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 heavier GVWR on the upper variants. The Endeavour and Endurance are compact Ford Transit campervans: vans converted rather than coachbuilt. All of them keep the leisure battery under a front cab seat - passenger side on the Fords, driver's side on the Boxer-based Autograph.

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, under passenger seat)Wide-body, 3,500 kg - XL at 4,250 kg. Battery under the cab passenger seat. Watch payload. Touring; careful off-grid 100Ah to 120Ah touring • 150Ah to 180Ah heavier off-grid
Alora (lightweight Ford, under passenger seat)Narrow-body, payload-focused. Battery under the cab passenger seat, as on the Adamo. Touring; payload-sensitive 100Ah to 120Ah touring • 150Ah to 180Ah heavier off-grid
Autograph (Peugeot flagship, under driver's seat)3,500-4,500 kg. Battery under the cab driver's seat, the Boxer convention. More payload 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. A cab-seat void is limited by height more than footprint, so measure from the seat-base floor to the frame above, including clearance for terminals and cables, before ordering. The flat DIN case exists for exactly this space. Total your own daily loads in the battery size calculator for the accurate figure.

Where it fits on a Bailey

Every current Bailey keeps the leisure battery in the cab, under one of the front seats. Which seat depends on the base vehicle: Ford-based models use the passenger side, the Peugeot-based Autograph the driver's side. What changes between models is the height available under the seat frame and the payload headroom around it:

  • Adamo and Alora - under the passenger cab seat. Both coachbuilts sit on the Ford Transit and carry the leisure battery in the void beneath the front passenger seat, the same place as every Ford-based Bailey. Height is the constraint, not footprint: measure from the seat-base floor to the frame above, and allow for the terminals and cable lugs on top of the case, before ordering. The flat DIN profile with low-set terminals was designed for this space. Swivel bases eat into the clearance on some Transit configurations, so check yours. The Adamo XL runs at 4,250 kg, which gives more payload headroom; the standard 3,500 kg Adamo and the lightweight Alora are more sensitive, so every kilogram matters.
  • Autograph - under the driver's cab seat. The Autograph is built on the Peugeot Boxer, and the Boxer, Ducato and Relay family conventionally puts the leisure battery under the driver's seat rather than the passenger's. The same height rule applies: measure floor to frame, terminals included. The heavier 4,500 kg variants have the payload to carry a larger single lithium, and swapping a lead-acid pair for one lighter pack frees room for a charger, DC-DC unit and fusing alongside.
  • 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?
Under a front cab seat on every current model. Which seat depends on the base vehicle. The Ford Transit-based Adamo, Alora, Endeavour and Endurance carry it under the front passenger seat (the Endurance uses both seat voids for its twin-battery layout). The Autograph, built on the Peugeot Boxer, follows the Boxer and Ducato convention and keeps it under the driver's seat. In all cases, measure the height from the seat-base floor to the frame above, including terminal clearance, before ordering - it varies by model year and seat base.
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 height under the passenger seat limits how tall a case you can fit, and payload is a real consideration on the 3,500 kg models. The Autograph's 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 under my Bailey's cab seat?
In most cases yes. The DIN case is the same footprint as the lead-acid it replaces, so the question is height: measure from the seat-base floor to the lowest point of the seat frame, then subtract room for the terminals and cable lugs on top of the case. Our terminals sit low on the case for exactly this reason. Swivel seat bases reduce the clearance, so check yours rather than assuming. 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.