Battery life and bouncing trailers

[WarPony]

I bought a Group 24 battery today and put it in the tongue box when I got home. Geez, I almost buttered my shorts when I lifted the tongue up !!! My TTT has NO galley so the tongue weight is not offset by one. I have some small closet areas in the back and I am thinking about converting one to hold the battery so the tongue is not so heavy. What I'm worried about is that all the bouncing around at the back end of the trailer will knock the plates loose and ruin the battery prematurely.

Mind you:
1) I have leaf springs.
2) This battery is not that expensive (48 bucks), but I don't want to replace it every year.

[Waliczek]

I don't know jeff, but it would seem to me that all of the places, car and truck buffs put batteries you are pretty safe. If you belt it down tightly, I do not think you will have a problem. I've bounced my truck over all kinds of construction sights, and I have yet to have a problem.
Tom

[TD4FREEW/CTD]

just make sure its a sealed "maintenance free" batery, otherwise you will have a nice corrosive mess on your hands!

[WarPony]

The thing about cars/trucks is that the suspension on vehicles (in my mind) absorbs alot of the jar and shock, especially when the battery is right over the front wheels, or close to it, on vehicles.

[WarPony]

just make sure its a sealed "maintenance free" batery, otherwise you will have a nice corrosive mess on your hands!

I have a battery box for it but didn't think about the fluid leaking out. My battery is not maintenance free and I don't want those fumes or liquid in my sleeping area. Damn, now I'll have to beef up the tongue and start lifting weights!!!

[sdtripper2]

Hi,

I think there are two issues if resolved will quell your fear of battery bounce.


1.) Tongue Weight
You should know from the owners manual of your pull rig what is expected for tongue weight. This should be met so as not to cause your worry of the trailer bouncing much.

2.)Trailer Balance
Here again is a formula for trailer balance found on this forum.

[TD4FREEW/CTD]

i was given this link in response to a thread i recently started:

http://www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/12volt/12volt.htm

very good read for the novice 12 volter.

apperently sealed or "maintenance free" batteries cheat you out of much needed battery life. im sure there is another way. strap it down real good and figure out your ride problems.

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi

Normal batteries have been bouncing about in vehicles since the beggining of the last century (bouncing in the sense that the whole vehicle is of course thay are strapped down within the vehicle)

On the gas issue we buy batteries with vent tubes, so that the gasses are vented to outside of vehicle.

[Miriam C.]

To All.
Battery leakage and even minor erruptions can easily be contained by getting a plastic battery box. Walmart and all sporting goods stores have them. Just strap them down and keep the lid on.

You still need to vent if not a sealed battery, but contains spills.
(tip: look before you lift the battery out of the box. Eats holes in good shirts or bad. No discrimination.)

Miriam