stockists will be able to confirm the battery’s voltage and state of health for you. That way you’ll know if it’s in good shape for another season or whether to replace it with a new battery from the Yuasa range.

If the battery is still in rude health, you’re going to want to keep it that way. Clean and dry both the battery and cable connections then after connection to the vehicle is tightened apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly over the entire battery and terminal connectors. This should always be done when the battery terminals are connected to prevent any corrosion occurring.

Next, think about where to keep the battery. Maybe you are storing your leisure vehicle at home and plan to charge the battery in the vehicle using the built-in charger. On the face of it this is convenient, but there are disadvantages. For one, the built-in charger is really a power supply rather than a charger and will lack the smart features of the Yuasa YCXL12.

Most built-in chargers are three stage with only basic intelligence built in so they are generally not very ‘clever’. YCX Smart Chargers feature a nine-stage stage charging profile and automatically switch into maintenance mode once they detect the battery is fully charged.

With a smart charger you can also disconnect the battery and bring it inside. This this can result in security systems and trackers becoming inactive so always check the terms of your insurance when doing so.

 

You could gamble on leaving the battery in place without a power supply, hoping for the best. Do this, and the battery will steadily drain, which will shorten it’s life meaning eventually it will fail prematurely. Nobody wants the expense of a new battery unnecessarily, especially these days when we’re all keeping an eye on the pennies.

You’ll have no such worries when charging with the Yuasa YCXL12. It uses a fully automated nine-stage charging process. This prolongs the battery’s life to save you the hassle and expense of buying a replacement.

What’s more, the YCXL12 can recharge a 12v battery from flat and will charge up to 240Ah and maintain up to 360Ah.

Another clever feature is the way Yuasa’s bespoke algorithm provides smart charging for both lead acid and lithium batteries, providing the best possible care for all types.

It’s more than just a charger. The YCXL12 detects and communicates any battery faults, so you know of any problem before returning the battery to your vehicle.

This sophisticated technology has made the Yuasa YCXL12 trusted by the trade – that’s why you’ll find this high-tech charger in many professional caravan workshops up and down the country.

It’s the smart choice to care for your leisure battery this winter.

The right battery for the right use

All leisure batteries are not the same! It pays to make sure you are using the right type of battery for your caravan or motorhome – and the way you use it.

Yuasa has a range of top-quality batteries for the leisure vehicle market. Visit www.yuasa.co.uk to search by capacity and size.

If you are heading off the grid for weeks at a time, you’re going to need a high-capacity battery that would be overkill for someone who always uses an electric hook up. With the tiered Yuasa range, it’s easy to find the right battery for the way you tour.

Yuasa’s batteries are rated using the National Caravan Council’s Grading scheme:

  • Category A: for people who frequently use their touring caravan or motorhome away from an electrical hook-up or have lots of electrical consumers fitter or use motor movers and levelling devices
  • Category B: for those who frequently use sites with hook-up facilities but require a greater battery capacity to operate devices such as motor movers.
  • Category C: for users needing a lower capacity battery to cover basic operation of their habitation equipment for short periods away from an electrical hook-up.

It’s not just about choosing the right specification in terms of voltage and capacity. Invest in an original equipment (OE) battery from Yuasa and you have dependable, stress-free power that will keep the lights on and the kettle boiling for years to come. Every Yuasa battery is supplied charged and ready to fit, and has been optimised for repeated charging and discharging, lasting up to 400 cycles.

You can’t buy better.