Leisure battery difficult in lifting
Having hip and back problems I fitted a 'mover' to the van and a pneumatic tyre on the jockey wheel which has been a boon making parking particularly at the storage park much easier.
However I am unable to lift much weight these days and the leisure battery is not the lightest piece of equipment and needs to be removed each time the van is parked up for storage then manhandled into the car and then moved to garage for storage when we return home.
Any idea's anyone, I can't be the only person with lifting difficulties, but a solution doesn't spring to mind as most batteries seem to weigh about the same. Most caravan battery boxes are at the same height , not that I particularly want to change our van.
Comments
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Depending on when you are going back out with 'van, do you have to take the battery out after each trip? Surely the battery can be left between trips and doesn't need charging each time! I'm afraid I don't have an answer to the lifting of the battery, I don't have a back problem but do have have a little difficulty positioning the battery.
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I am with Lorna. (Have spinal problems myself). Some have used a small solar panel in a roof light instead of on the roof.
If you don't need power for an alarm etc a cut off switch to the battery would also allow battery to stand for longer, do you use a tracker or alarm and how long is 'van stored for?
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Thanks everyone, have I've thought about a solar panel to recharge, but storage site rules preclude the leaving of equipment in the caravan. Years ago before all the electrical additions to vans , we used to run the electrics off the car via plug two/ battery which ran the water pump and lights without any problems as long as you took the car for a drive each day. Looks as if I will have to look out my old wiring diagrams! Mostly the caravan is stored late September early March and the tracker gets charged every couple of months during the regular 'inspection' so no problem with that.
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I would have thought the no equipment left in the van rule meant no TVs or similar gear worth nicking.
Have you considered searching for alternative storage?
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I use the caravans double step.The height of the step is just right for sliding the battery in and out and connnecting the leads.I just have to lift it in and out the plastic tray.
Luckily I only have to do this a couple of times a year though.
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A solar panel is to me the obvious solution. We have one fitted to the roof. Our battery doesn’t come out from one year to the next. The caravan is stored and used a lot off grid. I can’t believe that your wouldn’t allow this, our require you to remove the battery. But if that is the case then it’s time to fine a new storage site.
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Depending on how you caravan, on or off EHU, and how far over what terrain you need the mover for, you may be able to really downsize your battery.
Point 1) If you caravan on an EHU then little if any camping demands are placed on a battery, so dismissing encountering a weekend power cut a quite small, thus lighter battery copes with that element.
Point 2) Movers require quite small amounts of energy, unless you need it to climb a hill on a long lane; what they require is quite high currents but selectively buying that can come from a smallish Ah battery.
Fortunately, small batteries able to supply the required high currents are the cheapest technology type, ie a car starter battery. It gets better in that these starter batteries are the ideal choice for on EHU users.
Conversely, if you are an off EHU camper then an expensive technology, deep cycling battery of quite high Ah rating, thus a heavy battery is needed on both counts.
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I must admit that I find it difficult to lift the battery up and out - and I'm no 'weak and feeble woman'. I can do most other things, but it's a very small space to lift the battery and pull it forward at arm's length. I think a modification of a pull out tray at the bottom of the locker would help enormously then all you would have to do is to lift the battery upwards and off the tray.
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I've sometimes thought something similar, though it would need a mechanism to lock it down & stop the whole lot jiggling about while in motion.
Sadly there's no room in our tiny locker for anything like that, as the battery's already bigger than the original and only just fits!0 -
do you have a roof solar panel, if so you can leave your battery in your van, ours stays in the battery box all year
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