Community Forums

Keylimers · 01-08-2016, 08:07 AM

Has anyone fabricated an inside, under the dinette perhaps, battery case with a small vent to the outside, or used AGM or gel batteries to accomplish the same. Easy addition of more battery power.

Gary RVRoamer · 01-08-2016, 05:02 PM

An outside vent for an under-dinette location would probably need a tiny fan to get any air circulation. I would go for the AGM instead. Both of our cars have an AGM battery under the back seat floor boards.

Chuck_Hammer · 01-09-2016, 05:18 AM

Yes, a fan... even with AGM, my opinion.

a small computer fan is fine..
safety first. while sleeping.

TQ60 · 01-09-2016, 09:05 AM

Most "better" or telecom rated AGM have a vent port to install a hose to vent gasses outside of the cabinet.

Seek out something like a 12-160 (other numbers there but this will be contained in different brands to get better Google results) is a 12 volt 160 amp hour battery that is roughly 5 wide by 12 tall and maybe 22 long (just guessing) .

These can be picked up at larger mom and pop commercial battery places that maintain cell sites sometimes used ones for great prices or buy new.

They can be placed in any orientation so a great place is if you have a booth for kitchen with drawers under seats the drawers usually do not go full depth leaving room at end.

With vent port just add a small hose 1/4 inch or so to vent out.

Do be careful with fusing as they can output 1000 amps or more into a short.

Old Scout · 01-09-2016, 09:13 AM

Small issue but if you isolate part of a larger battery bank any significant distance away from the others in the bank--you will set up and uneven flow/usage of the bats [eg some will "draw" more than the others]......

Mopar1973Man · 01-09-2016, 09:23 AM

Personally I would stay to a lead acid battery. Rare to see any AGM or sealed battery lasting 15 years like what I use here. Even my vehicle batteries are clearing 10-11 years all lead acid.

So if it was me I would look towards a small voltage battery and banking up more this giving more amp/hour storage. Still in all more lead in any package is going to add weight to the RV. The whole under the table idea might create a off center weight issue depending on where the batteries are located.

Myself I kept the same old 2 12V deep cycle batteries and just added solar instead.

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