How Much Room for Battery & Water Tap Too Close?

[mcspin50]

I'm inching along on my build.
I'm installing the second vertical support for the galley counter, but I'm not quite sure where I should locate the vertical. I'm wondering how much room I need to leave for the battery in this location:



Just enough to get it in and out of there? Will I need to leave room on the sides for anything else? Battery cut-off? Shore power inlet?
My WFCO 8725 Power Center will be located directly above on the counter in a boxed-in area on a swing out panel so I can access the back if need be.

I plan on installing the water tap thingy on the front left corner of the counter. (No sink on the counter. I'm thinking of adding a table bracket on the front edge to add extra counter space and a place for a drop in steam table pan.) Will installing the water line above the battery pose any problems?

I'm planning on putting a shelf above the battery to separate the water line from the battery compartment. Then I'll put a pull-off front panel like Sid did on his Dragonfly build:


Any and all wisdom and knowledge gratefully accepted.

[dh]

Hydrogen gas generated by a charging battery floats, you need to vent this gas outside. I'm a big fan of sealed battery boxes in your application. They have 2 vents, one on top to vent hydrogen out, one on bottom to vent fresh air in. The bottom just vents through a hole in the floor, the top has a tube and vent plate installed on the wall.

[mcspin50]

Would one of these provide enough ventilation?
http://www.amazon.com/2IN-RND-WHITE-PLASTIC-LOUVER/dp/B000YF4ZKM

[dh]

Maybe. Its a matter of flow, hydrogen is lighter than air (thats how the Hindenburg floated). The vent has to be at the very top, and needs a way to let fresh air in, preferably down low, or it will just sit there waiting for a spark (thats how the Hindenburg burned) If properly placed, yes two of them will work.

[bdosborn]

I used two round soffit vents I got from HD. One higher than the top of batteries and one down low. H2 goes out the top, fresh air in the bottom.



Bruce

[S. Heisley]

Will installing the water line above the battery pose any problems?

Lil, I'm bumping this up because nobody answered this part of your questions. So, I'll hazard a guess and maybe others will join in:

I would think that having water too close to your electrical wires could cause a problem if you had a water leak that dripped on them. Also I noticed that you are now going to add a sink to your build instead of hanging the faucet off the edge. (Cute sink, by the way....) I would not put the sink directly above the battery. If the wires are encased in sealed piping and the battery isn't directly under possible leaks, you might be okay....

In your build thread,

http://tnttt.com/viewto ... 8&start=60

You wrote:

My first ...how much room to leave for the battery which is one heavy puppy. It doesn't slide in or out, it needs to be hefted in or out. I was trying to leave as little room as possible because I had a neat but long IKEA towel rack I could use for a drawer pull, but then I realized that, once I installed the hatch, the drawer pull/towel rack would get in the way. Scratch that idea.
Then there's the 15A Power Inlet and the Battery Cut Off Switch...both items highly recommended on this list. Not sure where each of them should be located. I'm gonna hazard a wild guess and say that the battery cut off is located with the battery in its compartment and the power inlet is mounted so it accesses the WFCO 8725 in its compartment. Did I get it right?
I'd like to install a fixed shelf above the battery to isolate it in its own little compartment. What's the best way to vent to the outside? Round vents? Where's the best place to get 'em?

Were you asking or thinking out loud? The Battery cut off switch looks like the type I used and I put mine where it could be easily accessed. For me, that was near the WFCO unit. If the power inlet is for the WFCO unit, then, yes, it should be near it, preferably on the driver's side.

What about putting your battery on a pull-out tray like your stove is? If it isn’t too heavy, that would certainly save space and allow you to get at it when you need to. You will definitely need a vent or two in that area, as well. You’ll need a way to let air in and help push any battery gas out; then, you’ll need a vent up higher in the battery compartment, so that the produced battery gas can escape.

[dh]

How do you clean acid off of battery terminals? Take some baking soda, mix with water, dump on the terminals. No fireworks, sparks, explosions, zaps, nothing. The electric/water hazard with a 12v battery just isn't there. 120VAC, thats a different story... Disagree? Pop the hood on your car and take a hose to your battery and prove me wrong.

[S. Heisley]

You're right, DH, but what if the water travels up the wires? Couldn't that cause problems? It just makes me nervous. I think I'd at least be certain that the water line and drain are on the 'out' side of the battery wall and not directly in the battery compartment. ...Maybe that's just me....