Battery Box - do it yourself style - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-30-2013, 09:31 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
Name: Derek
Trailer: 1973 boler 13', Earlton On
Ontario
Posts: 396
Registry
Battery Box - do it yourself style

I'm considering the option of building my own battery box vented outside. There are a couple versions of this available online, but once you add shipping to Canada you are looking at $100 each. $200 for two battery boxes seems a little outrageous. Most basic boxes are designed to go in an outdoor location, but with my present configuration I don't have space or tongue weight allowance to do that anymore.

My thinking is that I can buy a basic plastic bin of correct size. I can then put a vent out the top with basic plastic tubing. There is some concern with battery acid eating the bottom of the box. I can solve that by buying two battery trays and placing those in the box.

Alternatively I could make the box with plywood and seal it up with a coating of fiberglass resin.

The other alternative of course is one of the sealed battery types (agm or similar). The box is probably most economical in the longer term.

Thoughts anyone?
glamourpets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2013, 10:43 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
Can you just buy an inexpensive vented battery box, create a gasket to seal the top then add a tube to the top and a vent in the bottom? It would be lighter than plywood and more resistant to deterioration.
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2013, 01:42 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Name: Derek
Trailer: 1973 boler 13', Earlton On
Ontario
Posts: 396
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas G. View Post
Can you just buy an inexpensive vented battery box, create a gasket to seal the top then add a tube to the top and a vent in the bottom? It would be lighter than plywood and more resistant to deterioration.
Hmmm. This is an interesting suggestion.
im going to have to study one of these vented boxes to see what i can do with it.
glamourpets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2013, 02:19 PM   #4
GPJ
Senior Member
 
Name: GP
Trailer: Looking
British Columbia
Posts: 163
There is a vent kit available to do what you want. I don't know what it costs, but at the least, it can give you some ideas.

Here is a video describing the kit:

And a link to the kit itself: Quick Cable: Battery Box Vent Kit

There are probably other brands available too. Hope this helps. Also, if you have been following the battery problem discussions on this board recently, you will note that it is advisable to vent even "sealed" AGM batteries in case there are problems.
GPJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-30-2013, 03:22 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Ed Harris's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1982 Fiber Stream and 2001 Casita Spirit Deluxe (I'm down to 2!)
Posts: 1,989
Are you saying that these are $100.00 shipped to you?

Vented Battery Box Large White - $24.99

My feeling is why reinvent the wheel as it were?
Buy a box already made to do the job and keep on moving.

I also can not imagine that you can not just buy these in any bigger city?

Also check these out?

http://www.allbatterysalesandservice...fm/2,1290.html

Already in Canada too.
Ed Harris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2013, 07:53 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
accrete's Avatar
 
Name: Thom
Trailer: Chevy AWD Van Conversion
Astoria Oregon
Posts: 1,004
Registry
i'd consider the kit that ed lined to above...looks like a workable solution. And a heck of allot easier than what i had to go through!

(link to the general area of my battery box tweak ...and following posts - & - like this one showing bay compartments)
__________________
Blogging from the WET! Coast of Oregon
Bed, Bath, & Beyond...
2010 Chevy Express 1500 AWD Van
Archive: Parkliner #35 build thread
accrete is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2013, 08:18 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Name: Derek
Trailer: 1973 boler 13', Earlton On
Ontario
Posts: 396
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed Harris View Post
Are you saying that these are $100.00 shipped to you?

Vented Battery Box Large White - $24.99

My feeling is why reinvent the wheel as it were?
Buy a box already made to do the job and keep on moving.

I also can not imagine that you can not just buy these in any bigger city?

Also check these out?

Century Plastics Products at All Battery Sales and Service

Already in Canada too.
Adventure RV wants $49.71 shipping fee for their $24.99 box. That's what their system calculates when I enter a Toronto address. If I recall correctly they only ship UPS, which means they will also add an additional brokerage fee when the item crosses the border. The brokerage fee will probably be in the $40 to $50 range. I do like this particular solution, but its hard to justify spending over $100 for a plastic box. Prices on Ebay are similar. Ever heard Canadians complain about the costs to ship stuff into Canada? Here is a very good example. I agree that it makes more sense to use someone else's box, but at these prices I can probably come up with something custom for similar money.

I will explore the other link, but it does have a "contact us" address in the us.

I am planning a trip to the US in August, so a sensible choice might be to bring one home with me. We will see.

Derek
glamourpets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-01-2013, 10:12 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
Have you checked local marine stores?
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 07:22 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Name: Derek
Trailer: 1973 boler 13', Earlton On
Ontario
Posts: 396
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo View Post
Have you checked local marine stores?
West Marine has the most diverse catalog locally, but they don't have anything. Its possible that one of the smaller marine places carries them. Does anybody know the brand on the box in the adventure RV link? Its available in a few places and appears to be good value. Unfortunately I have not seen it with a brand name listed on it. With brand info I might be able to locate a Canadian source from the manufacturer.
Attached Images
 
glamourpets is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 08:11 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
Thomas G.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
Quote:
Originally Posted by glamourpets View Post
West Marine has the most diverse catalog locally, but they don't have anything. Its possible that one of the smaller marine places carries them. Does anybody know the brand on the box in the adventure RV link? Its available in a few places and appears to be good value. Unfortunately I have not seen it with a brand name listed on it. With brand info I might be able to locate a Canadian source from the manufacturer.
MTS Products - I just did a Google images search for "vented battery box" and found matches to your picture.

MTS Products Large RV Battery Box Colonial White
__________________
UHaul and Burro owners, join the UHaul Campers on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/529276933859491/
Thomas G. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-02-2013, 01:34 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
accrete's Avatar
 
Name: Thom
Trailer: Chevy AWD Van Conversion
Astoria Oregon
Posts: 1,004
Registry
Lightbulb

Quote:
Originally Posted by glamourpets View Post
...Does anybody know the brand on the box in the adventure RV link?...
Greetings, i'm not sure if it is the exact product, but i have MTS items in use in my battery bank area (vents and tubing). Here is a link to an MTS brand battery box that looks similar to your posted picture (i've purchased from dyersonline.com and they are good peeps.)

MTS Large Vented Polar White Battery Box - Batteries Boxes & Accessories - Battery Supplies - Electrical

Thom

PS: LOL...yea...what Tom said ! i missed his post.
EXCEPT...REMEMBER...there is a difference between "Polar White" (read WHITE), and "Colonial White" (read off white).
__________________
Blogging from the WET! Coast of Oregon
Bed, Bath, & Beyond...
2010 Chevy Express 1500 AWD Van
Archive: Parkliner #35 build thread
accrete is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
battery


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Battery Box kdhanso Modifications, Alterations and Updates 9 03-22-2013 12:11 PM
battery box glamourpets Modifications, Alterations and Updates 2 11-13-2012 09:08 PM
Battery box pindraak Modifications, Alterations and Updates 7 02-16-2011 12:59 PM
Do I have to use a battery box? Tony Nowak Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 5 08-03-2009 09:54 AM
Battery Box bonnie w Problem Solving | Owners Helping Owners 4 05-14-2007 07:22 PM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.