Batteries on driverside to much?

[pods8]

I'm curious if adding the batteries to the driver side of the camper would be a poor idea in that it just amplifies the uneven loading of the camper seeing as the water, cabinets, etc. are on that side too? With a minor bit of tweaking I could put my batteries in the lower narrow cabinet which would make for a nice compact setup and easy connection to the fuse panel. However I'm tentative at doing so due to the weight distribution issues. Thoughts?

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

My battery was located outside the plywood base ahead of the right wheel well on my old truck. I had to relocate the turnbuckle and eye bolt.

Downside- I couldn't check the water level without sliding the camper back a foot.

Upsides- The battery was vented to the outside and the aforementioned balance.

 

[ScottBailey]

Mark...

My battery was located outside the plywood base ahead of the right wheel well on my old truck. I had to relocate the turnbuckle and eye bolt.


Where is your battery now? (On a short bed F250, right?) I'm waffling on pushing my battery outside.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Where is your battery now? (On a short bed F250, right?) I'm waffling on pushing my battery outside.

I have a gas F250, so I put my house battery where the 2nd diesel battery would have gone.

 

[pods8]

My battery was located outside the plywood base ahead of the right wheel well on my old truck. I had to relocate the turnbuckle and eye bolt.

Downside- I couldn't check the water level without sliding the camper back a foot.

Upsides- The battery was vented to the outside and the aforementioned balance.

I had thought of doing the wheel wells too as I'd be able to fit one on each side if they were standing on end. However I'm running series 6v and didn't think the 6-8' of jumper between them would be a great idea, haven't done enough research to know if a larger enough gauge would have any drop negligible allowing me to do so. Also if I did this I'd likely mount the batteries to the truck bed which is doable but not nearly as easy as sticking them in that lower galley area on their side... I'm running AGM's by the way.

Additionally I was thinking that if I did end up getting them installed in the camper then it would be that much easier to move the camper to another truck if needed as opposed to having to remove my battery bank as well. This is contrary to my original desire to have them truck mounted, but that was before I learned that an alternator maintaining AGM's is not idea.

 

[EdoHart]

I had thought of doing the wheel wells too as I'd be able to fit one on each side if they were standing on end. However I'm running series 6v and didn't think the 6-8' of jumper between them would be a great idea, haven't done enough research to know if a larger enough gauge would have any drop negligible allowing me to do so. Also if I did this I'd likely mount the batteries to the truck bed which is doable but not nearly as easy as sticking them in that lower galley area on their side... I'm running AGM's by the way.

Additionally I was thinking that if I did end up getting them installed in the camper then it would be that much easier to move the camper to another truck if needed as opposed to having to remove my battery bank as well. This is contrary to my original desire to have them truck mounted, but that was before I learned that an alternator maintaining AGM's is not idea.

If you're not going to put a heavy load on the batteries (i.e. just run the 12v appliances in the camper) I think you could get by with #10 or #8 wire to connected the 2 6v batteries.

As far as charging AGM deep cycle batteries, I found a 4 stage charger for 12v sla batteries that takes a 10-15vdc input at http://www.powerstream.com/DCC.htm

 

[pods8]

If you're not going to put a heavy load on the batteries (i.e. just run the 12v appliances in the camper) I think you could get by with #10 or #8 wire to connected the 2 6v batteries.

As far as charging AGM deep cycle batteries, I found a 4 stage charger for 12v sla batteries that takes a 10-15vdc input at http://www.powerstream.com/DCC.htm

Heaviest draw I'd have on them would be furnace running with some lights and such in the winter most likely. I just haven't read enough on what type of resistance I'd be looking at verse the amps, etc.

I've seen that charger before (and posted it in the battery thread I had previously), I want to look into what their charge profile actually is. Thanks for reminding I might as well shoot them an email right now.

 

[EdoHart]

Heaviest draw I'd have on them would be furnace running with some lights and such in the winter most likely. I just haven't read enough on what type of resistance I'd be looking at verse the amps, etc.

I've seen that charger before (and posted it in the battery thread I had previously), I want to look into what their charge profile actually is. Thanks for reminding I might as well shoot them an email right now.

Maybe your post is how I found the charger. I thought I found it after talking to a solar company, but I never know these days. It sounds like you and I traveling down the same path. I also figure my highest current draw will be the furnace and several hours of the lights on a winter day.

I talked to a tech at an RV shop today about solar options and he said he runs welder "running wire" (I think that's what he called it, I didn't write it down) for their high current draw applications like microwave ovens, because it had less current loss than comparable gauge wire. He didn't know why. From what I have read, electrons propagate along the surface of copper more efficiently than through the core. Therefore, stranded wire will have less current drop than solid wire over an equal distance. But then, why is solid wire is used in 120vac applications?

 

[pods8]

I talked to a tech at an RV shop today about solar options and he said he runs welder "running wire" (I think that's what he called it, I didn't write it down) for their high current draw applications like microwave ovens, because it had less current loss than comparable gauge wire. He didn't know why. From what I have read, electrons propagate along the surface of copper more efficiently than through the core. Therefore, stranded wire will have less current drop than solid wire over an equal distance. But then, why is solid wire is used in 120vac applications?

Welding wire has finer strands than normal stranded wire. Most 120V applications most likely use solid wire due to it being cheaper to use and is acceptable to use in non-mobile applications (it could eventually stress fracture after time in mobile/marine applications).

Edit: Yeah sounds like we're likely on the same track of trying to get our systems set. Right now I've only have weekend jaunts on the horizon so with 210ah available I can last the weekend even in winter and then just juice up with my shore charger at home so I've cooled it a tad on rushing to get alternative charging options setup while I pick a good route for me.

 

[EdoHart]

Welding wire has finer strands than normal stranded wire. Most 120V applications most likely use solid wire due to it being cheaper to use and is acceptable to use in non-mobile applications (it could eventually stress fracture after time in mobile/marine applications).

Edit: Yeah sounds like we're likely on the same track of trying to get our systems set. Right now I've only have weekend jaunts on the horizon so with 210ah available I can last the weekend even in winter and then just juice up with my shore charger at home so I've cooled it a tad on rushing to get alternative charging options setup while I pick a good route for me.

210ah? When two similar batteries are connected in series the voltage will be doubled, but the amp-hours remain the same. When connected in parallel, those same two batteries will have the same voltage of each individual battery, but the amp-hour capacity will be doubled.

I was thinking of going with 6V golf cart batteries for their deep cycle utility, but I found a Deka "9A31", group 31 size, 100ah, 12V. AGM, deep cycle, battery which consumes less space than 2 GC2 (golf cart) size batteries and maybe just small enough to fit in front of the wheel well of my truck (outside of the plywood portion of the camper), including space for the turn buckle.

It was so much easier when I had the camper on my gas powered truck and I was able to do like Mark did by putting a second battery in the location it would have been on a diesel.

If mounting the battery(ies) to the truck, I would really like them to be in a battery box for the times I take the camper off the truck, but I haven't found a box for either a golf cart battery or a group 24/27/31 battery that will fit the 7 3/4" width that I have between the bed and the camper.

 

[pods8]

210ah? When two similar batteries are connected in series the voltage will be doubled, but the amp-hours remain the same. When connected in parallel, those same two batteries will have the same voltage of each individual battery, but the amp-hour capacity will be doubled.


Yup. The batteries I have are each 6v 210ah AGM's and their body size (12"Lx6.65"Wx9"H) is more similar to a group 31 battery as opposed to a golf cart battery. Thus 210ah at 12V.

My engine bay is way too full to fit anything in there without going to a specialized intake. I have room on the frame under the cab/box and also between the frame rails behind bumper if I wanted. Also truck bed one on each side or in the camper. All the truck mounting options are going to require making some metal brackets to bolt to the truck in my case. Right now I'd just leaning more towards putting them in the camper but am debating locations.

Anyone have an opinion on if my concerns of adding the weight to the drivers side is a legit one or not really something to be concerned about?

 

[EdoHart]

See how I am?

You write 6 volt, and I read golf cart. You certainly have quite a bit of battery capacity.

 

[pods8]

You write 6 volt, and I read golf cart. You certainly have quite a bit of battery capacity.

I would have generally assumed the same thing till I walked into the battery place torn on what to get and they presented me with the option of these 6V AGM batteries $75ea since they were switching product lines. SOLD! At that point I considered them to be priced like normal flooded cell marine batteries so as long as they meet or exceed the life of some of those I figure I am ahead on the deal and I have more mounting options since they are AGM. The bonus is since they are really close to a group 31 type footprint I just keep that in mind while setting up mounts so down the road when they give out I can grab some readily available batteries of that size to replace them.

 

[EdoHart]

I would have generally assumed the same thing till I walked into the battery place torn on what to get and they presented me with the option of these 6V AGM batteries $75ea since they were switching product lines. SOLD! At that point I considered them to be priced like normal flooded cell marine batteries so as long as they meet or exceed the life of some of those I figure I am ahead on the deal and I have more mounting options since they are AGM. The bonus is since they are really close to a group 31 type footprint I just keep that in mind while setting up mounts so down the road when they give out I can grab some readily available batteries of that size to replace them.

I remember your post about that find. I was just starting to look into batteries, chargers, solar, etc. so I didn't pay much attention to it.

Back to your original question...When I had the Hawk on my Dodge, the biggest issue with weight wasn't so much the total weight (though I was pushing it), but rather the height of the weight. I see that the newer FWCs have the water and propane down low, but on mine, they are both above the bed rail. That imparted a lot of moment that made the truck sway a lot. At least you would be mounting the batteries down low, which would help. If your FWC is of the newer design it may not matter too much.

How much do those batteries weigh? Maybe you could just strap or wedge them in without connecting them and do some test drives. With your airbags, I think you could adjust the drivers side to even out the stance of the truck.

 

[EdoHart]

Duuhop.I transfigured the years of your 2003 Dodge with your 1999 Hawk.

I'm sorry, but for a while I though you had a 2003 Hawk as opposed to a 2003 Dodge. Boy, have I been misdirected more than once in this tread? I need to get more sleep.

 

[pods8]

How much do those batteries weigh? Maybe you could just strap or wedge them in without connecting them and do some test drives. With your airbags, I think you could adjust the drivers side to even out the stance of the truck.

Probably about 70lb a pop, I can see about giving it a test run.

 

[ScottBailey]

Pods,

I want to see dual battery frame mount. I've got to many irons in the fire to do more than speculate.

 

[pods8]

Pods,

I want to see dual battery frame mount. I've got to many irons in the fire to do more than speculate.

I'm not a genie lamp, haha. One issue on that plan is the guy I was going to work with that had a good amount of equipment to do metal work unfortunately just passed unexpectedly. I have some other contacts to pursue if I decide to go that route but its not necessarily the leading candidate now (but the ideas are ever evolving until the trigger gets pulled.

The thread got my wondering if I should look into moving the water tank to the front of the camper and build a bench/cabinet around it to move some of the driver side weight and provide more cabinet space... Off with the tape measure again, haha.

 

[EdoHart]

I'm not a genie lamp, haha. One issue on that plan is the guy I was going to work with that had a good amount of equipment to do metal work unfortunately just passed unexpectedly. I have some other contacts to pursue if I decide to go that route but its not necessarily the leading candidate now (but the ideas are ever evolving until the trigger gets pulled.

The thread got my wondering if I should look into moving the water tank to the front of the camper and build a bench/cabinet around it to move some of the driver side weight and provide more cabinet space... Off with the tape measure again, haha.

Sorry to hear about your guy. I'm getting old enough that I've gone to a few funerals for friends. Last Sunday for was for one of the best friends I've ever known. But, not to be to maudlin...

I had thought about relocating the water tank, even before seeing the newer campers, but given the plumbing for the fill and vent it looked like it would either require a lot of space, relocating the fill door, or having to fill the tank from the inside. Combine the cost of a new, larger tank and a way to drain it, I decided against it. I did build a cabinet up front for added storage of small items, which just happens to be large enough for a group 31 battery box to fit in with the long dimension running parallel to the couch. I didn't plan it that way, I just got lucky when I built it to other, pre-existing dimensions.

If you decide to relocate the water tank, remember that you'll still need access to the driver's side front turn buckle, something I initially overlooked when looking at water tanks sizes.