my 5er had a compartment on the side for 1 battery. I have moved the batteries to front ( thanks for all the help )in the old compartment the battery had boiled over and had eaten some of the plywood. I did use baking soda, but gosh, it still bubbles up. what is best way to neutralize the acid. I can put in another plywood bottom.

W/O replacing that plywood you will never get rid of the battery acid that has soaked inAnd do you have drain holes where you moved the batteries to?

Remove the wood. Rinse for a real 20 minutes with water. Then use a warm baking soda mix. If it is real persistent use a spray battery terminal cleaner, then a protectant.

fter cleaning up then I would investigate why your batteries are boiling out. Your 2001 Cardinal probably has the single source 13.6VDC charging setup. This is known to boil out your battery fluids over time.Replace that puppy with a smart mode setup like Progressive Dynamics or IOTA has. What they do is drop the 13.6VDC back to 13.2VDC when not be used much which limits any battery boiling out of fluids...I had to go back in your posts to find out what you RV unit was.I ruined one of my batteries early on in 2008 by boiling out the battery fluids over time but after changing over to a smart mode charger setup I have been doing great battery wise ever since... I still check the fluids out of habit but never find them low now. Roy Ken

will be very difficult to remove plywood. it is par of structure. I have flushed it about 6 times with baking soda and did just spray it down with battery cleaner.. what is the protectant?, is that the spray type, I have put that on also.am building my own battery box, will line with fiberglass. will have a vent on top to go outside, I know I need vent holes NEAR bottom, but do I need a drain hole in the very bottom also? BTW, we have just purchased this 5er. my voltage is reading 13.6-13.8 all the time. first owner said he did overcharge and replaced both batteries when I picked it up. I now do not leave it on for more than 30" at a time.Talked to Randy at bestconverter.com and debating on the PD4645 45 Amp Converter Upgrade orPowerMax PM4B-45 (45 Amp 4-Stage Converter/Charger) deck mountany preference in ease of install thanks for taking time looking up infosomeday, I hope to be the one answering questions

Do yourself a favor and put the batteries in plastic boxes with proper drains and ventilation in the new location.Vented Battery Box

battery compartment acid | Good Sam Community

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Nov 22, 2015
W/O replacing that plywood you will never get rid of the battery acid that has soaked in

And do you have drain holes where you moved the batteries to?
time2roll
Nomad
Nov 22, 2015
Remove the wood. Rinse for a real 20 minutes with water. Then use a warm baking soda mix. If it is real persistent use a spray battery terminal cleaner, then a protectant.
RoyB
Explorer II
Nov 22, 2015
fter cleaning up then I would investigate why your batteries are boiling out. Your 2001 Cardinal probably has the single source 13.6VDC charging setup. This is known to boil out your battery fluids over time.

Replace that puppy with a smart mode setup like Progressive Dynamics or IOTA has. What they do is drop the 13.6VDC back to 13.2VDC when not be used much which limits any battery boiling out of fluids...

I had to go back in your posts to find out what you RV unit was.

I ruined one of my batteries early on in 2008 by boiling out the battery fluids over time but after changing over to a smart mode charger setup I have been doing great battery wise ever since... I still check the fluids out of habit but never find them low now.

Roy Ken
bbaker2001
Explorer
Nov 22, 2015
will be very difficult to remove plywood. it is par of structure. I have flushed it about 6 times with baking soda and did just spray it down with battery cleaner..
what is the protectant?, is that the spray type, I have put that on also.
am building my own battery box, will line with fiberglass. will have a vent on top to go outside, I know I need vent holes NEAR bottom, but do I need a drain hole in the very bottom also?
BTW, we have just purchased this 5er.
my voltage is reading 13.6-13.8 all the time. first owner said he did overcharge and replaced both batteries when I picked it up. I now do not leave it on for more than 30" at a time.
Talked to Randy at bestconverter.com and debating on the
PD4645 45 Amp Converter Upgrade or
PowerMax PM4B-45 (45 Amp 4-Stage Converter/Charger) deck mount
any preference in ease of install
thanks for taking time looking up info
someday, I hope to be the one answering questions
Bipeflier
Explorer
Nov 22, 2015
Do yourself a favor and put the batteries in plastic boxes with proper drains and ventilation in the new location.

Vented Battery Box
Veebyes
Explorer II
Nov 22, 2015
Do yourself an even bigger favour. Upgrade to AGM batterys & forget about leakage & maintenance. Forget about the need for ventilation.

Heck, forget about the battery box, even forget about mounting them upright. Forget about replacing them every few years too. Think about it every 7-8 years.
filrupmark
Explorer
Nov 22, 2015
Veebyes wrote:
Do yourself an even bigger favour. Upgrade to AGM batterys & forget about leakage & maintenance. Forget about the need for ventilation.

Heck, forget about the battery box, even forget about mounting them upright. Forget about replacing them every few years too. Think about it every 7-8 years.

I'm great at forgetting. Glad I have AGM batteries ,I just did not realize all of the benefits that go with AGM'S. Thanks
2oldman
Explorer II
Nov 22, 2015
Veebyes wrote:
Do yourself an even bigger favour. Upgrade to AGM batterys & forget about leakage & maintenance. Forget about the need for ventilation.Heck, forget about the battery box, even forget about mounting them upright. Forget about replacing them every few years too. Think about it every 7-8 years.
x2
bbaker2001
Explorer
Nov 22, 2015
wait, I forgot what you said.

tough decision I have 4 1 yr old Trojan. hate to just get rid of them.
also are AGM as good as Trojan
in the link to boxes, I like them. it says there is a bottom hole, does this mean I will have to drill a hole in the bottom of my 5er. this wont weaken the bottom will it.
Veebyes
Explorer II
Nov 22, 2015
bbaker2001 wrote:
wait, I forgot what you said.

tough decision I have 4 1 yr old Trojan. hate to just get rid of them.
also are AGM as good as Trojan
in the link to boxes, I like them. it says there is a bottom hole, does this mean I will have to drill a hole in the bottom of my 5er. this wont weaken the bottom will it.

Trojan is a manufacturer of batterys. AGM (absorbed glass mat) batterys are a type of battery. Trojan makes all 3 major types. Wet cell, AGM & Gel cell.

I would not dump perfectly good batterys. Investigating AGMs as a replacement when the time comes is worthwhile for all of the reasons I listed above despite the considerable higher price for AGM.