Forum Discussion

laknox's avatar
laknox
Nomad
May 11, 2018

Need battery boxes

My new KZ has a single Gp27 12v battery in a vented box. Box has a top vent =and= a bottom vent. (I've never seen a battery box with a bottom vent.) I want to replace with 2 GC2 6v batteries, so will need to replace the existing box since it's not tall enough, and add a 2nd box. I can't use a dual box due to interference with stuff inside the compartment, so will need 2 separate boxes. Questions:

1) Do I really need bottom-vented boxes?
2) Any issues with teeing the vent line to join the boxes into a single vent?

My pass-through and front storage are all one big compartment, so I really need sealed and vented boxes since I'm going to stay with wet-cells, for now.

Lyle
  • bdoyle's avatar
    bdoyle
    Explorer
    May 31, 2018
    I have a century plastics battery box for four 6V batteries. They have many sizes. Just Google Century Plastics battery boxes. You will have to cut your vant holes and drains. I also added a foam rubber seal around the lid and taped around the cables to seal the box up. I used ratchet straps to hold the lid down against the seals. Or you could just duct tape the whole thing up (like I did for ten years). They are very basic as they come but you don't have to build the whole thing.
  • Wankel7's avatar
    Wankel7
    Explorer
    May 30, 2018
    Check out Century Plastics. They have all sorts of different sizes boxes for different amounts of 6 volts. I love mine.
  • brulaz's avatar
    brulaz
    Explorer
    May 29, 2018
    laknox wrote:
    brulaz wrote:
    Wondering why the bottom vent.

    H2 is a gas that is lighter than air so will rise. And it comes out of the top of the battery and should rise thru the vent piping and out of the trailer.

    Our earlier trailer came with a single battery inside, vented at the top only. Air coming in under the lid could provide a draft up the vent, if that's what is wanted.

    Guess I would be more concerned that the vent piping has a steady slope and no sags where the gas can pool.


    Lyle:

    Main reason is so I don't have to remove the d@mn batteries if I need to hose them down. :B Never seen one before, but the OEM box for the Gp24 Interstate has one and I thought it was pretty clever. Also, I have as yet to find a GC2 box with a =top= vent, so I'm pretty much convinced I'm going to have to DIY it with a hole saw. Just strange that =someone= doesn't make one. Oh, well...

    Lyle


    Ah yes, a drain rather than vent.

    I've drilled holes in the bottom of all of my externally mounted battery boxes, just in case rain water gets in.
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    May 29, 2018
    Quick cable USED to have vented boxes --- my apologies.

    You do not need nor do you want more than one hole per
    box.

    https://www.campingworld.com/battery-box-vent

    Use one of these on a QC box.

    Hydrogen gas is almost violent in it's rage to rise straight up.

    They have bilge purge fans on boats to expel petroleum vapors -- another horse's color entirely.
  • laknox's avatar
    laknox
    Nomad
    May 29, 2018
    brulaz wrote:
    Wondering why the bottom vent.

    H2 is a gas that is lighter than air so will rise. And it comes out of the top of the battery and should rise thru the vent piping and out of the trailer.

    Our earlier trailer came with a single battery inside, vented at the top only. Air coming in under the lid could provide a draft up the vent, if that's what is wanted.

    Guess I would be more concerned that the vent piping has a steady slope and no sags where the gas can pool.


    Lyle:

    Main reason is so I don't have to remove the d@mn batteries if I need to hose them down. :B Never seen one before, but the OEM box for the Gp24 Interstate has one and I thought it was pretty clever. Also, I have as yet to find a GC2 box with a =top= vent, so I'm pretty much convinced I'm going to have to DIY it with a hole saw. Just strange that =someone= doesn't make one. Oh, well...

    Lyle
  • brulaz's avatar
    brulaz
    Explorer
    May 29, 2018
    Wondering why the bottom vent.

    H2 is a gas that is lighter than air so will rise. And it comes out of the top of the battery and should rise thru the vent piping and out of the trailer.

    Our earlier trailer came with a single battery inside, vented at the top only. Air coming in under the lid could provide a draft up the vent, if that's what is wanted.

    Guess I would be more concerned that the vent piping has a steady slope and no sags where the gas can pool.
  • Learjet's avatar
    Learjet
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    I cut the vent connections out of the old box leaving making a flange with them. Then, cut holes in new box with Dremel, glued in flange with bolts on the top flange for extra support.



  • racer4's avatar
    racer4
    Explorer
    May 28, 2018
    Deleted.

    I didn't see you are looking for bottom vents.

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