Battery move

I did this in a previous TT. Originally had a length of vertical luan plywood and front cap was very curved so had wasted space. Only for one battery but could done a pair. Had the original lead acid battery at first and plan was to go with an AGM eventually. AGMs can off-gas if overcharged and I've read that it is a good idea to vent them. You can buy the vents, sealed/vented battery box and hose from an RV dealer or online.

If you hide that batteries inside, maybe it would be a good idea to leave the old empty battery box there along with cables so thieves won't try to get inside. Also, don't put them in a place where the ambient temp. can get high.

Thank you all for the answers. Inside it is.

Alan,

For starters, All boats and Many motorhomes carry some batteries "inside".

If you want to spend the money, AGMs do not outgas and can be anywhere. In Europe, there are several models that carry the vehicle battery under the passenger's seat.

If you don't want to spring the money for those, just build a "pretty much" sealed box inside and vent it to outside, this does not take much to do and I have built a few. The only time a lead/acid battery outgasses is during charging and that is hydrogen which will leave fast if you give it any chance at all.

One of my favorite stories is about a person that had batteries stolen. He collected some shot ones and used them as replacements for each stolen until they stopped getting stolen. Then he never has a problem again.

Matt

My trailers are parked here at home when not on the road and have never had anything stolen yet...

Back yard lights up by motion sensor lights and I also have motion sensors on both side of the my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer that turns on the front patio light.

I have seen many installation on the trailer tongue between the propane tanks and the trailer wall using a metal box. This is where I want my batteries as I can use my truck dropped tailgate as a work platform and be able to use my tongue mounted battery terminals for powering up things I am working with... Even my small tankless 12VDC air compressor can sit on my tail gate and service all of my trailer and truck tires as well as blow out my trailer for a quick winterizing when camping late in the season...

The 48-inch side mount truck bed metal box would be a good thing to install your four 6VDC batteries in. This has a side lever type lock... I would use round head bolts in from the bottom with the nuts inside the box so it would be harded to remove the metal box.

There are many metal boxes available to use.. TORKLIFT has a great one
Install would look something like this...


The propane tanks are popular thief items as well... Mine are locked like this under the cover...


I would not like having the flooded type batteries inside my trailer anywhere even vented... Just too dangerous to have around when they can vent fumes.

Too bad you have to park your trailer in the easily accessed thief areas. They will get your batteries and propane tank with ease. If you lock them up to good they will steal your trailer. The big time thieves all carry HD cutoff tools and battery operated portable cutting wheel tools...

Out of sight out of mind is still probably the best defense...

Roy Ken

Our six are in a compartment under our bed....in the front hatch. Don't know why you can't as long as you vent them. Just remembered our old 5th wheel had 2 under the steps up to the bedroom. Actually was in the kitchen!

I bought one of those straps that go around the trailer frame and the battery box. heavy steel, not much of padlock showing and difficult to saw thru.
bumpy

Ours came in a locked storage compartment. MTS plastics makes a vented battery box around $35.

i use an rvlockbox.com battery box with lock.

Make the thieves work for them...

Mount where convenient under frame. Winch them in their own compartment.

If you purchase an AGM battery, venting is not quite a critical. But you can put a lead/acid battery anywhere as long as it's properly vented to the outside. Hydrogen is a nasty little gas that you don't igniting anytime soon.