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quikduk · 12-10-2007, 07:04 AM

I started one of my mods this past weekend. I needed new coach batteries and decided to go the 6-volt route. I got a good deal on Interstate U-2200 batteries from CW of all places. The Interstate battery dealer down the street from my work couldn't beat their price. These had actually gone off sale two weeks prior but they agreed to extend me the sales price anyway. Nice people to work with.

I decided to buy 4 batteries to give me a better reserve capacity but this necessitated the mod I spoke of above. My Kwikee battery tray needed some additional "work".

This first shot is of the tray removed from the compartment and the rust sanded off a bit to promote better adhesion of the welds to come.

quikduk · 12-10-2007, 07:05 AM

Here I have welded some 1x1x1/8 tubing and steel rods for alignment of the top portion that will support the upper batteries.

Here I made the upper tray. This is all from scrap steel I had lying around from other projects. The plate shown is a 12x12x1/8 template used for setting steel column anchor bolts in concrete foundations. The angle iron is 2x2x1/8" scrap.

I have shortened the rods to ease the alignment of the upper piece.

quikduk · 12-10-2007, 07:05 AM

These next shots are the two pieces separated and together.

I still need to add some bolt-on angle to help anchor the batteries in place from front to back, make the hold downs, get the extra battery cables (welding cable), make the track supports and then paint the whole thing. The track supports will be out of 2x3x1/8 rectangular tubing and will be bolted to the steel supports below the compartment rather than screwed.

I wanted to add a second set of full extension drawer slides to have the top battery tray slide out independent of the bottom tray but the compartment door struts are in the way so water checking will be relegated to either using Water Miser caps and checking every 4 months or adding a set of equal fill caps from CW. I haven't decided on which one yet and will need to check their installed height versus the stock caps.

I allowed 3/8 – ½ inch of clearance between the top of the lower posts and the bottom of the upper tray to prevent contact of the terminals BUT I will be gluing some neoprene above the lower positive terminals to the bottom of the upper tray JIC.

Retird2Golf · 12-11-2007, 11:09 AM

quikduk, Thanks for sharing. Pics are great !

On the SunVoyagers the batterys are located just behind the grill in front of the radiators. Not much room to add.

So I stuck with 2, but upgraded to Exide Orbitals.

Best Regards, Clyde

holmesaw · 12-11-2007, 11:37 AM

Great job with all the pics.
I just had to replace my house batteries as well after only 2 years. Seems they should last longer than that.

RV Wizard · 12-12-2007, 01:07 AM

Batteries; a very often discussed topic. I like what one manufacturer of them has for a slogan, "Batteries don't die, their murdered"

If you have a well built battery and it is used correctly and maintained properly they will last many years. My interstate u2200 6 volts are going on six years and still perform very well (95% of original capacity). Here are some links for those that want to study batteries:
www.ccis.com/home/mnemeth/12volt/12volt.htm http://www.dcbattery.com/faq.html#1
http://www.usbattery.com/care.htm
http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Bat...ery%20Charging
http://www.lifelinebatteries.com/rvgraphs.php

quikduk · 12-19-2007, 07:41 AM

I have been trying to make some headway on my "4-hour" battery tray mod. So far I am about 3 days over my time estimate...

Here is a shot of the lower cabinet support/mount that raises the tray above the compartment floor so it can clear the compartment latch and slide out for maintenance and access.

I welded grade 8 nuts to the inside of the tubing on both sides so the tray can be bolted to it from the top and the assembly bolted through the floor and angle iron structural supports below. Once secured, the entire tray will latch into place and won't be able to topple or shift...unlike the factory "screws"...

quikduk · 12-19-2007, 07:41 AM

This next shot shows the additional angle I added to the upper tray cross braces to help keep the batteries in place.

This shot shows the "brackets" I made to strap the batteries to the tray. I was going to make a steel strap for both banks but there were some clearance issues and the HD webbing with Fastex buckle will work better. If I ever need to replace it, I can go to any W-Mart and it is inexpensive.

quikduk · 12-19-2007, 07:42 AM

The final shot is the first coat of paint. It has been too cold and damp to finish this part of the project lately...and I am not allowed to paint in the house or use the oven to "cure" the paint...

I will give a second coat to it this week with a semi-gloss finish to hide any imperfections...

Retird2Golf · 12-19-2007, 09:26 AM

Hey "quic", Sounds like a Guvmint job to me.

ROFLOL
Mine only took 2days. But it was just a re-build / Re-model, Welding does apply !!

quikduk · 01-10-2008, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Retird2Golf:
Hey "quic", Sounds like a Guvmint job to me.

ROFLOL

Funny.

I now work for my local government.

It took a little longer because the person who designed/engineered it...(me)... changed the design during production.

Here are some finished shots of this coach battery tray modification project that took, off and on, a "little" longer than the 4 hours I quoted the DW...

The first two are of the finished installation and the second two are of the positive and negative bulkhead connections.

It is not necessarily the most user friendly re: battery water inspection and adjustment but I had an extremely limited amount of room in and through the compartment so I will add either Water Meiser caps or an auto equal fill system.

If anyone can recommend either and give me the height versus the stock U2200 quarter turn caps I would appreciate it.

RV Wizard · 01-11-2008, 12:59 AM

Nice job! The new U2200s now have the three cell caps connected to each other with a linkage/latch type system. If I can remember today I will try to measure and get back to you.

RV Wizard · 01-12-2008, 01:40 AM

I have not been able to find a height demension on a auto watering system but here is a link to one I found.
http://www.windsolarzone.com/rover_b...ing_system.php
If your batteries are perfect, connections are clean, tight and the charging system is very good you will rarely have to add water. I have only aded water two or three times in almost 6 years. The original caps are dsigned tolet the hydrogen gas out but condensate the water molicule and it drips backinto the cell. This will occur under normal charging rates.