Ok, Let's Talk Battery Replacement Again...

[Firstime RVer]

They look like great boxes.. Might take a for me to save up enough from my "milk and egg money" to buy one though...

[wahoonc]

Originally Posted by Firstime RVer

They look like great boxes.. Might take a for me to save up enough from my "milk and egg money" to buy one though...

I have buddy of mine that got one earlier this year. He is on his 3rd set of batteries in 4 years do to theft. Batteries get expensive when you have to keep replacing them.

Aaron

[lcv800]

It would be nice to set up a "bait" battery that would fry the thief's electrical system when he hooked it up. Just read on the internet about some genius that tried siphoning gas from a bus, only to discover it was the black water. Justice!
Rusty

[sundancer 87]

With a box full of 12 volts DC it wouldn't be impossible to rig up a tilt switch to a siren so when the lid is lifted the siren alerts anyone within ear shot.
A shut off switch for the alarm system could be located away from the battery box. IR or RF relay switch could be used.
I had a remote battery box supplying a repeater that was cake for anyone that wanted the deep cycle battery. Only thing was one had to be very careful of opening the box because is was protected by pepper spray unless the system was turned off.
Cheap and easy insurance to say the least.

[wahoonc]

We have had our fair share of batteries stolen out of tractors and trucks on the property. Most of them now have some sort of locking battery box on them.

I am actually looking at buying AGM and moving them back inside the camper somewhere to help with some weight transfer. Still need to get my camper on a set of split scales and find out if one side has more weight bias than the other. I am already pushing my tongue weight with a single LP tank and battery. If I move the batteries further back then I can swap to the Viking LP tanks and get dual tanks and still keep the weight down. Or just buy a properly engineered trailer to begin with.

Aaron

[hddecker]

Originally Posted by lcv800

It would be nice to set up a "bait" battery that would fry the thief's electrical system when he hooked it up. Just read on the internet about some genius that tried siphoning gas from a bus, only to discover it was the black water. Justice!
Rusty

That's the $hitez.

[Pirate]

As requested here is a of picture of the 4 - 6V batteries in my Voltage.

Also here is a link to my Photobucket album where there are 14 pictures of the battery/hydraulic jack compartment.

If you need a pic of something more, let me know.

Here's the link to my Photobucket album:

http://s499.photobucket.com/user/Roo...?sort=3&page=1

Pirate

[paulw]

First time RVer, I have also seen nice DIY, economical TT tongue setups using diamond plate truck toolboxes. They typically have seals on the lids, locks, and guys rig up solar panels on the lids. Pretty clever folks out there.

[paulw]

Pirate a few questions:
How are the boxes constructed, off the shelf, custom fab, material?
Is there a lid and vent for gases?
How do you prevent chafing of cables where they pass through the cut outs as pictured?
Also, I don't seem to find the photobucket link you mention. Thx.

[Pirate]

Paul,

There are two plastic boxes. One for each pair of batteries and they just sit on the floor of the compartment. You can get them from Windish RV, or probably on the web. I never went looking as I had them installed at the time of purchase. The ends of the boxes were cut out with a sawsall or burr grinder....nothing fancy believe me.

The compartment has a vent to the outside built in. Looking in the compartment, its in the front, upper left side corner.

The cables are well insulated, the cut outs in the battery box big enough...that there is no chaffing and the cables are stiff enough they ain't moving.

Yeah, I forgot the link and went back and added it before responding to your post. Sigh....getting old ain't for wimps!!!

Pirate

[paulw]

Excellent thx

[Pirate]

You are most welcome!!! I just wish I could get/afford Optima batteries for there.

Gotta get down there an check the water in the batteries again. Previous Jayco RV didn't have a, whatever, to stop charging when the battery was fully charged. So it boiled all the water out and ruined the battery. Ugh!!

Pirate

[Firstime RVer]

Originally Posted by paulw

First time RVer, I have also seen nice DIY, economical TT tongue setups using diamond plate truck toolboxes. They typically have seals on the lids, locks, and guys rig up solar panels on the lids. Pretty clever folks out there.

I have seen some nice aluminum and plastic tool boxes on amazon. Tractor supply near us has some nice ones as well.
I need to decide on the type of batteries and once I get them,
can focus on a box or two...

Might even have to figure out how to fit pepper spray or a siren with flashing lights or an exploding dye packet or a laser guided missle with a guard drone or hidden camera in the box !!!!!!!!!

But then again I could just make do with a good lock ..

[hddecker]

Originally Posted by Firstime RVer

But then again I could just make do with a good lock ..

Locks are only meant to keep honest people honest.

Now a well placed load of rock salt or buckshot is even better.

When I was a kid, there was an old timer do the road used to wire his stuff up so you try to steal it you were in for a shock. Only problem with doing that now, you'll get sued for pain and suffering an mental anguish.

[Firstime RVer]

Originally Posted by hddecker

Locks are only meant to keep honest people honest.

Now a well placed load of rock salt or buckshot is even better.

When I was a kid, there was an old timer do the road used to wire his stuff up so you try to steal it you were in for a shock. Only problem with doing that now, you'll get sued for pain and suffering an mental anguish.

I like the rock salt myself.. That stuff smarts!!
How about a shell that just makes a big Bang, without shot or salt??
Probably "soil himself" from the shock..

[lcv800]

Nothing gets your attention faster than someone racking a round into a shotgun chamber!
Rusty

[Pirate]

Oh yeah...go in a dark closet and rack a 12 gauge pump shotgun...and tell me your hair doesn't stand on end...whew, a real attention getter!!!

Pirate

[Firstime RVer]

The only time it doesn't scare me is when I'm holding the gun !!!!