I don't know how many more times I will post in this forum, but I didn't want to go on without offering this to you.

Battery boxes are usually mounted on two rails made of angle iron.

This is behind the LPG tanks.

The right way to do this is to use self tapping screws to securely anchor the box in place.

One modification comes right straight from my own thoughts and heart - drill drain holes in four places in the middle of the box, so that battery acid can't stay in the enclosure. Some of you who bought at SuncoastRv in memphis will spot the coaches I PDI'd because of this - I gave stray acid overflow a route to go away.

There is a shortcut trend I have seen, and I don't like it at all. Battery boxes held down by nothing but a sleazy little strap that we know goes to pieces in no time flat. Faster if it saws from side to side...

There should be a screw or bolt in each bottom corner of the bottom of the box, and drain holes so that acid has no place to stay. Rinsing it out with a hose should allow for it to be cleaned out.

If you have nothing but a plastic box sliding from side to side, full of God knows what - it was done wrong.

PS: If you bought your coach in Olive Branch Miss, it is probably a "SLIDER"

 

Thanks for the info, Wolfie.

I have a 1991 Wilderness 24-foot TT. I attempted to mount the battery box the proper way, but couldn't. The battery rail area isn't wide enough to allow the battery box to seat fully between the rails and isn't close enough to allow the battery box to sit securely on top of the rails.

What's a TT-rookie like me to do?

 

I'd bolt a plate on top of it, and secure the box to that.

Or stuff the trailer down the dealers damn throat - but it's too old to do that.

 

I thought it'd be something like that. I'll probably make do with it the way it is for now and trade it in for a new(er) trailer in a year or two.

I hope you get your job situation corrected. I also hope you're able to keep posting. Your info and suggestions helped me feel confident about bringing the TT from California to Idaho.

 

While on the battery section here. Don't for get to check the fluid level in the batteries either. I used a full bottle of electo lite topping mine off when I first picked it up.

 

Distilled water is available many places - there are even coin-op machines outside grocery stores. But whatever you do, never introduce plain old tap water to a lead acid battery. It may not kill it right away - but it WILL kill it.

The acid in the electrolyte will attack the minerals in the water. The residue from it will eventually short your plates inside the battery. THAT is why not to use that stuff.

 

On the battery subject, what is the proper way to add a second battary and tie it to the first battery for additional 12v supply (and not change it to 24v). Do they make a double plastic battery box or do you use two?

 

I don't think they make a double plastic box, but could be wrong. I have always seen it down with two boxes. Just connect them + to + and - to -, this would be connecting them in parallel, double the current capacity, same working voltage. Just make sure your existing battery is good, if it is loosing capacity to to plates shorted or whatever, it will slowly kill your new battery as well.

 

I, living in wa state figured this one out in the first season when both bat boxes filled with rain water through the vents.

 

The only thing I don't like about usuing screws in the bottom of the battery box is that they can rub holes in the bottom of the battery case, if you really want to do that I highly reccomend putting a piece of rubber between the battery and box. Personally I like using ratchet straps to go around the box and frame, you can buy them cheap and they last along time. They don't look as clean but they work well.

As for adding a second battery all you need to do is get another group 24 battery box and mount next to the current one. Then just wire in parallel from + to + and -to -, it won't double your voltage only your capacity and will charge with everything else. Be sure to use atleast 8 or 10 gauge wires.

Another option for more battery capacity is to get 2 golf cart batteries that are 6 volt and wire them in series, they hold a charge for along time but also take along time to get charged back up.

 

also, if you are installing dual batteries, a battery isolator will pay for itself when the one battery craps out

http://www.bcae1.com/battiso.htm

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/r...y-isolator.htm