Repurposing the battery gas vent.

[dbhosttexas]

I am upgrading my 12v to DC to DC charging / MPPT solar and replacing the lead acid deep cycle battery under my dinette with a pair of 200 amp hour Lifepo4 batteries.

I don't need the tubing or gas vent as Lifepo4 doesn't offgas like lead acid does...

Which leads me to a question...

My solar connection since I have 2 panels with SAE connectors is a custom Y cable that is SAE x SAE x 50 amp Anderson connector. Thus the input into the van is an Anderson connector, went this way since the controller uses the Anderson connectors and they are super easy to work with...

I know the gas vent itself being a hole in the side of the van, with louvers and a hose to the battery box, isn't exactly 100% weather tight, but I was considering using a reasonably weatherproof connector box, and basically cut out a metal circle copy of the vent, to be able to attach it to the van, and then cut that out to hopefully match / mount up something like a TrailerVision protective enclosure sealed up with plenty of silicone to keep it from leaking...

Just wondering if there are any better ideas for passing an Anderson plug connection through into the van body... I just sort of thought re-using the vent hole means one less hole to cut into the van...

[dhally]

Would this work? Watertight bulkhead powerpole receptacle.

https://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/...e-housing.html

[dbhosttexas]

Originally Posted by dhally

Would this work? Watertight bulkhead powerpole receptacle.

https://www.andersonpower.com/us/en/...e-housing.html

That might be, but I am not sure what it mates with. Will that work with a standard 50 amp Anderson connector or do I need a different connector to mate with it?

Looking at the actual item and the SBS-75 category of connectors that looks VERY much like not the right thing. I only need to pass a positive and a ground at 50 amps through the side of the van. The SBS has 2 power feeds and 4 accessory feeds, and it is HUGE... Part of me wonders if there is a way to make a, well a boot for the inside of the van. There appears to be an SB50 boot that would waterproof it, I would just need to basically cut the hole, roll the metal back so no sharp edges, and silicone the crud out of it then assemble...

[BrianW]

Are you talking portable panels or rooftop? If rooftop I’m trying to picture how you’d run the cables from the roof to the ingress hole on the side of the van? [emoji848] Btw, SMB also usually cuts big drain holes for the battery boxes in the floor of the van. One for each box. You could use these too if yours has them. And if you don’t use them be sure to plug them up. I found a 1.25" PVC fitting fits perfectly.


See this post: https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...nts-28634.html

[SierraHawk]

You can also cut a round 6" hole in the skin near the house battery and mount a stainless "Fuel Access" door over the hole. They are fairly tight and, if you have a large 12V line to the area, you can install a set of "welder" connectors that are stored just inside the new stainless cap. My connectors are attached directly to the AGM house battery. The connectors provide an easy access to 12V power that can be used for an air pump, jumper cable, lighting, etc.

[Scalf77]

Being that OP is talking about 50 amp Anderson pole connectors, the SB50 line has a good choice of options. Anderson Pole connectors come in a large variety of sizes. I use the PP45 size for axillary solar input.