battery box for house battery

[coguzzi]

does anyone know if the ford battery box listed here as a '10 e350 battery box:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_W0QQcmd ... Q5ffviQ3d1

is the same as what i need to add a 3rd battery to act as my house battery in a 97 e350 psd (diesels already have 2 batteries to start the motor). seller does not have a part number

i guess im wondering if it will bolt up to a 97, and make everything "EASY"

[dhally]

That looks just like the battery box that my aux battery is in, in my 2009 gas engine E250. I have spent a lot of time measuring and researching this same question.

This battery box will fit a Group 65 (75 A-hr) batttery perfectly. For my van, there is room to add another box on the passenger side behind the existing one, but the frame will need to be drilled to mount it. A Group 27 (95 A-hr) fits into the box (I tried it at a battery store) but it is taller than the Group 65 so the lid won't fit and the box would need to be mounted about 1" lower for the Group 27 to clear the bottom of the step. However this would put the lower mounting holes near the bottom of the frame and that doesn't seem like a good idea. It would also put the bottom of the battery over an inch below the body. Another option would be to modify the box to be deeper, which would require cutting, welding, and sheet metal forming.

The nice thing about the factory boxes is they have slotted mounting holes so it's easier to install and remove with battery in it. They also have cables that prevent the whole thing from falling on the floor.

OBTW this same ebay seller has entire pallets of those boxes available, they may be open to offers...

[daveb]

You're planning to use a group size battery similar to a starting battery? Most vans coming off the line use a 4-D size battery or a bank of 2 or more starter sized batteries for the house system. Most smaller group size batteries will not last long as a single large house battery, but I don't know how much you actually plan to use over the course of a night. If you plan on a small load, in the FAQ's at the top of this section, I supplied a link to a battery group size chart. It will give the common dimensions of batteries.

Good luck

Dave

[coguzzi]

my draws will not be huge, im coming from the VW westfalia syncro world (group 27 if i remember correctly size battery) and building a somewhat minimal floorplan, at most will be a norcold fridge in the summer, propex heater in winter, fantastic fan, and LED interior lights. so my battery needs are not HUGE and i do plan on adding solar eventually.

that being said--all this house battery stuff confuses the hell out of me

[SheepShagger]

On the 06 frame, there are 4 sets of pre-drilled holes so you can mount 4 of those boxes. Two on the passenger frame rail and 2 on the drivers. On the drivers side you also have more clearance, so you can fit a group 27 on the drivers side, (but without the lid on the box). I haven't tried a g27 on the passenger size since both my g65 starter batteries are there. I have only mounted one on the drivers side, I keep meaning to mount the other, but haven't got round to it yet.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/t ... highlight=

[coguzzi]

FYI, i got the box today and what was listed as a '10 battery box is the exact same thing as my 97 AUX starter battery box. part numbers appear different from ford, but same thing as far as i can tell.

now to go to the battery store and see what deep cycle or agm fits with the longest amp hours.