Batteries took a poop, going six volt.

[James_]

Well after treating my 12 volt batteries like a knot headed newbie (lesson learned). I’ll be replacing them with Trojan T-105s.
Trojan has two I’m looking at, the T-105 (http://www.trojanbatteryre.com/PDF/datasheets/T105_TrojanRE_Data_Sheets.pdf) and the T-105 RE (http://www.trojanbatteryre.com/PDF/datasheets/T105RE_TrojanRE_Data_Sheets.pdf)
I’ll be tearing up my battery box to fit one of them in the very near future, pics will come.
Input, output?

Thanks guys.

[landyacht318]

I've saturated both carbon fiber and fiberglass with superglue to bond plastic parts together which broke. The fiberglass is easier to see when it is completely saturated as it goes clear. I take the dremel to it to sand down any sharp edges, and then another drop or 2 or superglue to make it pretty again

In general I use epoxy to saturate re enforcing fabrics, but epoxy bonds poorly or not at all with most plastics, and epoxy needs to be mixed precisely, making small batches more prone to error.

[Reddog1]

James' wrote:
Q-Bond, what can I say WOW! filled in the areas with heated and flattened ABS pipe and used the Q-bond to fill in the cracks. I can now add the T-105s.

I was hesitant to mention the heated and flattened ABS pipe. Home Depot used to stock ABS sheet (1/8" thk). Plastic supply stores stock it in different thicknesses. If your box is ABS, which I doubt, you could just use the ABS cement. I have used scraps and chips from sawing mixed with the cement for big holes/gaps, and just ABS for cracks.

I think the Q-Bond is just crazy glue. Seams to me, baking soda in a crack with a few drops of crazy glue does the same as Q-Bond and the powder they provide. I have not tried it yet.

Wayne

[Bordercollie]

I bought equivalent US brand 6-volt batteries from a local supplier for $50 apiece less than T-105's with assurance that the US batts are just as good. Also replaced old converter/charge with PD 9245 unit bought locally, no shipping charge.

[James_]

Q-Bond, what can I say WOW! filled in the areas with heated and flattened ABS pipe and used the Q-bond to fill in the cracks. I can now add the T-105s.

[James_]

Yes I confirmed, fiber glass was a bad idea.

[Reddog1]

I too question the fiberglass sticking to the plastic box. I think a little vibration after it dries, and the bond will fail.

If the box is ABS, try ABS cement that is used on black pipe plumbing. My guess is the box is polypropylene (sp), and if so, I have not found but one type of glue/cement that will work. It is along the line of Crazy glue. I don't remember the name, but is is something like Q-???. Pricy, available at auto parts stores. I use it to repair damage to my Samurai fender flares.

Wayne

EDIT: I think it is called Q-Bond. Mine came in a box, with a two small bottles of adhesive and two bottles of powder for filling holes. Cost about $15 as I recall, and a little goes a long ways.

[James_]

landyacht318 - Thanks for the insight. the exterior of the box is very porous and should hold well. The pics don't show it but the glass fiber is well saturated and all is holding well this morning.

Wood blocks come off today and those areas will be filled in as well.

[landyacht318]

I hope that Polyester resin bonds properly with the plastic.

I would have wiped it with denatured alcohol first, then scuffed the plastic up nice and rough with some 36 grit paper for maximum "mechanical tooth". Sanding without removing possible contaminates first just pushes them deep into the grooves and can cause bonding issues.

Having a piece of clean cardboard to use as a "wet out" table, soaking the fiberglass patches with rounded corners first, then picking them up with gloved fingers and then laying in place, works better than laying the dry fiberglass on the area, then trying to saturate it in place.

If you can still see the weave of the cloth, then the fiberglass is not full saturated, and strength is compromised to some degree.

[James_]

Ok, I went with the regular Trojan T-105 for 125.00 ea. Now working on the battery box to get'em in.

[mena661]

In hot climates lower SG is preferable too I believe. I wonder if they're just simply taking temperature into account ie people leaving them outside in a shed.

[BFL13]

Lower SG is for sure meant for a "storage" battery such as with a UPS back-up set and not for deep cycling action, so for an RVer you want the straight 105s not the REs.

Scroll down to the SG vs Application table

http://www.engineersedge.com/battery/specific_gravity_battery.htm

[mena661]

Some of the differences between regular 105's and 105RE's are in the following thread over on the Wind and Sun forum:

difference between a trojan t105 and t105re?

[BFL13]

ISTR the REs are for shallow cycles as with solar and not so much for deep cycling as with golf cars and RVs off grid doing 50-90s, but I am unsure if I have that right. If correct then you want the straight 105s if you intend deep cycling.

Somebody here must know the correct story on that, or you could ask Trojan to be sure.

[James_]

opnspaces wrote:

James' wrote:

I’ll be tearing up my battery box to fit one of them in the very near future, pics will come.
Input, output?

Thanks guys.

Here's the boxes I use for my 6 volts. Link

opnspaces - Thanks for the link. I'll be using the same built-in battery space/box that was built into the camper. I need to MacGyver the one I currently have i.e. cutting, fiber glassing etc.

I would like to keep and continue using the battery pullout... we'll see what happens.