230Ah vs 105Ah Under-Seat Lithium Battery - What Would You Do?

[Scottishstu]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the middle of converting my 2018 VW T6 and have reached the point of choosing the leisure battery.

Originally I was set on a 105Ah under-seat lithium battery, but I'm now wondering whether it's worth spending the extra money and fitting a 230Ah under-seat battery instead.

My planned setup is:

• Dometic NRX50 compressor fridge
• Diesel heater
• 6 LED spotlights
• 2 rear reading lights
• USB/USB-C charging points
• Victron SmartShunt
• 50A DC-DC charger (limited to 30A)
• Solar to be added in the future
• No fixed inverter planned at the moment (possibly a portable power station later if needed)

The van is my daily driver, but it'll mainly be used for weekends away, camping trips and the occasional longer tour. We also run a YouTube channel documenting the build, travel etc so there'll be camera batteries, drone batteries and a laptop to charge when we're away.

The difference in price is around £300, so I'm trying to decide whether the extra capacity is genuinely worthwhile or if a good quality 105Ah battery would comfortably cover my needs.

For those of you with similar setups:

• What size battery are you running?
• Have you ever wished you'd gone bigger?
• Or do you think 230Ah is overkill for this sort of use?

Interested to hear some real-world experiences before I pull the trigger.

Thanks

 

[DXX]

Or do you think 230Ah is overkill for this sort of use?

Total overkill.

 

[doncarlyon]

I'd go with the 230ah

Or

105ah plus a Bluetti/Jackery power station

 

[Qnapper]

Hi everyone,

I'm in the middle of converting my 2018 VW T6 and have reached the point of choosing the leisure battery.

Originally I was set on a 105Ah under-seat lithium battery, but I'm now wondering whether it's worth spending the extra money and fitting a 230Ah under-seat battery instead.

My planned setup is:

• Dometic NRX50 compressor fridge
• Diesel heater
• 6 LED spotlights
• 2 rear reading lights
• USB/USB-C charging points
• Victron SmartShunt
• 50A DC-DC charger (limited to 30A)
• Solar to be added in the future
• No fixed inverter planned at the moment (possibly a portable power station later if needed)

The van is my daily driver, but it'll mainly be used for weekends away, camping trips and the occasional longer tour. We also run a YouTube channel documenting the build, travel etc so there'll be camera batteries, drone batteries and a laptop to charge when we're away.

The difference in price is around £300, so I'm trying to decide whether the extra capacity is genuinely worthwhile or if a good quality 105Ah battery would comfortably cover my needs.

For those of you with similar setups:

• What size battery are you running?
• Have you ever wished you'd gone bigger?
• Or do you think 230Ah is overkill for this sort of use?

Interested to hear some real-world experiences before I pull the trigger.

Thanks

105Ah under-seat lithium battery will be about right for your list above as its a daily driver the 50A DC-DC will charger it in no time. I have not limited mine and runs at 50amps without problems. Enjoy

 

[Stay Frosty]

I went with 230Ah, go large or go home ... or get in contact with @Rioja John and buy his two 100Ah lithium batteries for the £140 asking price.

 

[JB_T5.1]

230ah especially if no solar yet. Gives you more scope off grid for a few days if parked up and not driving.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Total overkill.

Nope just Overkill...

 

[Dellmassive]

Future proof.

Go big.... Then add a ablemail starter trickle charger.

Amt12/2

 

[moomin-j]

100% agree with the No1 electrical guru - Mr @Dellmassive
Nobody has ever said they're glad they fitted a smaller battery.
If you have the room - why not?
Power in reserve is a nice thing to have.
I fitted a Roamer 230 amp underseat battery & don't even think about what amps are left at night time - the solar tops it up nicely every day.
The fridge runs 24/7.
Currently the bus is sat on the drive feeding via multiple USB ports - 4 new torches bought today, a new tyre inflater/torch/power bank combo bought today, a hand held fan (Mrs moomin-j's) & a big Noko jump starter pack (via the inverter). All happily being charged at the same time.

As @Stay Frosty suggests - go large or go home...

 

[Lubrown]

Only £300 more when swapping later would be more work (and you’d have already paid for the 105 battery), it just seems a no brainer to me.

 

[Scottishstu]

Future proof.

Go big.... Then add a ablemail starter trickle charger.

Amt12/2

What's the
ablemail starter trickle charger?

Amt12/2

 

[doncarlyon]

What's the
ablemail starter trickle charger?

Amt12/2

It's a trickle charger for the starter battery made by ablemail

 

[Scottishstu]

100% agree with the No1 electrical guru - Mr @Dellmassive
Nobody has ever said they're glad they fitted a smaller battery.
If you have the room - why not?
Power in reserve is a nice thing to have.
I fitted a Roamer 230 amp underseat battery & don't even think about what amps are left at night time - the solar tops it up nicely every day.
The fridge runs 24/7.
Currently the bus is sat on the drive feeding via multiple USB ports - 4 new torches bought today, a new tyre inflater/torch/power bank combo bought today, a hand held fan (Mrs moomin-j's) & a big Noko jump starter pack (via the inverter). All happily being charged at the same time.

As @Stay Frosty suggests - go large or go home...

Was my thinking.

I currently have the VW factory fitted leisure battery under the passanger seat, but I have nothing going under the driver seat hence me thinking maybe the bigger underseat battery.

Which battery did you go for? How is it strapped down under the driver seat etc?

 

[Scottishstu]

It's a trickle charger for the starter battery made by ablemail

Thanks!

If the van is a daily driver is there benefits of having one?

 

[Stay Frosty]

Thanks!

If the van is a daily driver is there benefits of having one?

Yep, for when you're camping and the doors are open and shut every 5 mins, you're running the radio at various times or somehow the vehicle lights are left on.
Failing that a set of long jump leads if you can actually get to the leisure battery/batteries.
Add solar to the mix and you can charge the LB for free which in turn charges the starter battery via an Ablemail... it feels like you're beating the system and something for nothing.

 

[doncarlyon]

Thanks!

If the van is a daily driver is there benefits of having one?

We've been fine without one... probably shouldn't have said that

 

[Scottishstu]

Yep, for when you're camping and the doors are open and shut every 5 mins, you're running the radio at various times or somehow the vehicle lights are left on.
Failing that a set of long jump leads if you can actually get to the leisure battery/batteries.
Add solar to the mix and you can charge the LB for free which in turn charges the starter battery via an Ablemail... it feels like you're beating the system and something for nothing.

That's interesting and I see the benefit of it now. I had a Renault Traffic camper before and had the issue one weeeknd of the battery being flat from the doors being opened etc.

Are they easy to install?

 

[Stay Frosty]

We've been fine without one... probably shouldn't have said that

Don't tell anyone but me neither despite seeing the logic and seconding them being a useful bit of kit... I do have a set of 6m long 0 gauge jump leads though.

 

[doncarlyon]

That's interesting and I see the benefit of it now. I had a Renault Traffic camper before and had the issue one weeeknd of the battery being flat from the doors being opened etc.

Are they easy to install?

Yeah only a couple of wires. But do you need one?

 

[Ayjay]

I’m not really in a position to comment on whether 105 Ah would be sufficient but I can say that I’ve never heard anybody moan about having too much battery capacity.