battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby yycwrangler » Mon Mar 20, 2017 6:21 pm

So I'm struggling with my decision on where to put my batteries. I'm thinking of running 2 trojan 105's which weight combined about 120lbs. My jeep jku has a tongue capacity of 250-300 and I have air bags and adjustable shocks to compliment on the jeep.

Due to the v-nose, there is no way I can see putting the batteries on the tongue. The Neo has a small tongue and 120lbs is a huge weight for the tongue capacity.

So options:

1. Inside the v of the nose. This will move the weight back a little but I'm not sure after I build a seat across the front of the v nose and then the spare tire etc stuffed up in the nose if again I won't exceed the tongue weight.

2. Building a floor to ceiling cabinet directly to the my left when I enter the side door. Could dedicate the bottom shelf to the electronics (including my progressive dynamics unit which could be attached to the wall of the cabinet). problem is with cabinet and batteries etc, will this now throw my weight of from side to side (have torsion suspension). Over the tire would be good for front back weight distribution.

3. Move everything over to what will be the galley on the drivers side and do the same in one of the galley cupboards as I was going to do on the passenger side. Again over the tire so good front to back but now heavy on driver side due to batteries. Plugins to the outside would be nice as they would be on the same side as the batteries (driver side)

4. rear of trailer in one of the couches but that would put the weight to the back causing bigger weight problems.

I'm sure it would be easier to figure this out with a bigger tow vehicle but we like our jeep so we're staying with it.

Any tidbits of advice

Cheers
Al
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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby Iconfabul8 » Mon Mar 20, 2017 6:59 pm

I too have a 6 X12 and will be installing two 6 volt batteries. I plan to put them in a box, outside, behind the passenger side wheel. This will help counter the water tanks and lots of other things that are going to be on the drivers side. I am looking to narrow up one of these:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/331929943914?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby jeffjeeptj » Tue Mar 21, 2017 12:48 am

Do not put a wet cell inside the trailer unless in separate compartment vented to the outside. As batteries charge and discharge, hydrogen gas is vented off (if enough hydrogen accumulates, think Hindenberg) along with corrosive fumes. Mounting outside is a far better choice as long as you can access them and keep them watered.
I agree with the poster above, outside close behind the wheel has been my choice. Helps with tongue weight, just don't go too light.
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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby Bearbait in NM » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:48 am

YYC,

I have just started my 6x10 conversion. I am pulling with a Chevy Avalanche 1500, so tongue weight is not as critical as your Jeep, but I had a Wrangler for 25 years, and know what you are up against.

For my conversion, I am setting it up for off road, hauling a small motorcycle, and making things on the inside foldable/portable etc. I have my solar installed, and am using a couple of AGM's so venting is not as much of the issue you are facing for venting. What I have decided to do is make a rollable battery box that will house my 2 80 AH batteries. My battery weight is just a tad over 100 lbs. I have e-track mounted low on each side of the trailer, so the plan will be to place the battery box where I need for transport and tongue weight, then roll it under my nose shelf where my DC and solar connections are set up. I am using one of the large Anderson dc plugs to connect my battery to the DC load center. I have enough plug length that when my box is done, I could even roll it out slightly and use the box as a spare seat/beverage holder.

I know that e-track in and of itself is pretty ugly stuff, but I should be able to panel over the screw lines with a bevel to get wood right up to edge of the clamp rail. The real upside to the e-track is that I can anchor all of my heavy loads, bike, propane, water and batteries exactly where I need to nail down my tongue weight.

Thinking out loud, it would not be too difficult to make a receiver box on the inside of your trailer that is vented to the outside. Perhaps roll the batteries in place once you are set up for overnight?

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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby Iconfabul8 » Tue Mar 21, 2017 1:47 pm

Bearbait in NM wrote:YYC,
I have just started my 6x10 conversion.
Craig


Looking forward to some pictures. Are you starting a build page?
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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby McDave » Tue Mar 21, 2017 3:21 pm

Hey yyc,
Do you know your current tongue wt? How much does your trailer weigh empty?
I just read it's a NEO. Nice.. So, your are in the Great White North, yes? Well, I know most Canuks are very nice people, but there may be crook or two out there, so you may want to consider an inside location for batteries etc.. Also, consider your plan for the 8 months of "cooler temps", and where and how the trailer will be stored. What is your plan for a power center, charger/converter? I would guess you will still use trailer for winter recreation? Generator? LP?
I built a cabinet for the WFCO 4955 and the meters just some storage. I have a 6x12 flat nose, and this cabinet fills the 15" from door to nose. I am currently using a single 125ah deep cycle wet, no solar yet. Battery and power center are separated by a divider. Battery and propane are in a vented storage accessible from a vented door on driver side, that also provides vent air for refrig. condenser,(12/120, no LP). I also have the stinky slinky and chem. tabs in there, and store the shore power cord there, too. That area is pretty well sealed off from rest of cabin and just the cables and wires that are needed there go through the divider and are spray foam sealed. The vent door has a lock.
When I weighed mine empty, the tongue wt. was set up properly to be 15% of trailer wt., a good way to start. Then I just estimated wts. and moved stuff around on my floor plan drawings to achieve proper balance when loaded. It seems a little tongue heavy with no cargo, (Harley) and no fresh H20, 25 gals. but I really don't use it that way, certainly not at highway speeds. I planned the Harley directly over axle so as to be neutral tongue wt, and put fresh tank behind the axle to counter the wt of battery, LP, refrig etc. in the front. When I first tried it loaded it was light and bucky at tongue. So I mounted generator on tongue rails and all is well now. I can adjust ballast by adding/draining fresh H20 if needed. I can only weigh tongue and est total, but we are very close. 450lbs. at ball hitch and right at max capacity loaded and "wet". 2900lbs. (est) It's well insulted and I keep it plugged in at barn, 30amp line , when not in use. I can also add some heat when its needed, on those colder -35f-45f mornings before the sun comes out and warms it up to around -20f, then we're good.
Sorry that was so long winded, hope it helps in your planning.

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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby yycwrangler » Tue Mar 21, 2017 5:40 pm

Hi guys

Thanks for all the suggestions. Having the batteries portable might be the best idea the only thing is I would like to be able to charge them while travelling. My 7 pin has an 8 gauge from the jeep for this specific purpose. I wanted a good size line from the jeep to reduce voltage drop. Also put battery isolator in jeep to avoid those oops I forgot to unplug days. I'm not going to be carrying water so it will be hard for me to counter balance.

I think for me my biggest concern is one I get started on the project is where to bring all the wires too which will connect with the progressive dynamics unit and batteries. Once I've brought the 12 volt and 110volt to one place it will be hard to move them once walls are up..

I'm not sold on the Trojans for batteries and if anyone else has a suggestion on batteries open to suggestions. For now the battery will be running only led lights and charging iPods. Down the road would like to have a 12 volt fridge etc.. heck I even have one of those battery booster units that has 110 and 12 volt plugins. Might just use that for now.

And I will definitely be doing a build page and hope to be able to give back to future CT builders.

Cheers
Al
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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby CoventryKid » Tue Mar 21, 2017 6:47 pm

I got lucky and re-purposed two Gel batteries from my wife's power wheelchair when she needed new ones.

They're not terribly brilliant as far as amp-hours are concerned but enough to run our LED lights and Maxxair fan with very little drain. Still have to figure out ($-wise) best way to get efficient fridge that'll run on 12v without draining the batteries. When I built our trailer, neither of us wanted the "hassle" or expense of propane.

This probably doesn't help you, Al, but maintenance-free Gel batteries, as you know, don't need to be vented.
Doug
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Re: battery placement in my 6x12 vnose

Postby Bearbait in NM » Tue Mar 21, 2017 11:40 pm

Iconfabul8 wrote:
Bearbait in NM wrote:YYC,
I have just started my 6x10 conversion.
Craig


Looking forward to some pictures. Are you starting a build page?


Icon,

Was not planning on it, as my plan is to keep the trailer ready for cargo, but have basic needs covered. Not really something most folks would think of as RV like. The plan is have it ready for camping this summer, without much finalized, then decide where to go with it. I have my fold out bed platform, single bed/couch with open to double bed installed, need to get my rollable battery box finished, and roll my Honda CT90 into it, to sort out tie downs and tongue weight. I got the solar bug last summer, and built a nifty portable 70 AH enclosure with a large Pelican case that does support my ARB cooler, and have my new trailer solar working with my 135 watt panel.

Al,

I am new at this by and large, but the 70 AH portable solar generator I mentioned above will run an ARB fridge and small loads like you noted, without much need for charging on a typical 2-3 day weekend. What Batteries to buy is a question much like what flavor of ice cream is best. For the loads you noted, you really do not need a huge battery bank. If you are new at this, maybe buy some lower AH (and weight) AGM batteries, and spend the unused Trojan dollars on a good battery charger. And get the old noodle wrapped around understanding battery charging and needs, before going amuck on the best battery you can find. batteries are going to come and go, as most of the major brands seem to have issues at times. I honestly think that dollars are best spent on the equipment to maintain any battery, and spending the hours needed to understand how to kill one. I sure have nuked a few learning. Then decide on the better battery once you have the entire process sorted out.

I live in a really small town, so getting batteries is a chore. I almost pulled the plug on some Trojans when I was in nevada a couple of weeks ago, but opted for some lesser AGM's from the Battery Plus store out there. I decided that like you, I need to be able to charge inside my trailer, so the sealed AGM's really made more sense. And, going to put the money saved into some make of good converter. Still researching that. Got my solar, inverters and chargers sorted out last year, along with my second truck battery system. Man oh man, what a process this has become.

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