Where to put battery if no room on tongue?

[PKCSPT]

My sons 2000 Buick LeSabre has the battery under the back seat too.

I am interested in the ideas here,, been playing with the idea of putting a battery in my tear but no room on the tongue and less room inside. Thinking Mounted somehow above or behind the wheel.

[lrrowe]

Here is an example of excellent work mounting them below deck.

viewtopic.php?f=42&t=43448&p=933310&hilit=Floor+storage#p933310

[Aaron Coffee]

I too have the same question. On number 1, I had it mounted in a box on the tongue. I just got done converting the teardrop to haul my nephews soap box derby car, and weighed the tongue with car, toolbox, lawnchairs inside and had over 200lbs tongue weight, bought a new car with max 200 lb tongue weight. removed battery and box and got it down to 140. Now I am trying to figure out where to mount the battery. I have thought behind the fender on the outside in some kind of case. I seem to remember they used to make steel marine battery boxes that would look decent, or perhaps and old tool box. Would having 50lbs on one side affect trailer handling, etc?
Thanks
Aaron

[Dave Nathanson]

I've traded in my old AGM 30AH battery for a 115AH flooded deep cycle marine battery from Costco. The battery was $95 and holds about double the power for the size, compared to the AGM battery I had. (a pair of Optima 55AH yellow top batteries will cost like $500) I've just about convinced myself to weld up a gas/water can rack for the side of the TD, and hang the battery box from that. The only place I can put it is on the driver's side, just behind the axle. I already have a water can rack & spare tire on the passenger side.

Actually, now that I look at the drawing, all that may not fit. And I can't put the battery too low, or it will get smashed on a rock sooner or later. Hmmm.... Well, the water can might not fit right there, but that is where the battery is going... Unless I decide to put the battery on the drivers side over the axle, where the water can rack is now. And the coca cola bottle opener may need to move. Um, still a bit of flux in the battery location plans.

The battery box will vent to the outside, and the charge controller will go in with the battery. The instructions for the Genasun 10 Charge Controller (CC) say to put the CC near enough the battery to sniff the battery temp. In the case of the battery overheating, the CC will stop charging the battery until it cools down.

TD Water can rack with Battery diagram.jpg (32.65 KiB) Viewed 3820 times

TD-Drivers-side2.jpg (45.3 KiB) Viewed 3820 times

TD-Passenger-side-IMG_2772c.jpg (57.11 KiB) Viewed 3820 times

[noseoil]

Mine is going in the galley in a vented battery box, with the vent hose out the side wall. The cooler will sit in front of the battery (actually, in back of the battery box, aft) as you face the counter top. In my mock-up, the cooler & battery box together take up 23", with the counter top being 24" so there should be enough room for both, the vent hose & a tie-down. No tracks for the cooler, just an opening beneath the counter top & a bungie strap to hold it in place while traveling. The battery box will be secured so it doesn't go moving around.

I looked into charging & use and decided it wasn't good to have hydrogen gas collecting in a small confined space, that's why the battery box with a vent tube will be used. Just my 2 cents worth, your mileage may vary.

[Dave Nathanson]

Really didn't want to give up any precious cargo space. Didn't want to use a non-structural plastic battery box either. So I built a sturdy metal battery box attached to the drivers side wall, near the back. This also meant that I could safely use a flooded battery, which holds about twice the power for the same size as an AGM battery. And way cheaper too. Designing & building the battery box was a ton more work than I expected, but I'm pretty happy with it.
Here is the whole Solar Fridge project build, including the battery box: http://td.roughwheelers.com/2015/solar-fridge-project

[felixx]

Mine is in a plastic battery box in the galley

[dales133]

Nice fabrication work there mate

[kludge]

FYI...

AGM still need to be vented. They can still out-gas when charging/overcharging and they have a safety valve built in. IIRC, float voltage is also lower than standard LA, so check with the manufacturer for recommended float voltage.

[Sabatical]

Are you sure that a battery shouldn't be mounted inside? Several million VW beetle were made with a battery under the back seat, under a metal spring seat with an ashtray less that 2 feet away.

My Nash Metropolitan also has the battery under the rear seat cushion. I've never read where it is a safety issue...of course those cars are anything but air tight. I didn't have a way to mount the battery on the tongue of my trailer, so I put it in a plastic battery box under the bathroom sink. My trailer is larger than a tear, so I'm not worried about the small amount of gassing. And with it inside, it is out of the elements and safe from thieves.

I'm no engineer and others may know better than I, but I believe your auto alternator put's out 14.5v and your lead acid batteries off gas at 15v and above. When charging with solar, a good charge controller will take the voltage to that level. Mine is set to Trojan specs (I have four T105s) which runs the absorb voltage to 15.5v. I have my batteries in a plywood box, vented to the outside, in the bathroom of our travel trailer and have never smelled off gassing of the batteries.

[capnTelescope]

I have my batteries in a plywood box, vented to the outside, in the bathroom of our travel trailer and have never smelled off gassing of the batteries.

Since the gas in question here is odorless hydrogen, you won't smell it. Other "bathroom gases" are another question. With your box and venting, you're good to go.

I wonder if all our concerns about battery gas might be a bit overblown. Because hydrogen is much lighter than air (think Hindenburg), it will dissipate quickly when the tear is opened. Also, hydrogen molecules are very small and hard to contain, so building up to explosive levels is going to be a challenge. OTOH, better safe than sorry. So, if the battery is in the galley, vent. Again, think Hindenburg.

I just talked myself into venting my galley. A simple louvered vent placed up high should do the trick.

Disclaimer: Take all this with a grain of salt. Do what you think is right. I've been known to be too smart by half.

[Rainier70]

A vented battery box should work well inside. I have seen several v-front trailers with fabricated boxes on the v-sides also.

One thing to consider when just putting a general overall vent in your trailer is that the vent will also allow dust INTO your trailer.

[capnTelescope]

One thing to consider when just putting a general overall vent in your trailer is that the vent will also allow dust INTO your trailer.

Which is why, IIRC, I didn't put one in in the first place. My original thought was to put the vent up near the roof line, which would be out of most of the dust. Plus it's another hole in the wall I didn't want.

Now I think I'm back to "I don't think I have a problem."

Okay, here's what I think I'll do: I will serve as a bad example and do nothing and leave my battery in the galley, unvented. Then, in the unlikely event that my trailer ever has a hydrogen explosion, I promise I will post the warning here, if I survive.

If it isn't one darn thing, it's another.

[dales133]

Those sealed AGM batteries that can go upside down or on thier sides don't leak or create fumes, might be your answer capt

[capnTelescope]

Those sealed AGM batteries that can go upside down or on thier sides don't leak or create fumes, might be your answer capt

Now that you mention it, that was another reason I didn't add a vent. AGM battery? Check!