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Battery compartment

Yahoo Message Number: 5549
Ok..looks like my morning for 20 questions...*S*

My battery compartment really gets "grungy" from road dirt..etc.
Whats the best way to get it clean? Im not really keen on usiing the old garden hose in there..?? I THINK I might get some shorts! ( Sure dont need THAT...*S*)

Also...when it comes time to swap batteries...anyone ever installed a slide out tray? Sure looks like it would make checking water ..etc..a lot easier.

Thanks,
Sully

Re: Battery compartment

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5550
Sully:

It's a problem alright. I recently changed all of my batteries from the Les Schwab OEM's to 8D Trojan golf cart type. I installed 6 8D's for the coach and 2 8D's for the chassis. By putting two 8D's end to end, three across and two side by side for the chassis, it takes up more of the space. It still allows plenty of room for air circulation since the bottom of the compartment is open grates. I have a mirror tool and a flashlight to see in the rear cells. I asked my dentist how to use it.
The old garden hose has been my method of choice for about four years now. The alternative is to hook up the air hose. Most folks only try that once, then realize it causes a mess and unless you are in full hazardous materials gear, could shorten your life.
Be sure to dry things off as much as possible. Besides, what else can we do to tinkier around with the little camper? Beats sitting in a lawn chair and makes the wife think you are busy so you don't have to do the dishes!

Larry

Intrigue 10762

Re: Battery compartment

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5551
Quote from: larry hanson
> Sully:

It's a problem alright. I recently changed all of my batteries from
the Les Schwab OEM's to 8D Trojan golf cart type. I installed 6 8D's for the coach and 2 8D's for the chassis. By putting two 8D's end to end, three across and two side by side for the chassis, it takes up more of the space. It still allows plenty of room for air circulation since the bottom of the compartment is open grates. I have a mirror tool and a flashlight to see in the rear cells. I asked my dentist how

to use it.

Quote
>

The old garden hose has been my method of choice for about four
years now. The alternative is to hook up the air hose. Most folks only

try that once, then realize it causes a mess and unless you are in full hazardous materials gear, could shorten your life.

Quote
>

Be sure to dry things off as much as possible. Besides, what else
can we do to tinkier around with the little camper? Beats sitting in a lawn chair and makes the wife think you are busy so you don't have to do the dishes!

Quote
Larry

Intrigue 10762

Re: Battery compartment

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5552
Quote from: larry hanson"
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Larry: I just went and measured and yeah...no way my Allure will hold that many batteries. My compartment "usuable space" is 29 1/2 deep and 34 wide.

But thanks for the "scrubbing" tip on cleaning those things.

Re: Battery compartment

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5557
I have a 99 Intrigue and perhaps the battery compartment is different. I'll take a photo and post it when I get a chance in the next few days.

Larry

Intrigue 10762

Re: Battery compartment

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5565
Have used the garden hose for over a year ... works just phine ... no shorts

Re: Battery compartment

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5568
I think what Larry meant was that he replaced his existing 8D's with the Trojan (T105, T125 or T145) 6 vdc golf cart batteries which have a smaller footprint size. I did a very similar installation. Except that I replaced the engine battery with another 8D starting battery and installed only 4 T-145's. You can see my installation in the photos section in the KC4FWS folder.

I to use the old garden hose to clean out the compartment. I mix a solution of baking soda and warm water in a bucket. Poor it on the batteries slowly (after checking all the cell caps an making sure cells are sealed). Scrub the battery tops using a brush and then let it set for about 5 minutes. I then use the garden hose to rinse everything off. The battery tray will hold the water. So, I drilled two 3/8' holes in the bottom for draining. I also have some plastic plugs that I use to plug the holes. I also use an old towl to dry off the battery tops. I recoat all the terminals using CRC battery terminal dressing in a spray can.
Jim

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: rvman4u
Ok..looks like my morning for 20 questions...*S* >

My battery compartment really gets "grungy" from road dirt..etc.
Whats the best way to get it clean? Im not really keen on usiing

the

Quote
old garden hose in there..?? I THINK I might get some shorts! (

Sure

Quote
dont need THAT...*S*)
> Also...when it comes time to swap batteries...anyone ever installed

a

Quote
slide out tray? Sure looks like it would make checking
water ..etc..a

Re: Battery compartment tray design?

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5571
You say that the battery tray will hold water. What happens when you install your plugs into the holes you drilled in the tray and then drive down the road in the rain. Doesn't the tray still fill with rain water?

Seems like the tray should have some way of draining water without drilling any holes. The batteries are too darn heavy to lift and see the tray construction. What does the standard (unmodified) tray look like from CC? Would someone who has replaced their batteries describe the design of the tray?

Robert

Quote from: Jim Hughes
I think what Larry meant was that he replaced his existing 8D's

with

Quote
the Trojan (T105, T125 or T145) 6 vdc golf cart batteries which

have

Quote
a smaller footprint size. I did a very similar installation.

Except

Quote
that I replaced the engine battery with another 8D starting battery > and installed only 4 T-145's. You can see my installation in the > photos section in the KC4FWS folder.
> I to use the old garden hose to clean out the compartment. I mix a > solution of baking soda and warm water in a bucket. Poor it on the > batteries slowly (after checking all the cell caps an making sure > cells are sealed). Scrub the battery tops using a brush and then

let

Quote
it set for about 5 minutes. I then use the garden hose to rinse > everything off. The battery tray will hold the water. So, I

drilled

Quote
two 3/8' holes in the bottom for draining. I also have some

plastic

Quote
plugs that I use to plug the holes. I also use an old towl to dry > off the battery tops. I recoat all the terminals using CRC battery > terminal dressing in a spray can.

Jim

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: rvman4u"[/quote
Quote
>]
> Ok..looks like my morning for 20 questions...*S* > >

> My battery compartment really gets "grungy" from road dirt..etc.
> Whats the best way to get it clean? Im not really keen on usiing > the

> old garden hose in there..?? I THINK I might get some shorts! ( > Sure

> dont need THAT...*S*)
>

> Also...when it comes time to swap batteries...anyone ever

installed

Re: Battery compartment tray design?

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5573
Hi Sully,

The tray is plastic and should not have holes drilled in it for draining - this is a safety issued, prevents electrolyte (sulfuric acid) from dripping out. After a good hosing to clean the compartment, I use a leaf blower to blow dry the area and then siphon out the tray with a small plactic tubing (ACE Hardware purchase).
Fred Kovol

Re: Battery compartment tray design?

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5582
Just drill the drainage holes. No need to plug. Enough dirt and water comes in thru the grid structure surrounding the battery trays anyway.

Re: Battery compartment

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5586
In regards keeping the battery housing area clean perhaps what I did would be of use to others. So far I have not run into any difficulties.
I covered the open grille areas with finer window screening and that seems to help keep the road grime out but allows air flow. The area still gets dirty but I think less grime enters now. When I get in the mood I just take an old towel, wet it down, and scrub as much gunk as I can off the top of the batteries. Mike 2000 Allure 30493 On Sun, 27 Jul 2003 17:57:02 -0000 "rvman4u" kb8oxo@...> writes: