Re: Dropping the house battery
Last weekend I dropped the battery and repaired the bent frame. I rented a transmission jack for $35. It was a breeze with the jack. And, oh by the way, the cables are not long enough to lower the battery much more than 6-inches. (Really glad I used a transmission jack when I found that out.)
I used Jack's method of straightening out the bent frame. But even with 2.5 tons on that angle iron I still could not get it 100% straight.
In another post, John K wrote that besides the zip ties, there was sealant installed between the frame and the battery to secure it. SMB used silicone sealant on three sides (nothing on the 4th). The silicone does not even stick to the battery case. With one broken zip tie, there is basically nothing more than gravity holding the battery in place. It just lifted out of the frame with no resistance.
I sure am glad there is a top plastic cover though. Without that cover my battery would have been shorted out against the underside of the chassis with absolutely know way cutting off the current.
I did end up damaging the battery. You can see from the photos that the posts were jammed right up against the chassis causing the battery case to deform. Upon close inspection there is no leak, so I think I dodged the cost of replacement.
Besides installing bigger zip ties, and sealing all four sides of the battery case with silicone, I am installing some one-inch wide nylon strapping that runs up and over the battery and under the battery frame. Each one is 42" long.
I was able to get most of the 1-5/8" bend out of the frame by using a hydraulic jack under the tow hitch.
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... Charlie
EV-2 build is now complete, (yeah right).
KZ6T
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