Wiring Batteries on Sliding Drawer

[foxontherun]

Good evening everyone,
I am planning a sliding battery tray/drawer inside my trailer and am wondering about how to connect them to do that. I would assume that I would need to disconnect them each time I pull the drawer out to check water etc. If I don't have to disconnect them, what kind of connection(s) do I need to make to where the drawer can go in/out without creating an issue?

Any recommendations on what to do or what not to do? Right now, my plan is to have four 6v batteries. Appreciate input and/or links to how to do this properly.

Thanks!
Harry

[MtnDon]

I have two 6-volt golf GC-2 batteries on a slide. I'll take a couple of pictures tomorrow and post them.

[pchast]

I'd use a loop, or loose coil, long enough to open the slide and leave a
slack loop that does not kink.

[MtnDon]

Ooops, I forgot that a couple of months ago I "temporarily" parked a now immobile Volvo PV544 tight up against the battery compartment door so I cannot take a picture. But basically what pchast suggested is what I did. The cables I used are welding cables which are very flexible. The cables that connect to the battery are long enough to permit the slide to extend. One does have to push one of the cables aside slightly when sliding the battery tray back inside, but that is no big deal.

[foxontherun]

Here is an example of what I am thinking, please by all means point out any errors; I do want to be safe about this. Rough sketch on picture where the red line is the positive cable going up to the fuse panel, the black line is the negative, and the green line is the sliding battery drawer which will open toward the door. What would be the best way to make the loops?

Thanks!
Harry

[Rainier70]

I put two 6v golf cart batteries in a sliding drawer. It works great. I just allowed enough wire to come all of the way out. When I slide it back in I guide the wires so that they don't get kinked or in the way. I also detach the vent hose from the top and reattach when done. I also put Anderson plugs on the wires to detach completely. This image is from the build stage.



I don't know why my images are now all on their side in my build or in this post. When viewed in my gallery they are upright.

[foxontherun]

Good evening Cindy,
What kind of plastic tote did you put your batteries in? I would like to do similar but having difficulty finding one large enough for four much less six if I go that route.

Do you unplug the anderson plug each time you pull batteries out or just when needed? I kinda like the idea of those plugs.

Thanks,
Harry

[Rainier70]

I only undo the Anderson plugs if I am checking for a problem or need to undo a wire for some other reason. There is enough slack in the wires that I can pull the battery box out to check the water or do other maintenance without undoing any wires.

I should also say that the picture I posted was of my preliminary installation. I have since cleaned up the wiring routing and direct wired all of the wires that have temporary wire nuts on them.

I only have two golf cart batteries. I looked for quite awhile for a tote that would fit them. I think I found this one at a Staples or other office store. I had a small tape measure that I carried with me when I was looking. It does have a tight fitting lid with a rubber seal.

There are also regular battery boxes that are made to be vented out. They are fine, but spendy, and wouldn't fit my space as well.

[Betteroutside]

Hardwire battery post junction studs just before your point where the slides pull out and that way you keep the cables that move with the slide as short as possible.