Community Forums

dasadab · 12-25-2018, 09:57 AM

Hi folks,

I am the proud owner of a 2019 Insignia 37MB. It comes with 2 L16 batteries. I managed to do some quick measurements of the battery compartment with the idea of adding another pair of the stock Relion brand L16 batteries. My measurements of the compartment might be slightly off because it's not an easy area to reach. I got: (L) 27" x (Depth)13" x (H) 17 3/4".

I think that I can add 2 more batteries if all 4 are installed with the narrow side of the batteries facing fore and aft as opposed to now where the narrow sides are facing the side of the coach. Looks like I will need a different battery bracket as well. Anyone have any experience adding batteries as I propose.

Thanks!

brobox · 12-25-2018, 10:33 AM

Here was an excellent post by Rob, Voltdoc adding additional batteries to his Aspire. Check his links for his photo post, step by step. http://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/aspi...ml#post3504841

757driver · 12-25-2018, 11:18 AM

If you turn the batteries the other way they are still 7.1” wide which with 4 of them takes up 28.4” which may be very tight. Accurate measurements of the compartment will be necessary.

dasadab · 12-25-2018, 03:51 PM

Thank you all for the help. I will re-measure with higher precision. I will also have to hunt for a hold down bracket won't add much width.

Matt D · 12-28-2018, 03:15 PM

To fabricate a hold down bracket that uses minimal space, choose some 1/8”-1/4” angle steel and install with one leg of the angle under the battery. This will leave the other leg of the angle vertical, so you can fabricate an attachment for the tie down.

voltdoc · 12-28-2018, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Here was an excellent post by Rob, Voltdoc adding additional batteries to his Aspire. Check his links for his photo post, step by step. http://www.irv2.com/forums/f278/aspi...ml#post3504841

Thanks Chuck, here is a link to the more detailed article on our blog site about the upgrade:

2017 Entegra Aspire/Insignia House Battery Upgrade – My Quantum Discovery

I suppose its possible but I would be really disappointed if the size of this compartment was reduced on the 2019 Insignias. Seriously???? Aren't two more batteries an option on the Insignia?

The OP should be able to fit two more L16 batteries in there and still have room to relocate the U channel bracket like I did on my Aspire. If not, I think it would be better to refabricate the compartment to make it a little bigger. Keep in mind the compartment is vented and should be sealed off from the cargo bay.

Also if they are still installing it get rid of that wimpy 1/0 interconnect between the two factory batteries and replace it with 3/0 or 4/0 cable. Make sure the series interconnects (cables between the batteries) are identical in length and gauge, and the parallel interconnects are identical in length and gauge. Finally for proper "balancing", make sure the POS and NEG feeds exit from the "corners" of the entire battery bank (see diagram in my post above).

LETMGROW · 12-28-2018, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dasadab

Thank you all for the help. I will re-measure with higher precision. I will also have to hunt for a hold down bracket won't add much width.

If two more batteries was an option I would have to believe Entegra would have the hold down bracket available.
Lynn

dasadab · 12-29-2018, 10:16 AM

Thanks. I checked. There is no bracket available through Entegra. I think I could probably squeeze two more batteries in there. Upon re-measure it’s 14 X 27 1/8. Height is 18.
I’ve also been considering various lithium options. I’ve also been thinking, after talking to someone knowledge on batteries, that I might just let the two batteries I have go deeper in their discharges. I was told that the 50% depth of discharge rule of thumb, is really not necessary and that I can go down to 70% depth of discharge without any serious damage. But even if going that deep effects the life of the batteries, they would still be good for several years, and by then, lithium batteries will probably, hopefully,, be cheaper.

dasadab · 12-29-2018, 10:18 AM

Thanks a lot. Great tips.

voltdoc · 12-29-2018, 12:58 PM

I guess the '19 37MB and 40B2 do appear to have a smaller battery compartment. From the "build and price" form on the Entegra website for a '19 Insignia neither of those floorplans offer extra batteries as an option.

So you would need about 14-1/4" depth on the floor minimum to get two more in there. Get rid of the U channels and use another strapping method. Also that front wood strip looks to be at least an inch wide, replace it with something narrower to gain a little more room on the floor.

Besides the other strap anchor techniques mentioned previously you could consider marine style pad eyes like these. Mount them to the top of the perimeter wood strips that frame the bottom of the compartment and they will take up zero floor space. Use screws long enough to penetrate the wood strip and then down into the cargo bay floor.

As for DoD yes you can go to 70% but that will shorten your lead-acid battery life to close to half the cycles (~700) you would get by discharging to only 50% (~1200). https://relionbattery.com/products/r4000/rev-l16-400

In regard to LiFePo4, calculate out the cost per cycle and there's a good chance even at today's prices lithium is more cost effective over their full life span which is usually around 7500 cycles at 80% DoD.

LETMGROW · 12-30-2018, 12:35 PM

If it was me I would use the MH the way it was built for a while and see if you really need any extra batteries.
Save the money to buy Beer to celebrate with.
Lynn

voltdoc · 12-30-2018, 01:35 PM

If you rarely dry camp you can get by with 400 amp hours. If you dry camp often, 400 simply isn't adequate for a coach that consumes 250-300 amp hours or more over a 10 hour period unless you don't mind your genset kicking in at 3AM (which is not permitted in many instances). We struggled with this for 4 years with our '13 Aspire.

If you're gonna upgrade with two more lead acid, do it when new, not ideal to mix old and new batteries. If you're gonna go to Lithium down the road that's a different story.

dasadab · 12-31-2018, 08:26 AM

Thank you for the thoughtful ideas.

Volt Doc, the tie down suggestion about using the short side perimeter molding and attaching marine style strap hardware through the molding and into the floor is excellent.

Thinking out loud, I could also just "frame" the narrow perimeter of the batteries with a new piece of molding and thus have a more vertical attachment point.

I am guessing that the floor below the battery compartment is 3/4" or so plywood. I just wonder if you have any suggestions about how to select a screw length. It's a new coach and I just want to be careful about drilling into the floor least I poke through some system or plumbing down below.

Edit: Thinking about it, I can just remove one of the existing molding screws and measure its length.

Best wishes for the New Year.