Homebuilt battery box pics?

[86Scotty]

Yes, Mtndew, and why we put one down there is for our house battery, to run an inverter and make ac power for refrigerators, etc.
As Jamie said, read up and take your time. You'll get to that when you have a need for it I'm sure.
Congrats on the new van!

[SCBrian]

Looks like some excellent weekend progress. Keep up the good work.

[hickman]

Sorry I haven't posted these boxes we manufactured, I'v been busy building another van and this one is for a production companys reallity show. Here are the pictures of the thru floor battery boxes that are for 6 volt batt.




These are powder coated with vents and 2/0 grommeted cable holes. The cost is $195.00 each and are designed to be thru floor with flush lid.

[dwest]

86, you're an inspiration!
i'm just starting. recently bought a 99 e350 15 passenger and have spent the last month just getting to know it.
we are a camping family too and dream of the day when i'm off the grid in my self sufficient rig.
so far just mapped out where i want to put what, removed the last two rows of seats & belts, tinted the windows, replaced the front brakes & rotors (had to, too much metal tends to stay in motion if not acted upon w/an equal and opposite force otherwise known as good brakes!) spent a whole weekend cleaning it (original owner had 15 children, who has time to clean with that many?) and just installed a small inverter under the last bench seat. i have a second battery mounted to the frame (ford told me it was "an ambulance option"?) doesn't matter i've got a little bit of 110 ac now for future fridge and quick disconnect for solar panels/generator if needed.
i followed your battery post and wondered where/how you ran that large cable from your aux batteries into your van? i used the rubber frame grommet under the side entry and ran under the carpet to the seat.
anyway, lots to do: will order a diamond rack, add a cvt to rack, convert to 4x and hope i have enough $ left to actually go somewhere. i read on a recent post that it's like a drug. i'm addicted.
sorry for the ramble, but i'm excited and really thank everyone for the posted info and willingness to share. hope you don't mind if i steal some of your ideas. i'll post a picture or two once i learn how.
cheers
dave

[86Scotty]

Dave, no problem and thanks!
Keep in mind that you don't have to run a big 4 gauge cable from the under hood battery to the back, but you DO need huge wire from the house battery to inverter. My wire from isolator/front battery to rear batteries is 8 gauge I think, much easier to run for that distance. It just sends some juice to the rear when driving so not necessary to run huge wire unless you ever plan on relying on the house batteries to start the van. I ran mine through the firewall and along the left side of driver's seat, then across inside the van at my carpet threshold, then dropped it down through the footwell at the rear passenger door. I put my fuse right past my isolator under the hood for easy access.

I can get more specific pics if you'd like.

[dwest]

hmmm, i may be a bit lite, i used 10 gage. plan is to only run a portable cooler style fridge/freezer and maybe a 1/4" drill motor occasionally (kids like to build candle holders from drift wood, long story...) so hopefully i don't over heat the wire. inverter has a 35 amp fuse and i put a 30 amp at the battery plus i've got a good nose (melting wire doesn't have an equal smell).

have you installed a cb radio? any auxillary task lights? (the overheads are like "sign the papers")

looking for some little push-button type that i can mount next to the driver/passenger seats (in the plastic housing by the seat belt clip) so the light is lower when driving and something similar for the bench seats. looking but nobody's done a "do it yourself" kit. you've come the closest outside sportsmobile.

thanks for the reply, i'm waiting for your next enhancement...

dave

[86Scotty]

Thanks again Dave. No CB for me, I think I've got enough distracting gadgets on board now. I like the idea of the lower lights you're talking about. I would just make some if I were you, from junk yard parts. I used to do high end stereo install in my youth and I would just go raid a junk yard for good lighting in trunks, etc. You can find about any car with your color interior and rob the dome, pillar, trunk, etc. lights for almost nothing from a salvage yard. They don't even usually charge me for them if I'm buying something else. Those kinds of things aren't money makers for them. Then add some modern LED bulbs and you're dialed in! The trunk or domes in later model cars/trucks/vans will mostly have on off switches on the housings.

I've got a few more odds and ends to finish up, but I'm almost through with mine I think. Yeah, right, the wife says...............

What I'm discovering the more I travel in my van is that there is quite an art to silencing all of the cabinetry from rattling, rubbing, and generally driving you crazy. I wish I had put more thought in to keeping everything from touching, and my problems are magnified by the OEM plastic interior walls I left mostly in place. They make a lot of noise when you put anything against them.



Oh, BTW, 10 guage might be fine. Just use an inline fuse and if you pop it, you need more. It's just alternator charge which really isn't that demanding. I would think it would just charge the rear batteries slower. I used a 150amp breaker inline between my isolator and rear batteries but only because that's what the isolator manufacturer recommended. I have never blown it.

[dwest]

86:

i'm learning. wired Christmas lights and temporarily taped them to the exterior roof line and had fun driving around looking at the neighborhood lights n sights. must have got some rain in the plugs though as i now have a "fault" in my inverter. learning experience i guess, but i think i'll need to buy a new one as it will run for a few minutes then get the "fault" light and no power. no big loss as the inverter was laying under one of the seats when i bought the van.

on another note, i just ordered a new roof rack from diamond rax (present to myself). anxious to see how it'll all fit together as i plan on putting a CVT roof top tent on the back half and use the front for storing and stargazing when it stops raining.

question for you; have you explored any storage solutions bolted under your van? there are several areas that would work well for tools, tire chains, items that would be good to have but not necessairily used all the time. i'm thinking about re-working old ammo boxes and mounting to the bolts stiking through from the seat brackets. just a thought, random i know.

Merry Christmas,

Dave

[daveb]

I do have a couple of Salisbury tublar storage holders I use at work under my van for extra chains, straps and the like. They are heavy duty and water tight but expensive.
http://www.salisburybyhoneywell.com/en- ... sticks.pdf

My guess is you might be able to find cheaper models. The real problem is by mounting recovery equipment under the van, it will not be easy to get to if you bury the rig so I keep a minimal complement of recovery gear in the bumper storage.


Dave

[86Scotty]

I agree Dave. I have several ideas on racks I would like to build underneath for things like lynx levelers, generator gas cans, tools, etc., but any time you need to get to that stuff you either can't or you get filthy trying.