87 Wayne Lifeguard international S1700 CXXVI

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by ol trunt

Don't you just love working with that foam insulation? I used several layers in my bus and have almost gotten the little foam balls out of my garage (and hair) but I doubt I'll ever get it out of the bus. On the other hand, the "R" rating is pretty good and the price is right! Jack

i know what you mean about the foam balls. they are all over in my bus. perhaps i should sweep them into any cracks to increase insulation of hidden areas

[claydbal]

Originally Posted by proconsul100

i know what you mean about the foam balls. they are all over in my bus. perhaps i should sweep them into any cracks to increase insulation of hidden areas

fill the bus with water and have a giant snow globe.

[ol trunt]

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by claydbal

fill the bus with water and have a giant snow globe.

that is a good idea, here in a couple months all i should have to do i leave a couple of windows open, and nature should take its course here in Washington State. the bus will be full of water in no time

[Tango]

Question: What is the Washington State Flower?

Answer: Mildew

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by Tango

Question: What is the Washington State Flower?

Answer: Mildew

don't forget Moss, it flourishes here, i thought about just killing my lawn and raising a nice, green, lush, coating of moss in its place

[claydbal]

we get a little wet here in lowsyanna too!

[Docsgsxr]

I've been battling the idea of where to put my house batteries, either under or inside. I like your idea of venting a box under the dinette seat for them. Are you going to install a fan for circulation when you are sitting still? And did you think of maybe putting some type of beeping alarm to let you know if you get gasses vented into the box or not?

-Doc

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

I've been battling the idea of where to put my house batteries, either under or inside. I like your idea of venting a box under the dinette seat for them. Are you going to install a fan for circulation when you are sitting still? And did you think of maybe putting some type of beeping alarm to let you know if you get gasses vented into the box or not?

-Doc

Hi Doc,
i thought of using a computer fan to vent any gasses from the box, but i have read that since the gas would be hydrogen and oxygen, it probably not good to have anything near it that could cause a spark, folks have also said you should have as little electronic equipment in the battery box as possible due to corrosion. i have access to really good quality computer server fans, im not sure if they make a spark, but i know if they corrode and fail that could short out causing a spark. i like the idea of some kind battery gas detector you mention. i haven't looked into it. if one could mount it outside the box with a probe on the inside that would be great and eliminate chances of corrosion and failure of the detector, if i find one ill mention it in here. as it stands right now my vent hole lines up with the top of the box. the insulation i glued to the box lid makes it line up exact. since hydrogen rises my hope is that its only method of escape will be through the vent hole.

[cschlessman]

Off grid we use fans to blow air in low and out high and exit. This way the fan is outside the box. A brushless dc fan is most desirable.
Chuck

[Docsgsxr]

Originally Posted by cschlessman

Off grid we use fans to blow air in low and out high and exit. This way the fan is outside the box. A brushless dc fan is most desirable.
Chuck

Excellent idea. And to boot one could run a ridgid duct and put the fan further away from the box to be sure.

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

Excellent idea. And to boot one could run a ridgid duct and put the fan further away from the box to be sure.

this is a good idea. i have lots of computer server fans. ill look into this as well.

[proconsul100]

i secured the deep cycle batteries using angle iron, wood, threaded rod, wing nuts, and springs and wire from an old bed frame. here are the results:





[img]http://i1063.photobucket.com/albums/t506/
proconsul100/20140913_165734_zps1a791500.jpg[/img]

[browncrown]

Look like you're good to Power Up

[Docsgsxr]

Excellent work with the recycled materials! What gauge wire did you use to connect your batteries? Are they 12v or 6v? Series or parallel?

-Doc

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

Excellent work with the recycled materials! What gauge wire did you use to connect your batteries? Are they 12v or 6v? Series or parallel?

-Doc

Hi Doc,

they are 4 6V batteries connected in both series and parallel to get 12V. they are interconnected with AWG #4 welding cable i will connect to the marine switch and inverter with AWG #2 once i get it made. this is kind of helpful:

http://www.atbatt.com/rv-battery/how-to ... figuration

[Docsgsxr]

Awesomely simple! I love it and thanks!

So why #4 on the cells and #2 to the inverter? Does the smaller size on the batteries impede current at all? I guess with that size it really wouldn't matter huh?

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

Awesomely simple! I love it and thanks!

So why #4 on the cells and #2 to the inverter? Does the smaller size on the batteries impede current at all? I guess with that size it really wouldn't matter huh?

it shouldn't, the interconnect cables can be a smaller gauge since they are bridging 6V batteries together, and they are a short distance. since there is a lot more power coming out of the bank itself at 12v, i wish to increase the size of the cable. depending on how far away i place the inverter i may go to AWG#1 to compensate for distance.

[Docsgsxr]

Gotcha. I was reading the manual for my inverter and it said to make room for air movement since it will also put out some heat as it operates. So make sure it is vented a bit as well! Have you decieded on how you will charge them when sitting? Are you going to hook them into your alternator with a solenoid for run time charging?

[proconsul100]

Originally Posted by Docsgsxr

Gotcha. I was reading the manual for my inverter and it said to make room for air movement since it will also put out some heat as it operates. So make sure it is vented a bit as well! Have you decieded on how you will charge them when sitting? Are you going to hook them into your alternator with a solenoid for run time charging?

both my coach and house batteries will be ale to be charged by either the alternator, the ac converter battery charging circut, my 2 solar panels, or the generator once it is hooked up. ill be able to decide which one gets the charge by using one of these switches:

http://www.civicsolar.com/product/blue- ... ery-switch

already my solar panels can produce over 10A on a good sunny day, and most of the time they act as a trickle charger around 3 to 5A. right now everything is running from the coach batteries, now that i have the battery bank i can add in the switch, separate everything and start working on installing the generator.