Features to Look for in a 120AH Leisure Battery

A battery is a fundamental requirement for motorhomes and campers - whether you spend all your free time exploring or have a trip planned for the summer holidays.

One of the most popular models is a 120AH leisure battery.

The AH, or amperage hours, refers to the amount of power your battery can produce and over what period.

Leisure batteries usually start from around 100 AH to have the capacity to run the number of appliances in a modern camper.

Today the Snappy Start team has compiled a shortlist of all the essential features you should check for before buying a 120 amp leisure battery, with a guide to why these performance properties are so important.

Uses for a 120AH Leisure Battery

Your 120 amp leisure battery will run every electrical item in your camper, think:

• Lights
• Oven ignition
• Heaters
• Fridge
• Chargers

The difficulty is that there are thousands of brands and specifications out there, and some aren't up to the task.

It would be best to have a great quality 120AH leisure battery that you can recharge multiple times, providing smooth, uninterrupted power that won't let you down when you're away from an electrical hook-up.

Features to Check for in a 120 Amp Leisure Battery

We appreciate that all the metrics and stats included with a 120AH leisure battery may not make sense if you aren't a seasoned camper!

Below you'll find a checklist of the specifications we think make the most difference to your camping experience.

Buying a Fully Charged 120AH Leisure Battery

First, we'd recommend you order a leisure battery 120AH that comes fully charged.

It can take hours (or days) to reach a 100% charge, so a depleted battery on delivery isn't going to be of any use if you have an imminent trip planned.

It's also important to have a ready-to-use 120AH leisure battery because once the charge gets to 50% or below, it's already using one of its recharge cycles - these are finite, as we'll explain shortly.

Leisure Battery 120AH Startup Power / CCA

The startup power or cold cranking amps (CCA) on a 120AH leisure battery indicates your battery's ability to start working in even freezing temperatures.

You'll usually only see the AH rating on the display, so check this detail on the product information!

CCA tends to be more important on a starter battery (like those you use in a car) - but they are relevant to leisure batteries, especially in a colder climate.

Why is CCA necessary in a 120 amp leisure battery?

Because the higher the rating, the more reliable your battery will be, particularly on cold mornings or chilly evenings when you don't want to be without your heater.

Our 120AH leisure battery units have a CCA of 900, which is a powerful grade and means that you could use your battery to start up a motor, run a bigger appliance, or even jump-start a car if you were in a real pinch!

Weight of Your 120 Amp Leisure Battery

Next, let's talk about weight. Some leisure battery 120AH models weigh more than others, which is a factor if you have a camper approaching its total weight capacity.

If your battery dock is located above the axle, you normally have more scope to buy a larger model.

But, if you keep your 120 amp leisure battery near the front of the vehicle, be cautious about checking whether this impacts the nose weight (and is a potential hazard when driving in poor conditions or for long distances).

The Snappy Start 120AH leisure battery weighs 24.5 kg which is a good balance between lightweight, less powerful models (starting from about 15 kg) and huge commercial batteries that can weigh up to hundreds of kilos.

It's also worth considering how you will transport your 120AH leisure battery - most people can manage a battery of less than 25 kg, whereas anything heavier can be tricky to manoeuvre.

Leisure Battery 120AH Dimensions

Many people order a leisure battery 120AH based on power output and ease of use, but forget that dimensions are also important!

Your battery storage space in your camper will have a maximum width, depth and height, and it can be very frustrating to order a leisure battery only to find out on the day before your trip it doesn't fit into the bracket.

Our 120AH leisure battery models measure 35.3 x 17.5 x 17.5 cm (length x depth x height).

Verify the height of the storage space and the length and width since you need enough room to attach clips and cables.

Number of Cycles on a 120AH Leisure Battery

Leisure battery 120AH models are often referred to as deep cycling. The number of cycles is the number of times you can recharge the same unit and have it work as usual.

Each 120AH leisure battery has a different cycle count, and a low rating will mean that after a few 100% recharges, your battery stops holding power correctly.

Snappy Start 120 Amp leisure battery models have a cycle rated 200+, so they are designed for longer-term use.

Expert Advice in Choosing the Right 120AH Leisure Battery

If you would like further information about 120 amp leisure battery ratings, please visit the Snappy Start catalogue or get in touch if you require help selecting the right battery for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Next, we'll run through a few of the questions we receive about picking the right 120AH leisure battery.