Battery Relocation Help

[rburditt]

hi,
i have my '65 safari gutted and beginning to think about how to rebuild the electrical system. originally mine had the battery in the rear. i am reading that people recommend putting the battery on the tongue, but this raises a few questions for me.

if i move the battery to the tongue, can i place a xantrex converter and my ac/dc fuse panel at the rear? what size wire will i need to connect together for that kind of distance and not run into problems? i have a 22' model.

[purman]

You could leave it in the rear but I would think you would have to run a pretty heavy cable to it.. Is the room in the front to put it up there?? It would be easy if there was room there, or is the fresh water tank there?

You would probably have to run something the thickness of the battery cable from front to back if you left it in the back...

My battery was in the back (well still is) I built a bracket to hold 2 batteries as it was just set up for one... I'm just gonna leave them there as I am not gutting the whole thing at once but doing it a little at a time...

[Aerowood]

Originally Posted by rburditt

hi,
i have my '65 safari gutted and beginning to think about how to rebuild the electrical system. originally mine had the battery in the rear. i am reading that people recommend putting the battery on the tongue, but this raises a few questions for me.

if i move the battery to the tongue, can i place a xantrex converter and my ac/dc fuse panel at the rear? what size wire will i need to connect together for that kind of distance and not run into problems? i have a 22' model.

Why do you want to move it to the tongue? If you do move it and want to run the wire back, I personally would run 2 or 4 gauge at the minimum.

[rburditt]

mainly the reason to move the battery is for venting purposes. i don't know how i'd vent it in the back and whatever original venting apparatus there was is gone. i just have the short venting tube hanging down in the back.

if i left it there, what would be the best way to vent?

[Over59]

1) Get new battery that doesn't need to vent.
2) Depending on your design put it as close to the front as you can. This will require less wire length for keeping a charge on it from the TV
3) Put the charger close to the battery and avoid needing a long DC run to the battery. Use marine grade wire if you can afford it. (defender.com) It is alot easier to work.
4) Use inline 100 Amp DC fuses on the battery plus and minus leads.
5) Put your DC/AC converter close to the battery as well for the same reason.
6) Use a wire guage based on the charts or one larger for all three runs.
7) Put your fuse / breaker box someplace convenient and use a heavy gauge wire to it as well. DC requires much large wire than AC for the same amps.
8) Consider going LED, you can use smaller wire or more lights on a circuit.

In other words plan the whole thing first, which you seem to be doing.

I have 2 6 volts under the sink, next to the Inverter, but the fuse box is on the opposite side in the rear quarter. Didn't think it all the way ahead and had to spend more for heavier wire. #6 I think, three 20amp DC mascerators pull a load.

[purman]

Originally Posted by rburditt

mainly the reason to move the battery is for venting purposes. i don't know how i'd vent it in the back and whatever original venting apparatus there was is gone. i just have the short venting tube hanging down in the back.

if i left it there, what would be the best way to vent?

I'm not sure about your AS but mine is definitely not air tight in the back!!! And batteries are put in those boxes? which vent, i bet vent less then that space in the back of the trailer... Get ones that don't need to vent and deal with less of a hassle... "If it's not broke don't fix it" Unless you really want to move them.

[nypatnva]

Oddly, my battery is in the middle under the couch next to the reefer (road side) in front of the wheel well. Apparently it has always been there cause the hold downs are there. It is vented through the rear of the frig out the top vent of the trailer. I have thought of moving it to the back of the trailer but I'm afraid it might get bounced around and also....what would I gain.

[purman]

Nothing Except the hassle of relocating it...
Unless you want more than one battery... will two fit there... I my re-welded my bracket to fit two as we dry camp a lot... And hook up a jumper box if needed.

[rburditt]

i've been reading tons of elec stuff in the forums and am getting different info on ventless batteries. i'm seeing lots of people saying that AGM batteries have to be vented to the outside...of course i dont know how much venting would be required...i'm sure the back of my trailer isn't air tight as purman mentions. is it not a big deal to stick a battery in the back w/out venting?

also over59, can you explain the 100 amp fuses on the battery lines -- their use and reason for 100 amp?

[purman]

Hey mine doesn't have any special vents in the back.. And I haven't blown up....

Why do some batteries need venting anyway??

[Mike S]

I am re-doing the electrical on my 24' Argosy. Here is the preliminary wiring diagram for the battery banks. I am using a Xantrex 60 Amp converter/charger and 6V 189 AH Deka AGM batteries. Using 4 AWG wire for the positive DC lines and 6 AWG for the grounds. This is marine wiring - multi-strand tinned copper. The red item in the middle is a marine grade switch to isolate the two battery banks when charging or running. Using an 80 Amp maxi-fuse on the positive side only.

My trialer is a twin model, rear bath. The batteries are directly over the axles under the bunks.

[purman]

Ok I have seen diagrams like this where + and - are connected together... Doesn't this short out.. It must not... what gain do you get..???

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by purman

Ok I have seen diagrams like this where + and - are connected together... Doesn't this short out.. It must not... what gain do you get..???

Hi, what you see is 6 volt batteries in series to equal 12 volts.

[wahoonc]

AGM batteries DO NOT require venting, they can be mounted upside down if you choose.
The reason a standard battery requires venting is because the are out gassing (giving off gases) as they charge and discharge, also the possibility of spillage of the acid.

I can think of several reasons to move the battery forward, weight transfer, Airstreams are notoriously flexible and the less excess weight behind the axles the better (thing big see saw) Also as pointed out shorter cable run to the vehicle for battery charging. I am still debating whether I am going to move mine forward or not. FWIW my 1975 has it mounted way in the back on the right hand side, my 1981 has it mounted in the front under the gaucho (well it is under where the gaucho used to be )

Aaron

[Mike S]

Wahoonc - the reason I moved the batteries forward is to minimum flex and loading at the rear of the trailer (each of the four 6V batts weighs 60 lbs.) and because there is no good place to put them elsewhere. Over the ax;es seemed like the right thing to do.I am having to modify the twin bed construction to accommodate them, but I plan on replacing all the interior cabinets and stuff next year anyway.

M

[boonskyler]

i have 29' 1980 excella, on the owner manual it show 2 battteries on the diagram. is the second battery optional, i could not find it on my trailer.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by Mike S

Here is the preliminary wiring diagram for the battery banks.

That's a lot of battery. I assume you do a lot of boondocking for extended periods? I am just curious why you decided to go for 4 batteries and the battery isolation switch.

[Mike S]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

That's a lot of battery. I assume you do a lot of boondocking for extended periods? I am just curious why you decided to go for 4 batteries and the battery isolation switch.

I usually stay out for weeks at a time. I do have a Hinda generator, but feel that more is better, especially since I plan on a 120 AC/12 DC Norcold fridge/freezer that will provide proper cooling whilr driving and camping.

The reason for the isolation switch is that AGM batteries charge up quickly and, if deeply discharged, may pull a lot of amperage from the 60 Amp charger on the Xantrex converter. By switching between banks I can:

- Charge one bank (190 Amp Hours) at a time, and not create any potential for a problem,

- Have a reserve if I lose a battery cell (or the entire battery), since this would drop voltage to below 12V (remember I am using 2 6V batts per bank)

Maybe it is un-necessary, but I have worked on boats and vehicles using two battery banks, and lke the reserve concept.