Slide out Battery Trays - Who has installed them?

Well, once you upgrade to sealed AGM batteries, you won't need a sliding tray or watering system. Take the money instead and upgrade your batteries. Nice thing with quality AGM's is you can install on their sides for more options. Hope this helps.

j-d wrote:
Punched Angle Stock (I've heard Ron's called Unistrut Material, I think one of the major uses is commercial shelving)

If there's an off-the-shelf slide that works and the price isn't too painful, it might pay to just buy it. But if IT or the compartment needs modification, then fabbing your own starts to make sense. I'M envious of those who can weld and are equipped to do it in-house. I had a neighbor, before we moved, who was a world class welder/fabricator and generously would do any project I asked for. Now I'm relegated to Holes'N'Bolts. That still allows a lot of creativity. Take another look at Dittmer's pic!

That perforated angle iron I used to cradle the batteries is sold in all home improvement centers in various lengths from 3 to 6 feet or so, and it is very affordable.

Regarding the steel bottom I bolted to the RV battery-box framework to support the batteries, I found the metal discarded where I was employed. With a few simple cuts, it was perfect for the application. If I did not have that material to work with, I would have gone to my local metal-shop and pay to have something made specifically for the compartment. I would have specified the metal bent upward on 3 of the 4 sides, and downward for the opening. Right angle bends around the perimeter makes the tray exceptionally strong. In my application, the tray is the only thing between the batteries and the street.

The word CRAFTED should appear in any mod post by Dittmer! He's like Bill was with this stuff. There seems to be a couple common factors in the last few posts:

Heavy Duty Drawer Slides

Punched Angle Stock (I've heard Ron's called Unistrut Material, I think one of the major uses is commercial shelving)

If there's an off-the-shelf slide that works and the price isn't too painful, it might pay to just buy it. But if IT or the compartment needs modification, then fabbing your own starts to make sense. I'M envious of those who can weld and are equipped to do it in-house. I had a neighbor, before we moved, who was a world class welder/fabricator and generously would do any project I asked for. Now I'm relegated to Holes'N'Bolts. That still allows a lot of creativity. Take another look at Dittmer's pic!

I made a sliding tray using two heavy duty drawer slides (250 lbs capacity) purchased from Lee Valley Tools. Made the battery tray out of slotted angle iron as per the picture in Ron.Dittmers post. I have two 6 volt Trojan batteries. Batteries sit parallel to the length of the trailer. Batteries weigh 74 lbs each.
The tray works well with no more battery acid spills when checking or topping up battery fluid. The space is quite tight but enough room for cables, solar power battery harness to battery connections.
One of the simplest and best modifications I could have done.

mgirardo wrote:
I don't know if others have had this problem, but the bundle of cables at the back of the tray often makes it impossible to slide the tray all the way back in without crawling under the camper and guiding the cables away from the back of the compartment.

There is 1.5" wire loom protecting the wires and then the wire loom is wrapped with electrical tape which makes the bundle stiff. I think if the compartment was a couple inches taller, then I could fit my arm in there and I wouldn't have to crawl under the camper.

-Michael

I can relate to your comments.

In 2008 I modified our battery compartment PICTURES HERE to shield the batteries from "tire splash" which resulted in a tricky situation to get the cables dressed properly behind the batteries. The power cables were very flexible and accommodating. The ground cables were not because they are very stiff from a thicker stranded wire inside. I never could find black colored ground cable of the same flexibility which if I could, would have been easy to manage with. I tolerated the inconvenience for over six years until last year when switching to a pair of 6V batteries. Their extra height required eliminating the battery tray. Since battery maintenance was therefore going to be a serious challenge, double the cost at $180 per battery (at Sam's Club), I went with a pair of AGM 6V batteries because they are sealed and perform better than conventional batteries. The next time I deal with them again is when it comes time to replace them.

Here is the 12V battery compartment with two 12V batteries removed and the slide-out tray in place. This picture was taken when the rig was less than a year old. Note the mess the acid boil-overs made, and the rust that formed from it. Barely seen is the inside of the battery tray which was all rust.


Here is the same compartment modified in late 2014 with the battery tray removed, a steel floor added, and twin 6V batteries cradled using right angle perforated metal. No more acid boil-overs, no more rust, and no more fuss. I painted the front facing metal black because it shows a little when the hatch is closed.

If your battery compartment is not tall enough for 6V batteries, you can safely set AGM batteries on their side. I was determined to keep them upright so out went the battery tray.

This is our Jayco Escapade Battery Compartment. Left is Forward, and the Battery is just behind the rear dual wheel mud flap. It's exposed to spray and road dirt. The rubber gasket in the middle is supposed to block the cable storage off as a clean compartment. That actually works pretty well.

Bill took advantage of the extra space next to the compartment by cutting the side of the coach and installing a bigger door with frame. Looked original when done, and that's Bill. I don't see any reason you couldn't use a non-matching door as long as it came complete with frame and the wall mounting was the same.



The battery is pulled out a little so you can't see how the pin in the zinc plated catch drops into a hole in the battery tray frame. Look to the left of that catch and you see the four holes Jayco used on higher line coaches to install a catch when they put the tray on slides. On Escapade, all they did was drive a self-drilling-self-tapping screw down through the tray into the frame. Getting those out was the worst part of the project.

You can see how I spaced the slides using plywood shims, and a couple other pieces of plywood to keep the battery from sliding around in the tray. It did not have any form of hold-down bolts.

Best part, I could justify buying a cordless right-angle drill to be able to make the slide mounting holes in the sides of the compartment. Harbor Fright, about $25 and actually works very well.

YC 1 wrote:
Would a watering system versus a slide work for you? I am fortunate enough to have a slide on mine but having the watering system for four batteries is really nice.

I agree, on my truck camper I had a watering system just for this reason.

Take a look at the Flow-rite site

This maybe a simpler and cheaper way to take care of the problem.

A former Moderator, Westronics (Bill), had a 2002 Jayco Greyhawk 24SS. He did a lot of mods on it, always to perfection. One thing he did was modify the battery area to accept two batteries. Compartment wasn't wide enough (lengthwise on the coach) so he enlarged the door opening, ordering a new, larger, door. Presumably from Jayco. Then he framed some support for a Kwikee sliding battery tray. This worked because there was wasted space off to one side of the battery "compartment." It wasn't a full compartment. There was a frame, behind he mud flap, that supported the front side of the battery tray. The back side of the tray was supported by a separator panel that formed the shore tie cable storage. Only the storage side had a bottom in it. I don't know why I can't find that thread. He had step-by-step and pictures.

Our Greyhawk came with a sliding battery tray. It only holds 1 battery. The largest battery I could find that fit was a Group 29. I don't know if others have had this problem, but the bundle of cables at the back of the tray often makes it impossible to slide the tray all the way back in without crawling under the camper and guiding the cables away from the back of the compartment.

There is 1.5" wire loom protecting the wires and then the wire loom is wrapped with electrical tape which makes the bundle stiff. I think if the compartment was a couple inches taller, then I could fit my arm in there and I wouldn't have to crawl under the camper.

-Michael

Would a watering system versus a slide work for you? I am fortunate enough to have a slide on mine but having the watering system for four batteries is really nice.