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Old 11-19-2020, 01:14 PM   #1
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Battery Box - Help Needed

Morning All,

My trailer is a 2014 5.0 TA. I have a single 12v battery, which is mounted in a vented plastic box. It is located underneath the rear left (passenger side) seating area. I think that the 21 has the battery in the similar location. The vented pipe is thru a short piece of flexi hose and the box itself is sealed from leaking into the inside of the trailer.

Doing maintenance is a PIA. The box lid has a multitude of machine screws. It is awkward at best. The seal itself is grey putty with a tongue and groove lid. The cables have access thru this joint and they too have grey putty, all around them.

Has anyone replaced the box with one that allows simpler and easier access ?

I have looked online for a replacement box but so far I haven't found.

Ideally it would be a box with a snap lid or just a few lid fasteners, plus better cable placement and seal.

Thanks for your thoughts.
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Old 11-19-2020, 02:54 PM   #2
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Things can be moved. My first E21 had the dual batteries under the curb side dinette, now located in the rear if you get the "U" option. I plan on moving mine to the middle of the rear for ease of access.
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Old 11-19-2020, 04:06 PM   #3
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I would get an AGM battery at a minimum or Lithium, and then you don't need to worry about the box or maintenance. A single AGM isn't that expensive and it's time for battery replacement if it hasn't already been done.
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Old 11-19-2020, 04:13 PM   #4
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I fabricated my own battery box because I was installing two 12s.

It's actually 4 walls and a lid. The walls are sealed with caulk on the bottom edges and two brackets pull them down tight to the floor. There is a vent or drain in the floor but it isn't obstructed and the vent out the rear was re-installed.

The lid is fully gasketed and held down by a cross bar with two thumbscrews. Slackening them a bit and the lid lifts off.

Works for me.

Ron
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Old 11-19-2020, 05:04 PM   #5
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I'd go the AGM route, won't need to get to the battery for another 6 years.
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Old 11-20-2020, 12:27 PM   #6
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Battery Box Follow-Up

Thanks for your advice.

An AGM battery seems like a good switch.

I'd still like to place it in a secure, spill proof box.

Ron in BC can you tell me what material you used to make your box ?

And then with more Covid lock downs I'll have another project. Though like all of us, I hope that we can get past this, and soon.
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Old 11-20-2020, 01:15 PM   #7
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1/2" plywood, well coated with grey paint. On my boat I coated them with polyester resin but came to the conclusion that it wasn't necessary.

For those that say AGM batteries are maintenance free, does that mean that you never have to clean the terminals?

Ron
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Old 11-21-2020, 03:35 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
For those that say AGM batteries are maintenance free, does that mean that you never have to clean the terminals?
Because they (normally) don't vent, avoiding an acidic environment over the battery, there should be less terminal corrosion. I have zero issues with the terminals in our mobility scooter with AGM batteries, and while I'm not sure yet, it looks like the AGM in our van has halted terminal corrosion problems there.
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Old 11-21-2020, 04:14 PM   #9
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For me the biggest benefit to AGM’s was an end to those alarms from the propane sensor.
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Old 11-22-2020, 06:45 AM   #10
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I am not sure that installing AGM batteries will entirely put an end to false alarms from the propane detector. When I started having them, I spent hours calling manufacturers of propane detectors before determining small amounts of hydrogen (among other things) could set them off. I would get false alarms after the propane tank(s) were valves off and the propane in the lines had been bled out. I then called several battery manufacturers to gather more insight. It was at that point that I dumped my 6v flooded lead batteries and switched to AGMs. But I have had false alarms with the AGMs, albeit far fewer. I came to realize that most false alarm were occurring in the middle of the night, and always when I was connected to shore power. And it is indisputable that hydrogen is lighter than air, yet the vent hose Escape installs exits the bottom of a poorly sealed battery box. BTW, the “gray putty” ETI uses is conduit sealer, available at Lowe’s, HD, and likely any retail outlet with a fully stocked electric department. A couple of years ago I formulated a hypothesis that what is happening when I am connected to shore power and the trailer is in the sun (at home the trailer is stored in a metal storage building), the solar panel is completely charging the batteries. Then at night, the converter tries to top them off unnecessarily, causing a minute amount of hydrogen to vent (just my guess, I could be all wrong). So I have made a habit of turning off the battery switch when the solar panel is in the sun and I am connected to shore power. Since adopting this practice I have had zero false alarm. I also make a habit of checking that I have switched the battery on prior to towing. I recently created a completely sealed enclosure around the back side of propane detector. I don’t know if it will provide more protection against false alarms, but I have no desire to blasted wide awake in the middle of the night by another false propane alarm. The photos show the enclosure looking down from above, one with the top removed and the other with the top installed.
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Old 11-22-2020, 07:39 AM   #11
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I had 6 AGM batteries on my sailboat and never had a problem with them other than I ruined one set. I accidentally overcharged them when I broke a sensing wire on the shunt while pulling some wiring.



If you use a good 3 step charger set to your AGM battery manufacturer's specification, they will serve you well. They do not need to be vented as long as you do not overcharge them. A good 3 step charger for AGM batteries and some knowledge about charging them will help you avoid overcharging them.


You might also think about lithium batteries. They are coming down in price.
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Old 11-22-2020, 10:23 AM   #12
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I am not sure that installing AGM batteries will entirely put an end to false alarms from the propane detector.
And I have your basic flooded batteries and have never had a false alarm from my propane detector.

Ron
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Old 11-22-2020, 12:27 PM   #13
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And I have your basic flooded batteries and have never had a false alarm from my propane detector.

Ron
Ron, I would only point out that false alarms were problematic in the 5.0TA before ETI changed the location of the propane detector. Since you do not have a 5.0TA, you are somewhat commenting on apples vs. oranges. A few years ago, I wrote several posts on this problem. I received several PMs from other 5.0TA owners, but none from any Escape bumper pull owners. And I would still have flooded lead batteries if they hadn’t been such a problem in terms of venting hydrogen under certain circumstances.
And mentioning AGMs in a sailboat is like comparing apples to a torque wrench. I haven’t had any problems with my AGM batteries either; I only had problems with their proximity to the propane detector. In the earlier 5.0TAs, the propane detector is within 2-feet of the battery box, and due to available space, the battery box vent is not in the optimal orientation.
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Old 11-22-2020, 01:11 PM   #14
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1/2" plywood, well coated with grey paint. On my boat I coated them with polyester resin but came to the conclusion that it wasn't necessary.

For those that say AGM batteries are maintenance free, does that mean that you never have to clean the terminals?

Ron
I never cleaned my terminals, but I did remove it every winter and brought it inside so it didn't freeze. AGM is my favorite, if you let it sit for a long period of time, the voltage sdtays pretty stable. Lithium, I don't like, expensive and a fire hazard.
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Old 11-22-2020, 03:49 PM   #15
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Conclusions, For Me...

Thanks for your considered responses. I have a one year old type 27 lead battery. For our power needs, it works well.

I plan to replace the battery box with one made of plastic (polystyrene), with an easy to open top. This might just be a work place tool box, if I can find one with the right dimensions and a suitable lid. I'll vent it by cannibalizing the vent of the existing box.

Once the current battery looses it's mojo, then I'll switch to either AGM or Lithium.
I'll need to research solar panels and lithium batteries. Not sure how that works.
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Old 11-24-2020, 07:56 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug2000 View Post
I never cleaned my terminals, but I did remove it every winter and brought it inside so it didn't freeze. AGM is my favorite, if you let it sit for a long period of time, the voltage sdtays pretty stable. Lithium, I don't like, expensive and a fire hazard.
Lithium batteries have many different chemistries

The lithium batteries typically used in RV's use a chemistry of lithium iron phosphate and are not fire hazards.
Lithium batteries with different chemistry such as used in computers, cell phones ,electric cars and the Boeing 787 can be a fire hazard
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Old 11-25-2020, 07:03 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by sleepy View Post
Has anyone replaced the box with one that allows simpler and easier access ?

I have looked online for a replacement box but so far I haven't found.

Ideally it would be a box with a snap lid or just a few lid fasteners, plus better cable placement and seal.

Thanks for your thoughts.
First, I would purchase a series 31 AGM battery for more ah's, and in the end, easier charging. Second, I would just go to any battery store and purchase a battery box for the series 31, they are quite cheap ($12).

I've yet to have a corroded terminal on an AGM battery.

Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 12-05-2020, 08:48 AM   #18
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Great Idea, Thnks

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
I fabricated my own battery box because I was installing two 12s.

It's actually 4 walls and a lid. The walls are sealed with caulk on the bottom edges and two brackets pull them down tight to the floor. There is a vent or drain in the floor but it isn't obstructed and the vent out the rear was re-installed.

The lid is fully gasketed and held down by a cross bar with two thumbscrews. Slackening them a bit and the lid lifts off.

Works for me.

Ron
I had to go to three batteries due to my CPAP. I used a plastic box, did not hold up. I was thinking of fiberglassing the interior area. I like your concept much better.
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