Community Forums

donhoward49 · 07-29-2013, 09:44 PM

My three battery's are under the steps. I do not have anything holding them down. I see brackets on the side but no cross bar.. Any ideas? Something I could make myself.
Thanks

M&EM · 07-29-2013, 11:20 PM

Mine also are under the step and have no hold downs. They have stayed in place for over ten years. The fiber glass battery tray is compartmentalized and keep the batteries in place.

Resist · 07-30-2013, 05:40 PM

I would purchase a nylon tie down strap from HomeDepot or Harbor Freight. Should you ever be involved in an accident and tip over, you don't want heavy batteries and acid, flying around.

FloraBama · 07-30-2013, 06:34 PM

I'm in the same situation. The crossbar that came on the coach new has since been eaten through with battery acid so I removed it and ran with no hold down. No problems, but a good point that in case of a roll over batteries could go flying.

charliej · 07-30-2013, 07:58 PM

Mine is the same I used one of the heavy black rubber bungie like cords to hold it in place, and a heavy plastic wire tie going the other direction for over kill.

donhoward49 · 07-30-2013, 09:26 PM

Good ideas guys. Maybe an adjustable nylon strap with a snap together clip could be screwed to the side to hold them. Be easy to unclip to check water..
Thanks

Lit · 08-06-2013, 01:56 PM

Acid will start to eat away the rod, I wrapped electrical tape around the rod hopping it'll stop the corrosion. Remember the The fiberglass battery tray has no support so if the batteries bounce it'll crack the tray, it's happened to some people already.

trode · 08-07-2013, 02:33 PM

Were those batteries ever tied down? Mine is same way, but it occurs to me that if an "event" happened that was severe enough to move the batteries, in spite of being bolted to the battery cables and inside the step housing, the likelihood of the batteries tearing loose from the cables and the step opening to allow their exit and flying around would be very low, and the least of your worries at that point.

Maybe just as effective to lock the step compartment somehow.

Just mho.

Theberrys · 08-08-2013, 05:21 PM

My Tradewinds had the same mess. The threaded rod was almost completely etched through. I bought a new threaded rod and a large fender washer when I replaced the batteries. Here are some before and after pictures.
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=ae67f...057%212742&v=3

Dick

trode · 08-12-2013, 09:32 AM

Was looking at my owners manual this weekend and happened to turn to the page about batteries, low and behold there is a picture of the battery compartment on my MH, and clearly shows no sort of hold down devices on the batteries. I guess as I posted above, the lack of hold downs is by design.

donhoward49 · 08-13-2013, 05:24 AM

Thanks Trode Now I need to look at the manual..

trode · 08-13-2013, 06:34 PM

I will try to clip and paste tomorrow when I have access to my other computer.

clyon51 · 08-13-2013, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M&EM

Mine also are under the step and have no hold downs. They have stayed in place for over ten years. The fiber glass battery tray is compartmentalized and keep the batteries in place.

Ditto on my Dolphin, 14 years and no problems at all.