Battery Box for Golf Cart Batteries

[sailingharry]

Well, we've had a nice long discussion about fusing. Now, another ding. My battery compartment, factory original (1979) is a wooden tray, not acid proof. I could go with a box, but the feeling I get is battery boxes, like seen on outboards, are very awkward on sailboats and I don't have the room in my battery compartment for the height. I could go with some sort of tray (I really like this one: TH Marine » Products » Dual Battery Holder Tray, although I haven't seen it in person yet). Or, I could go with some sort of home-brew. My long range goals are two Trojan T-105's and a starting battery. To the maximum extent possible, I don't want to do work and then re-do it (or I'd go buy that TH tray!). My problem is that finding a tray that holds one golf cart is nearly impossible, and one that holds TWO is yet to be found. The TH comes close, but it is 1/2 too narrow.

So, two questions come to mind:

* Has anyone found a tray that holds two golf cart batteries?

* What material can be used to make a tray? I guess I could build a fiberglass over plywood tray, and perhaps that is the right way to go.

Any thoughts?

Harry

[slacker]

Blue Sea Systems sells a really nice dual 6V box. We have several of them on Slacker. They have bolt tabs at each corner and a screw down lid.

[BlueSovereign]

IMHO, boxes are the way to go, as are sealed batteries, especialy if you are planning to go off-shore.



I have designed and had built (from wood) some battery boxes to house my 900A/her house bank (box of 6 and box of 2), a Engine-Genset box (for 2 batteries), and auxiliary boxes (1 battery each for radios and another for other stuff) which incoporate:

• airspace around the perimeter and the base, which is recommended yet not many incorporate it
• a means to secure batteries should the yacht get knocked down or rolled
• have a removable side on the Engine-Genset box and auxiliary boxes to enable batteries to be "slid" instead of having to be "lift" the into place

I am now in the process of sealing adjoining sides with epoxy and fiberglassing the external corners, followed by painting them with a above/below water yacht primer. See attached:

[sailingharry]

Beautiful work, Blue! I've thought about going that route, although I have real space issues trying to get a box through the opening. There's plenty of room once inside.

The bigger issue is that, at least here in the US, that box needs to be acid proof. That means all those nifty stand-offs and chocks all need to be covered in glass, a less than pleasant task.

My compartment is nearly as effective (but not as snazzy) as yours, and lends itself very nicely to the installation of standoffs, hold downs, etc. But unless I attack it with glass, it is still not acid proof, the salient point in my survey ding.

And Slacker, while those boxes are quite nifty, and I do like heavy mounting bolts, I again have space issues, primarily with height. I can squeeze a bit more than 12 inches in height, not enough for the box even without the lid. I'm also limited to a bit more than 17 inches in length, again not enough for the box. I could probably fit it inside, but it would have to be teleported in there!

Thanks for the input
Harry

[Endojoe]

That is some BEAUTIFUL Millwork!!! You are an artist!

[Christian Van H]

Those wooden boxes are beautiful! Here's some ready made units: Box Battery GolfCart - PN 4021 - Blue Sea Systems

[speedoo]

Ronco sells an array of battery boxes, including dual 6v boxes. Have to believe they will beat Blue Sea prices.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by speedoo

Ronco sells an array of battery boxes, including dual 6v boxes. Have to believe they will beat Blue Sea prices.

Well, WOW! Have to find the pricing, but they sell a heavy duty, mounted unit that will fit both the space I have and the batteries I want to put in it! Now, I'm a little worried about temperature. A pair of T-105's are 10 3/8 x 14 1/4. The box inside dimensions are 10.5 x 14.5, leaving 1/8 to 1/4 to spare. Certainly meets the hold down requirements!

Of course, I could drill a half dozen 2" holes in the side, providing ventilation and defeating the whole acid containment deal.......

Harry

[JusDreaming]

Originally Posted by speedoo

Ronco sells an array of battery boxes, including dual 6v boxes. Have to believe they will beat Blue Sea prices.

by chance do you have a link

[speedoo]

Originally Posted by JusDreaming

by chance do you have a link

Here:

Marine Tanks - Ronco Plastics

I downloaded the catalogue which shows the battery boxes, but I think you'll have to call for pricing.

[BlueSovereign]

Originally Posted by Endojoe

That is some BEAUTIFUL Millwork!!! You are an artist!

Thanks mate. I only designed them, I needed a real craftsman to make them.

He's the same guy who converted my helms station (enlarged it) so I could upgrade my 11 yo helm station electronics to a Raymarine E120, Interphase Forward Sonar, a new Auto-pilot head (Raymarine ST8002), and an AutoAnchor control.

See attached before and after photos. The upgrade looks like it was the original set-up.

He is now helping me to convert my nav table top to contain a hidden laptop PC dock station.

[BlueSovereign]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

The bigger issue is that, at least here in the US, that box needs to be acid proof. That means all those nifty stand-offs and chocks all need to be covered in glass, a less than pleasant task.
Thanks for the input
Harry

Are you using "wet cell" or "sealed" batteries?

I ask as there aren't many more ridged requirements than here in NZ and in Aussie. Here I've been told with sealed batteries there is no problem. In fact sealed batteries are now manditory for any yacht doing the Sydney to Hobart race (and may now be required for all Aussie built yachts).

Reality is I will be sealing the internal adjoining edges with an expoxy bead and fiberglassing the exterior external edges. The latter for both strength and to address the very unlikely possibility of a burst sealed battery. Even if a leak does occur, given the strength of battery acid, it would take quite some time to eat through 3/4 inch marine plywood that has be clued, and screwed together as well as painted with several (3) coats of marine paint.

[sailingharry]

My batteries, at least for now, are all sealed Gel (very old and weak, which is why I say "for now). My surveyor said it makes no difference, even though the risk of a "leak" or "spill" is rather remote.

As far as the slick Ronco boxes, the double golf cart type are around $100 each, with $20 shipping. Sounds like it is getting close to the answer to my problems. I need to do some careful measurements, maybe even a mock-up, but they sound good. The choice now is the heavy duty one with feet and mounting and a screw down lid, with virtually NO space around the battery for air, or the slightly roomier one with no hold downs or mounting points -- they say to use a strap, or in my case, some very easy exterior wooden blocking. Price is essentially the same.

Harry

[oldcatsailor]

As I have to replace my Rolls 12hhg325's soon, and they are EXTREMELY expensive to buy down here in Colombia, but T-105's are only $235 (!) each, can anybody tell me if 3 T105's will fit in the Blue Sea 8-D box they originally came in? The Rolls come with Hydro Caps. I guess what I'm looking for is somebody that has these batteries in one of those boxes...from all the specs on the boxes and batteries it looks like the T-105's might be a little tall, but exactly what is the height of a T-105 with the LPT terminal? I would need 6 of them; 3 each in 2 boxes. BTW, the Rolls have served us well, over 8 years now with the first 3 years getting little/no maintenance.
Rick