Good Place to buy Caravanning deep-cycle battery; rectifier

Mon 5 Dec 2022, 20:21

To avoid confusion on any orders, a device that converts DC to AC is called an inverter. A rectifier is a device that converts AC to DC.

Mon 5 Dec 2022, 16:03

Yes, I remember now, when first moved here went to the closed shop for a supply and fitting quote for a towbar. 17 years ago!

Mon 5 Dec 2022, 12:22

The Corn Street shop has sadly closed, but the motor spares shop next to the Nat West Bank in Witney has a good selection of batteries 

Sun 4 Dec 2022, 10:45 (last edited on Sun 4 Dec 2022, 11:51)

The CTEK is useful for modern cars that drain the battery. Alarm systems, remote locking/unlocking, car stereo and other things seem to slowly drain the battery... I only drive my Honda sportscar for a couple of thousand miles a year. Not driving the car for two weeks in winter means a dead battery. Too many times and the battery is dead. £ 100 for a new. The CTEK prolongs the life. 

Sun 4 Dec 2022, 00:53

Will checkout the CTEK device. Our car spends long periods of time un-started. Oh for a local vehicle co-operative scheme decentralised enough so there is one kept within, say, 200 yards of every house. Too much to hope for I expect. But it doesn’t really make sense for so many devices just sitting there 320 days a year. Our housing co-operative in Brixton, south London, successfully gave really cheap motoring access for the needs of some 30+ people in the vans kitted out with fold away bench seating - though from a safety perspective probably wouldn’t be legal nowadays… but we digress from deep cycle batteries and maintenance devices for such.

I’ve just remembered that was there a caravan shop on, err Corn Street?? a few years ago or am I getting mixed up. If it’s still there.

Thu 1 Dec 2022, 21:12

The Swedish smart car battery charger CTEK is what we all use now. For cars that don't get driven much.

Thu 1 Dec 2022, 19:30

Thanks- didn’t ever notice a caravan place in Witney before. Looking at dread Amazon they only seem to have one make of battery, with a suspicious generic name from probably some lowest bid supplier…

What are‘good’ manufacturers should one be looking out for?

I also spotted something about battery’maintainers’ not just simple car battery charger… does that mean anything to you? My ancient simple car charger has no frills like trickle charge or anything apart from the 6v/12v option. I don’t know how deep the discharge from trolling the river will do, but due to transport of the weight we’d like to leave it there for some weeks between lugging it back so it will probably run out…

Sat 26 Nov 2022, 09:10

I've just bought a replacement leisure battery for our caravan from the motor spares shop in Witney, just near the Natwest Bank.  They seem to have a good range.

Fri 25 Nov 2022, 17:22

Anyone with a recommendation of a good place locally to buy a good deep-cycle battery and a rectifier for converting 12v DC to 230v 50hz British 3 pin plug?

Any recommended makes or brands?

Ours appear to have been lost somehow.

I'm thinking of trying to get a Canadian canoe and fitting it up with a little electric motor (leaving it available for loan to the canoe club\0. Alas spinal injuries biting with age limit my rowing. Anyone got one to borrow or sell?