Expert Q&A
Got a burning caravanning question? Ask onee ofof ourour teamteam on the email addressddress belowbelow!
SHOULD I SWITCH TO LITHIUM BATTERIES?
Q In all of your reviews, you quote an ‘Ah’ figure for the vehicle’s leisure battery. Could you please explain what that term means?
I have recently been looking at lithium batteries. Would they be a better solution anyway? Chris Dickinson
Peter Baber replies… Technically, the ampere-hours, or Ah, reading indicates the number of amps that a battery will provide for one hour.
Generally speaking, the higher the Ah figure, the longer the battery can continue to power the 12V circuit in your caravan when you are off-grid.
However, this is only a very rough guide. The power of any battery can be affected considerably by, for example, the ambient temperature.
Those readings are made at 25°C, a temperature rarely reached inside your caravan, so the battery’s performance could actually be lower.
The age of the battery is also a factor, as well as the number of electrical items you happen to be using at any one time.
As for lithium batteries (1), they are considerably lighter than traditional lead batteries, something which you shouldn’t overlook if you think your van might be close to your payload figure when fully loaded. They also charge more quickly.
However, at present, lithium batteries cost much more – only you can decide if the weight reduction and corresponding increase in payload are worth the extra outlay for the battery.
If you’d like to learn more, there’s further information in our comprehensive guide to leisure batteries, which you can find on our website, at practical caravan.com/ advice/caravan-geniusleisure-batteries.
WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT E10 PETROL?
Q I’ve heard that E5 petrol is going to be replaced with E10 petrol. What is the difference between the two? How do I know if my tow car is compatible with E10 fuel?
C Hallett
David Motton replies…
E10 petrol is scheduled to be available in fuel stations (2) from September.
E10 is petrol blended with 10% ethanol obtained from renewable sources. Ethanol is already mixed with petrol under the E5 standard, but at 5%.
The higher proportion of renewable fuel within the petrol-ethanol blend means that E10 is considered better for the environment.
Not all vehicles that can run on E5 can run on E10, but it’s far more likely to be an issue for an old classic car than any relatively modern tow car. For cars that can’t run on E10, E5 will continue to be available.
To check if your car can run on E10, go to gov.uk/checkvehicle-e10-petrol.
‘Lithium batteries are much lighter and charge more quickly’