Trillium 4500 on board battery location - Fiberglass RV
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Old 06-10-2014, 06:22 PM   #1
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Name: John
Trailer: '84 Bigfoot b17
British Columbia
Posts: 116
Trillium 4500 on board battery location

Hello,
As I work my way around this rig sorting things I'm pondering installing an on board 12v system with a small solar power setup maybe a 60 watt panel or 2, charge controller, inverter etc. I have some of these bits already. what I can't figure out is where did the trillium 4500 originally have an on board battery - or did it? Maybe you just relied on the tow vehicle battery? Is this correct? We usually camp in the sticks and I do not want to have the trailer connected at all to the truck once we arrive at destination. That is why I want to have a separate 12v system mainly for small pump, fan, lights, and 12v radio , cb etc.

Where in your opinion would be an optimal location on a gaucho setup 4500 for one big group 27 batt and why? I just got the trailer lights all working with new 4 pin to 7 pin wiring. 4runner had the 4 pin flat and trailer had 7 pin so made an adapter of sorts that kept both setup for now. The trailer wiring has not been butchered at all from what I can tell....very stock which I think is good. Have not given much thought as to how to tap into the existing 12 v circuit (off the existing old but functioning power inverter) but now that I'm thinking about it this is very important. Any tips here?

The plastic tray on the floor on the front right (door) side compartment under the lower bunk bed is for a Porto potty right? Not battery location.
Thanks a bunch all advice welcomed.
Cheers,
John
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Old 06-10-2014, 06:29 PM   #2
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Name: Deborah
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Virginia
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Floor Plans | Trillium RV

Here are the floor plans for your Trillium. Battery and propane on the tongue.
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Old 06-10-2014, 09:32 PM   #3
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Trailer: 1972 Boler American and 1979 Trillium 4500
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The person that did my axle swap came up with a good location on my 4500. A group 27 battery box will fit lengthwise between the A frame with one handle resting on the cross frame of the propane shelf.

Rather ingenious, he welded a U shaped frame out of angle iron onto the front of the propane shelf that the box sits into. Then cut a notch into the battery box profile just below the handle that would face the hitch and welded a piece of angle iron across the A at that point. When the box is empty, you can pull the front of it back to insert or remove the box from the frame. When a battery is in the box, you can't move it easily.

I'll see if I can post a picture in the next day or so.
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Old 06-11-2014, 09:34 AM   #4
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Name: John
Trailer: '84 Bigfoot b17
British Columbia
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Just heading out the door but our trailer seems different than the floor plans suggested. We have no room for a battery just a single propane tank in the middle of the shelf. See pic. Why would ours be different. Maybe I don't have it set up right?

I look forward to seeing the pic from you Roy.
Thanks eh!
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Old 06-11-2014, 09:35 AM   #5
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Name: Dave W
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Alberta
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My first 4500 had the battery under the curb side dinette seat. Not a bad place for it, if it is vented. Close to the converter, and power inlet. Solar wires could come down inside the closet. 13-1105688 has a spot on the tongue for a group 27, like Roy describes.
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Old 06-11-2014, 02:22 PM   #6
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Name: John
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British Columbia
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Thanks David. Certainly pros and cons to both locations. Probably choose closer to over axle of trailer (inside) but sort of depends too on where/how to choose a location to mount a solar module or 2. On that note... I have a question about the 60w u posted in referral section.
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Old 06-21-2014, 09:43 AM   #7
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Name: John
Trailer: '84 Bigfoot b17
British Columbia
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Any thoughts as to why our 4500 propane shelf only holds one tank and all others I've seen hold 2 tanks? I'm flip flopping on a battery location and would like to consider your suggestions about having it lengthwise out on the front of the frame. Roy, would you please post a pic of your setup if possible? I'm reading your description and having trouble following "notching the battery box profile" sorry. Do you mean he notched the plastic battery box and this is what the angle iron slides into on the hitch side to hold the weight? Is that enough support?
Thanks a lot,
John
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Old 06-21-2014, 11:33 AM   #8
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I had to weld holders on to get 2 tanks. We leave one connected to the trailer and use the other on site with a propane tree to hold the latern and feed the stove or BBQ in the kitchen tent (First UP).

Pictures from both sides of the box installed, we had to extend the jack handle to clear the top of the battery box.

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A "U" was made of angle iron and welded to the front of the propane shelf, and a flat piece of bar was welded across the front top of the A frame. Size and locations were determined by the battery box.

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A notch was cut into the plastic just below the box handle at the front.

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The rear handle was left intact.

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The front handle rests on the bar at the front, the rear handle rests on the propane shelf at the back. Some of the weight is carried by the "U" frame. Here is a shot of the battery box in place with the lid off.

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You have to flex the box a bit to get it in by pulling the front rearwards to get over the plastic ridges so the front bar sits into the "notch". Once the battery is in, the box is difficult to flex and remove. We've been many miles over various terrain and never had a problem with the battery in or out.

The bottom of the box is about 10" above ground, my rear differential is about 7". I figure that is ample clearance. This is somebody elses work, not mine. I would have been a bit neater. But it does the job and you can't see the irregularities when the box is in.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need to know anything else.
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Old 06-21-2014, 10:47 PM   #9
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Name: John
Trailer: '84 Bigfoot b17
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That's awesome Roy. Thanks very much for taking the time to post those pics up with the extra details. I'll have to source a battery box to start some initial mock up. Will be a good small project to do when I have the mobile welder here for the new axle re & re. Would you notice any difference in trailer behaviour with the additional tongue weight (with battery) vs without?
Cheers,
John
Ps tanks for clearing up my question of 1 vs 2 propane tanks!
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Old 06-22-2014, 05:50 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyhee View Post
Would you notice any difference in trailer behaviour with the additional tongue weight (with battery) vs without?
I had to think about that, I don't notice a difference. The battery box went on the same time as the new axle when we first got the trailer. The trailer is frequently stored off site so sometimes I will pull the battery to charge at home. Then it does not go back in till we arrive on site.

The tow vehicle might be a factor. My boler also has a new axle, twin 11 Lb. tanks, battery and tongue box on the tongue and I don't notice a difference either. What I do know is that my Ranger stops better with either trailer attached (both have e-brakes) than it does without a trailer.

Being able to stop better and control the trailer in adverse conditions makes me a strong advocate of e-brakes.
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Old 06-22-2014, 06:35 PM   #11
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The trailer should behave better as tongue weight increases. Just don't overload the tug.
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Old 07-14-2014, 03:09 PM   #12
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A pic of my battery compartment in the forward door-side, dinette seat. Pardon the "rat's-nest" wiring. I had just finished some major re-wiring after adding a solar panel. The battery is a Trojan AGM. In addition, the compartment is vented and the solar charge controller has a small (Looney-sized) CPU fan mounted beneath it (draws .01A).
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