With temperatures on the rise after an extended winter period, PMF pays its yearly visit to the topic of leisure batteries and why factors need to switch on to the season’s increased demand for these products.
As motorists and holidaymakers start to gear up for the summer, they will be checking over their caravan, motorhome, gardening equipment or boat and find that they have forgotten to charge the battery over the winter or that it has simply come to the end of its life and needs replacing. There are a whole host of aftermarket suppliers who can cater for this sudden increased demand in leisure batteries, and all of them urge factors to turn their heads to the seasonal opportunity.
Ecobat Battery Technologies (EBT), for example, has long championed the idea that motor factors should expand their battery offering to include leisure products and develop a power storage specialism, to supplement their obvious parts supply expertise – but why?
Why stock leisure batteries?
The answer is simple, higher retail prices and a greater margin. Due to increased competition and over supply, the fact is that the typical automotive battery is around the same price today as it was 30 years ago, not in real terms, but monetarily, so in truth, it’s actually cheaper. At the same time margins have reduced, which is why batteries are considered as just another replacement part.
However, things are different when it comes to the leisure sector. Being more specialised, with fewer suppliers, competition isn’t quite so fierce, but more importantly there is a change of mindset from the end user. In contrast to the ‘distress purchase’ technicians make when they have to replace a failed battery, the leisure enthusiast is seeking to improve their experience and is therefore looking for the best solution, something they are willing to pay for.
The transition to incorporate leisure need not be complicated because the batteries required to fulfil the addition are already available from EBT, in the form of the Numax brand. Due to the company’s distribution network, factors do not need to hold a lot of stock because same day deliveries can be made if the order is placed before 10am.
Difficult decisions made easy
EBT has also made the tricky job of selecting the most appropriate leisure battery for any given application, a simple three-step process. Choosing the correct leisure battery relies on understanding the power requirement of the equipment that is to be used in the caravan or motorhome.
Bearing this fact in mind and incorporating it with the flexibility provided by the its online presence, EBT solves this problem with its leisure battery lookup site – batteryfinder.ecobat.tech/leisure – which takes factors straight to the place they need to be to take the confusion out of the decision.
New look for the summer
A change of season demands a new look and many of the suppliers out there have launched ranges just in time for the summer rush.
Exide Technologies has announced a major refresh of its Marine & Leisure range. Updated labels now feature DNV-GL approvals, the highest endorsement for marine market products, and verifications from the National Caravan Council (NCC). For newcomers to the market, these stamps build credibility and trust, and show that it is a quality, long-lasting product.
The new labels are deliberately designed to increase retail performance and consumer engagement. They have a QR code to take users to a mobile- optimised product page on exide.info, where they can get more information and check their choice of battery.
Exide Garden is another new battery series from Exide. It uses a calcium/calcium alloy and provides great starting power and a long lifespan. The battery offers coverage from just two types, making it easy for stockists to enter the market. Exide Garden is suitable for machinery from Husqvarna, Jonsered, John Deere, Stiga and others.
Similarly, Yuasa has recently released its new YBX Active range specifically designed for leisure, marine, specialist and garden applications. Every battery in this range features the latest technology and a host of advanced safety features. Additionally, the range offers a larger selection of products than Yuasa’s previous offer, with the introduction of new high- performance types, including Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB) and Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM) technology models for leisure and marine applications.
The YBX Active leisure and marine batteries are also fully tested and verified by the NCC as part of its Verified Leisure Battery Scheme. The scheme ensures caravan and motorhome users can easily identify batteries that achieve accurate, verified specifications. All NCC verified YBX Active batteries have undergone the necessary stringent testing, giving users confidence of high quality, performance and reliability throughout their long service life.
Other benefits of the YBX Active range include all batteries being maintenance free, fully charged and ready to fit, making it a particularly user-friendly battery range.
The NCC battery class system
The NCC has a distinct class system when it comes to its leisure battery verification process. To help understand what the NCC does, Platinum International sets out where its leisure products fall within the different classes. There are three categories for batteries, depending on their purpose:
Class A – This class is for batteries with a higher storage capacity, for people who frequently use caravans or motorhomes away from electrical hook-ups and require high power to operate all onboard equipment. Platinum AGM Motor Mover batteries are NCC Class A verified batteries that have been specifically designed to cope with arduous demands placed on the battery by the motor movers. Continuous cycling from the motor mover over rough terrain causes normal leisure batteries to fail prematurely, which is why Platinum International has come up with this solution.
Class B – Batteries in this class are aimed at those who frequently use sites with hook- up facilities, but require a greater battery capacity to operate TV’s and other devices. Platinum offers Bosch leisure batteries as a Class B verified solution. Bosch leisure batteries have been specifically designed for mobile applications with many electrical consumers that must be supplied over a long period of time, e.g. campers, mobile homes, electric boats and motorboats.
Class C – A class for users that require a lower capacity battery to cover basic operation on their habitation equipment for short periods away from a hook-up. Class C verified Platinum leisure batteries are a great fit and forget solution that requires no maintenance. Low-Box and Dual Post battery options are available where the fitment location of the battery is restricted or where multiple battery connections are required.
Exide Technologies: click here.
Yuasa: click here.
Platinum International: call 0845 063 9999 click here.
