California Exclusive lead or GEL leisure battery?

[Egronnes]

Our battery is getting rapidly weaker by the day and I’ve been talking to a very helpful guy at Alpha Batteries who recognised my current battery as lead acid. I’m sure I read somewhere that the Cali Ex should use GEL batteries.
Is my current battery of the wrong sort? Should I replace it with a new lead acid or GEL?

 

[mrcheesbrough]

Our battery is getting rapidly weaker by the day and I’ve been talking to a very helpful guy at Alpha Batteries who recognised my current battery as lead acid. I’m sure I read somewhere that the Cali Ex should use GEL batteries.
Is my current battery of the wrong sort? Should I replace it with a new lead acid or GEL?

I believe VW/Westfalia fitted Gel batteries as standard equipment from the factory but there are Lead Acid leisure batteries too. Assuming it’s a sealed Lead Acid battery it’s most likely fit for purpose. I guess the Gel batteries have a better lifespan though - ours is 18 years old, not in the best of conditions now but still capable of a couple of days off-grid.

 

[B6POB]

Our battery is getting rapidly weaker by the day and I’ve been talking to a very helpful guy at Alpha Batteries who recognised my current battery as lead acid. I’m sure I read somewhere that the Cali Ex should use GEL batteries.
Is my current battery of the wrong sort? Should I replace it with a new lead acid or GEL?

I have just replaced my original battery which was gel. It has the Westfalia sticker on one side but on the other side you can see it was made by Exide. I replaced it with an Exide ES1600 gel battery as recommended by Tayna batteries who i have used for years, fantastic customer service and next day delivery.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Padraic]

I think I need a replacement leisure battery soon too. From my research, an Exide ES1600 is the best option. It's a direct replacement for the original battery, and is also a NCC class A certified leisure battery.
I assume the exclusive has the same 140 AH leisure battery?

 

[chuggertwo]

Got sonnenschein gel GF12 110v from Battery mega store in Tewkesbury/glos.
Nearest comparable I think to original Sonnenschein

 

[AustinJones]

I have just replaced my original battery which was gel. It has the Westfalia sticker on one side but on the other side you can see it was made by Exide. I replaced it with an Exide ES1600 gel battery as recommended by Tayna batteries who i have used for years, fantastic customer service and next day delivery.

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

Hi... I’m looking to replace my 1996 California Exclusive Leisure Battery... we’re you happy with the Exide replacement. Cheers

 

[BrugseB]

Gel is a lead battery but with the acid captured in fibre... wich then looks like "gel". Straitforwarth replacement with that Exide. You could switch to other types like AGM but then you have to upgrade your charger (higher voltage).