Bailey of Bristol · Motorhome battery guide

The lithium battery for your Bailey motorhome.

Bailey of Bristol builds a wide range - from the lightweight Adamo and Alora coachbuilts on the Ford Transit to the flagship Autograph on the Peugeot Boxer, and the Endeavour and Endurance campervans for wilder trips. Each model has its own battery location and space constraints, but a TITAN DIN lithium suits the lot, giving you far more usable power without blowing the payload figures.

A Bristol builder, a mixed fleet

Bailey of Bristol has been making leisure vehicles since 1948 and currently runs a deliberately varied lineup. The Adamo and Alora are wide- and narrow-body coachbuilts on the Ford Transit, sized and specified for touring families who care about payload. The Autograph is Bailey's flagship coachbuilt and sits on a Peugeot Boxer with an AL-KO AMC chassis - a very different package to the Ford-based models, with a dedicated twin-battery locker and a heavier GVWR on the upper variants. The Endeavour and Endurance are compact Ford Transit campervans: vans converted rather than coachbuilt, with the battery under the cab seat rather than underfloor.

That spread matters when you are choosing a battery. Battery location, space, payload headroom and charging architecture all vary by model. The good news is that TITAN's flat DIN case was designed precisely for the tight lockers and trays that UK motorhome and campervan builders work with, so a properly measured upgrade is straightforward across the whole Bailey range.

For the base vehicle context, see the Ford Transit guide (Adamo, Alora, Endeavour, Endurance) and the Peugeot Boxer guide (Autograph). The wider picture for motorhome brands and the motorhome battery hub cover the full context.

Sizing by Bailey model family

A starting point for each range. Battery location and available space differ between models - always measure your specific tray, including terminal height, before ordering.

Model familyTypical useGood fit
Adamo (Ford coachbuilt, underfloor)Wide-body, 3,500 kg - XL at 4,250 kg. Shallow tray (~190 mm). Watch payload. Touring; careful off-grid 100Ah to 120Ah touring • 150Ah to 180Ah heavier off-grid
Alora (lightweight Ford, underfloor)Narrow-body, payload-focused, same underfloor architecture as Adamo. Touring; payload-sensitive 100Ah to 120Ah touring • 150Ah to 180Ah heavier off-grid
Autograph (Peugeot flagship, twin underfloor)3,500-4,500 kg. Dedicated twin-battery underfloor locker. More headroom on 4,500 kg models. Touring to full off-grid 120Ah to 180Ah • up to 230Ah on 4,500 kg models
Endeavour / Endurance (Ford campervan, under-seat)Panel van conversion. Endeavour single battery under passenger seat; Endurance twin under cab seats. Weekender to adventure off-grid 100Ah to 120Ah touring • 150Ah to 180Ah off-grid

These are starting points, not guarantees. The underfloor trays on the Adamo and Alora are shallow - approximately 190 mm - so a tall battery can be a tight fit. Measure your specific tray, including clearance for terminals and cables, before ordering. Total your own daily loads in the battery size calculator for the accurate figure.

Where it fits on a Bailey

The battery location varies meaningfully across the Bailey range, and the space available changes with it:

  • Adamo and Alora - underfloor floor hatch. Both models store the leisure battery in a sealed compartment under the habitation floor, accessed via a floor hatch. The tray is shallower than a typical van-conversion under-seat void - around 190 mm in most cases - so a tall battery case can be a tight fit. Measure the depth, width and length of your specific tray, including how much clearance you have for the terminals above the battery top, before ordering. The flat DIN profile suits this kind of location well, but the 190 mm limit is real. The Adamo XL variant runs at 4,250 kg, which gives more payload headroom; the standard 3,500 kg Adamo is more sensitive, so every kilogram matters.
  • Autograph - dedicated twin underfloor locker. The Autograph's Peugeot Boxer base and AL-KO chassis gives it a proper underfloor battery locker sized for two batteries side by side. Factory spec is two 95Ah AGM batteries (190Ah total). That twin-battery space makes it the roomiest fit in the Bailey range, and the heavier 4,500 kg variants have the payload to match. Swapping to a single larger lithium reclaims space for a charger, DC-DC unit and fusing alongside it.
  • Endeavour - under the passenger cab seat. As a Ford Transit panel van conversion, the Endeavour follows the standard van-conversion layout with the leisure battery under the cab seat. The DIN case suits this well, with low-profile terminals to help clear the seat frame above. Swivel bases on some Ford Transit configurations are tight, so measure before assuming.
  • Endurance - twin under cab seats. The Endurance runs two 80Ah AGM batteries across both cab seats. Converting to a single lithium gives you equivalent or better usable capacity in one lighter, simpler pack, freeing the other seat void for storage or a charger.

In all cases, confirm your exact available space - including height with terminals in place - before ordering. Tray dimensions vary by model year and trim level, and the figure from a brochure is not always the same as what your specific van has.

Charging on a Bailey

Every current Bailey - coachbuilt or campervan, Ford-based or Peugeot-based - runs a variable-voltage smart alternator. That includes the Adamo, Alora, Endeavour and Endurance on the Ford Transit, and the Autograph on the Peugeot Boxer. Smart alternators do not deliver a steady voltage, so they will not reliably fill a lithium battery on their own. The fix is a DC-DC charger, also called a battery-to-battery charger.

We would fit a Victron Orion every time. It takes whatever variable voltage the smart alternator puts out, regulates it into a clean lithium-compatible charge, and protects the starter battery in the process. A split-charge relay does work technically, but it is not the most reliable approach for lithium, and some relays cause a backfeed that quietly skims around the top 15% off your usable capacity. Feeding straight off the alternator with no relay and no DC-DC is not something we recommend on any of these vehicles.

On mains hook-up, any charger set to a lithium profile charges correctly. Check your existing unit against the compatibility list - some older lead-acid chargers need a profile change or replacement. For roof solar, plan the panel size around the gap your other charging sources leave, using the solar guide. Every TITAN carries a custom BMS, charges safely down to -30C, and comes with a lifetime, fully transferable warranty.

Common questions

Where is the leisure battery on a Bailey motorhome?
It depends on the model. On the coachbuilt Adamo and Alora, the battery lives under the habitation floor in a sealed underfloor compartment accessed by a floor hatch - not under the passenger seat. The Autograph, which is built on a Peugeot Boxer rather than a Ford Transit, has a dedicated underfloor locker sized for two batteries. On the Endeavour and Endurance campervans, which are Ford Transit panel van conversions, the battery (or batteries) sit under the cab seat, as is typical for van-conversion layouts. In all cases, measure your available space before ordering - tray depth, width and terminal clearance all vary by model year.
What size lithium battery do I need for a Bailey motorhome?
For a standard touring Adamo or Alora, 100Ah to 120Ah covers most use, with 150Ah to 180Ah for heavier off-grid stays - though the shallow underfloor tray (around 190 mm) limits battery height, and payload is a real consideration on the 3,500 kg models. The Autograph's larger twin-battery locker and heavier GVWR gives more room: 120Ah to 180Ah for most owners, up to 230Ah on the 4,500 kg variants. For the Endeavour and Endurance campervans, 100Ah to 120Ah for touring and 150Ah to 180Ah for off-grid stays is the right range. Total your own daily loads in the battery size calculator for the honest figure for your setup.
Is the Bailey Autograph a Peugeot Boxer or a Ford Transit?
The Autograph is built on the Peugeot Boxer with an AL-KO AMC chassis - it did not switch to Ford. The Adamo, Alora, Endeavour and Endurance are all Ford Transit-based, but the Autograph has always used the Peugeot platform. That matters for battery and charging decisions: see the Peugeot Boxer guide for Autograph-specific context.
Do I need a DC-DC charger to charge from the engine on a Bailey?
Yes, for all current models. Every Bailey - Ford-based or Peugeot-based - uses a variable-voltage smart alternator that will not reliably fill a lithium battery on its own. A DC-DC charger such as a Victron Orion solves this: it regulates the alternator output into a clean lithium charge and protects the starter battery at the same time. Check the charger compatibility guide for recommended units.
Will a TITAN lithium fit in my Bailey's underfloor battery tray?
In most cases yes, but the Adamo and Alora underfloor trays are shallower than a typical cab-seat void - approximately 190 mm in most years. Measure the depth, width and length of your tray, and check you have enough clearance for the terminals and cables above the battery top. The dimensions for each TITAN are on the product page. If you are unsure, drop us a message with your tray measurements and we will confirm the fit honestly.
What is the payload impact of fitting lithium in a Bailey Adamo or Alora?
It is a genuine gain. A TITAN is lighter than the AGM battery it replaces, and because one TITAN delivers close to its full rated capacity, you often do not need to replace a 105Ah AGM with the same figure in lithium - a 100Ah TITAN gives more usable energy than a 105Ah lead-acid that you can only safely half-empty. The weight saving goes straight onto your payload allowance. On the 3,500 kg Adamo and the lightweight Alora, where every kilo against the MTPLM matters, that is a practical benefit rather than just a number on paper. Use the battery size calculator to find the minimum capacity that covers your actual loads.