Jayco North point battery box

[Richard]

Anybody try to put a sliding battery tray in a North Point 301 RETS? I like the placement of the two 6 volt batteries in a vertical box inside of the front storage compartment but it would be a lot more handy to have them on a sliding tray. Ideas?
Thanks

[Fire_Instructor]

I was looking at that, just yesterday, as I have four 6v golf cart batteries to go in the nose of my North Point 377RLBH. I came to the conclusion that any kind of sliding tray could be heavy duty enough to hold two batteries, would likely be too tall, and not allow them to clear the height restrictions. It would also likely have to be fabricated, like the ones that we use in fire apparatus, thus, incredibly costly. My thought now is to put all four lined-up centered in the nose compartment ( this will balance weight on pin and axle), and then fabricate a lightweight battery box cover, to keep anything else in the nose compartment from shorting against a battery terminal.

[klassic]

In mine I made the top shelf removable so I could get my Trojans on the bottom.
I have 2 T105's and one 12v on the bottom shelf. I just use the top shelf as a "shelf" and remove it to check the water level.
If you wanted to get 4 6v's in you could mount 3 on the bottom and keep the top shelf removable, but mount it a little stronger, then I cared too, so it can at least hold the weight of one battery.

I also removed jaycos placement of the back strap and screwed it to the back wall at the top of the battery height so the batteries could press against the back wall solidly.
And I used a 1/16" black plastic sheet to cover the bottom of the steel slats that the batteries kept falling into. Then drilled 1 1/2" holes in the right hand edge (the batteries are tight against the left wall) and covered them in screen to keep the wasps and other critters out and still vent.

And more... I replaced the little 50a main self resetting breaker with a Bussmann 100a manual breaker.

[Fire_Instructor]

Originally Posted by klassic

In mine I made the top shelf removable so I could get my Trojans on the bottom.
I have 2 T105's and one 12v on the bottom shelf. I just use the top shelf as a "shelf" and remove it to check the water level.

I'm thinking of removing my shelf, too. How did you cut the pop-welds cleanly on yours??

[metromike]

I would love to see pics of what you did? I need to do something

[klassic]

I used a grinder, just grind the bumps inside the bottom of the shelf. Then pop it off. The sparks get a little crazy in there though.
Then I siliconed the little holes left in the side. Just for the heck of it.

When I remounted it I put it higher for more clearance for the T105's.
If your putting in any Trojans on the top shelf maybe it can't be raised too high, but T105's won't go into the bottom with the shelf factory attached. I never really tried to put the batteries on the bottom with the shelf attached, but it sure is a heck of a lot easier with the shelf removed and there would be no way to check the water without pulling out the batteries. Even like I have it it is still difficult.

I only put screws into the sheet metal sides so the heads stick out 1/2" and that's what the shelf sits on. If I was to put a battery up there that would have to change. But it easily holds other stuff.




I put a 1/16" piece of ABS plastic on the bottom over the giant spaces that the batteries slip into and drilled 3 holes. 2 of them should have been over more like the end one, but oh well. Then the underside has screen siliconed to it, to keep out critters.
The back strap clamp is at the top level of the batteries so they can push tight against the wall and strap much tighter.


I don't have genny prep so four small brackets and a 2'x4' table makes a shelf. The white one on top is another 2x4 table that folds, so if I want 2 tables under the awning I can take out the shelf table too. And three levelling boards just incase.

[Fire_Instructor]

Nicely done, Klassic!