Battery location ...

[freddo411]

My old trillium had its battery located inside, under the front bunk. I've read that it might not be a good idea to have the battery inside. I'm looking to relocate it to the tongue.

Questions:
* Is it unwise to have the battery inside?
* What are the options for housing the battery outside on the tongue?
* Any tips/tricks for running the wires?
* Anyone had any theft issues with external items like this?

[cpaharley2008]

If you can keep it inside it can be better for several reasons. Theft, ease of maintenance,better for the battery being out of the elements. The negative is it should be vented or if not, a AGM battery. It takes up valuable space and you may need the extra weight on the tongue for better towing results.

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by freddo411

My old trillium had its battery located inside, under the front bunk. I've read that it might not be a good idea to have the battery inside. I'm looking to relocate it to the tongue.

Questions:
* Is it unwise to have the battery inside?
* What are the options for housing the battery outside on the tongue?
* Any tips/tricks for running the wires?
* Anyone had any theft issues with external items like this?

If the battery is a flooded cell lead acid battery hydrogen is released when the battery is charged. Therefore it needs to be vented to the outside with the vent higher than the top of battery. Otherwise hydrogen could accumulate and could make a nice boom sound.

[bicklebok]

I recently had a battery explode on a big diesel generator and it scared the crap out of me! It was in an enclosed but ventilated area on the large diesel generator. I have heard stories of batteries exploding throughout my life but never witnessed it until recently. Fortunately the door on the generator kept it from getting acid on me. It actually sounded like a bomb going off!

My battery is mounted on the tongue of my camper, but thats just the way it came. If you mount it inside, vent it good, and avoid making sparks as best you can when hooking anything to it.

[DavidSo]

Originally Posted by freddo411

My old trillium had its battery located inside, under the front bunk. I've read that it might not be a good idea to have the battery inside. I'm looking to relocate it to the tongue.

Questions:
* Is it unwise to have the battery inside?
* What are the options for housing the battery outside on the tongue?
* Any tips/tricks for running the wires?
* Anyone had any theft issues with external items like this?

I just moved the battery from my tongue to the inside today. Batteries don't like extremes of temperature. They lose performance in cold weather. If you move it outside, just a regular plastic battery box with a hold down is all you need. Be mindful of making good weatherproof connections and splices. Anything outside can be stolen, and it does happen.

David

[jen b]

Gee whiz, I had no idea about this. When I bought my burro the battery was in a tray that was bolted under one of the front dinette seats, and that' where I've left it.

It's one of those marine/starter batteries and I think it has about zero life left in it anyway...once I get a new battery it will likely be an AGM per advice here.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by freddo411

I'm looking to relocate it to the tongue.

Questions:

* Anyone had any theft issues with external items like this?

I just had the battery stolen from a locked METAL battery box on the tongue of my Compact Jr. (they stole the locks, too) and I plan to move the new one to a vented battery box inside.

[Reid Larsen]

The battery on our 78 Trill is on the tongue. The folks we bought it from told us it had been under the dinette and under the bunk in previous lifetimes. It is easy to get to on the tongue in a plastic box and there are fewer explosion issues outside. With a 13' trailer the real estate inside is precious and with years of camping with a tongue mounted battery in an unlocked case we've has no theft issues. Luckier than Fredrick, I guess. The wires going to it are in a plastic loom and strapped to the frame to keep them from moving around. Seems to work fine.

[DavidSo]

Originally Posted by jen b

Gee whiz, I had no idea about this. When I bought my burro the battery was in a tray that was bolted under one of the front dinette seats, and that' where I've left it.

It's one of those marine/starter batteries and I think it has about zero life left in it anyway...once I get a new battery it will likely be an AGM per advice here.

My next battery will be AGM too. I love them. The conventional wisdom is that flooded batteries should be vented to the outside. The amount of hydrogen produced though is extremely low. It could only explode if confined and hydrogen is extremely hard to confine. Is it possible that an explosion could happen with a non vented battery? Yes. Is it likely? NO. I owned a 1969 VW Beetle and the battery was under the back seat. The Beetles were pretty tight little cars, and small obviously. Have you ever heard of one exploding due to hydrogen build up?

Frankly, you are more likely to blow the roof off the trailer by eating cabbage soup in a confined area ..........if you know what I mean

Originally Posted by Frederick L. Simson

I just had the battery stolen from a locked METAL battery box on the tongue of my Compact Jr. (they stole the locks, too) and I plan to move the new one to a vented battery box inside.

They stole the locks too? . I think that is what they call "adding insult to injury"

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by DavidSo

My next battery will be AGM too. I love them. The conventional wisdom is that flooded batteries should be vented to the outside. The amount of hydrogen produced though is extremely low. It could only explode if confined and hydrogen is extremely hard to confine. Is it possible that an explosion could happen with a non vented battery? Yes. Is it likely? NO. I owned a 1969 VW Beetle and the battery was under the back seat. The Beetles were pretty tight little cars, and small obviously. Have you ever heard of one exploding due to hydrogen build up?

Frankly, you are more likely to blow the roof off the trailer by eating cabbage soup in a confined area ..........if you know what I mean



They stole the locks too? . I think that is what they call "adding insult to injury"

A neighbors VW buss battery exploded. Kind mess up the VW (total loss).

[Raz]

In my opinion a lead acid battery is one of the most dangerous things I own, right up there with my chainsaw. Explosive, the acid will burn you, and there is enough energy to weld with. On my first trailer I noticed the battery would die within 3 weeks if left connected. With everything off there was about 40 mA (0.04 A.) current draw. I traced it down to the propane detector being always on. I started disconnecting the battery but every time I did so I got a spark. Not good. I added an inline fuse in a screw type holder. This let me disconnect away from the battery. I also went with an AGM battery. The safety factor alone is worth the price. Raz

[Wanderer]

First thing I did after ripping and tearing stuff out for the first months was to remove the battery, take it to the recycler and buy a Neptune AGM and install it under the foot of the bunk. It is wired into the large junction box right beside it and I have an intelligent battery charger hard wired in to it. My battery is divorced from the Dometic, which runs on 12 volt only when being towed a nd supplied by my Tacoma. The house battery feeds the Diode lights and will eventually supply a couple of 12 receptacles either side of the galley unit. I am a great advocate of KISS, the result of my sailboating years.

[lamimartin]

Originally Posted by freddo411

My old trillium had its battery located inside, under the front bunk. I've read that it might not be a good idea to have the battery inside. I'm looking to relocate it to the tongue.

Questions:
* Is it unwise to have the battery inside?
* What are the options for housing the battery outside on the tongue?
* Any tips/tricks for running the wires?
* Anyone had any theft issues with external items like this?

Very good question, multiple answers possible.

A vented location under a bunk, away from sparks is probably acceptable if you use a SLOW and AUTOMATIC / REGULATED battery charger. Fast charge or overcharging with a manual charger is far more likely to cause a battery explosion than a slow charger form 110V. If the battery is to be recharged from the towing car's power, it is essential to have it OUTSIDE in a vented box because car alternator is probably the fastest way to recharge your battery.

Following the same logic, if you only have minimal use of a battery for LED lights and low power devices, a low power charger or even a solar panel will be enough to recharge your battery. If needs for battery power is limited, fast charging is not required, so you may store your battery under a vented bunk inside. I only use a 2A maintenance charger to keep the battery topped up before I go. Ever since I changed my 12V bulbs for LEDs, It can be weeks before I run out of power.

[LukeP]

Originally Posted by freddo411

My old trillium had its battery located inside, under the front bunk. I've read that it might not be a good idea to have the battery inside. I'm looking to relocate it to the tongue.

Questions:
* What are the options for housing the battery outside on the tongue?
* Any tips/tricks for running the wires?

Fred, I'll throw in a few thoughts about this part of your question, as I made the same change in my Boler. Here's a thread regarding some of the wiring discussion: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ion-49388.html

The junction box we discussed in that thread is a life saver. All said, it was a good change for me. As somebody else mentioned too, the weight being redistributed did wonders for towing.

Good luck!

[Victor Benz]

I agree with the concerns and comments posted here. My Fiber Stream came with an inside battery location, but I wanted to improve upon it. Have a look here: Photos 10-18

The best amateur photography lives on Webshots

I also installed a non-sparking disconnect switch immediately outside of the box. It's the red handle to the upper right. On the upper left are my termination blocks for all my power consumers.

The best amateur photography lives on Webshots

The concept has really worked well for me, and I do not have to open the battery box unless I am taking the battery out.

Vic

[Wanderer]

Very tidy efficient secure system. Battery is in the best of all positions, my opinion. If you change to a Yellow Top Optima or similar deep cycle AGM type you will be able to dump the box. My neighbour would say, if you cut an outside, lockable access door, it will be perfect, because you can also stuff in other stuff like blocks and cables. I disagree, but then my Trillium is smaller! and I am son of KISS.

[freddo411]

Victor,
Very nice pictures of your creative internal, vented battery box. Thanks!