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Old 10-23-2010, 05:15 PM   #1
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Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

Help!

I've got to make up my mind how to solve a few issues before I leave on a two week trip in my Van.

I am lucky enough to have good friends who run a solar installation company who have donated three 260 Watt solar panels for my van in exchange for some daily blogging, incredible photos and keeping records of how the system performs.

Unfortunately I've still had to pay for all the other solar equipment myself. I thought long and hard about which batteries to purchase and in the end although it runs contrary to what a lot of people at these forums are using I went with Trojan T105 6V batteries. Why? they can take more abuse they can be charged at a higher rate without damaging them, they last longer and they are half the price.

The problem I've run into is where to put them. They are too large to go in the frame rails where the extra batteries typically go. They are not sealed and do release hydrogen gas which is flammable and can even be explosive so they should not be stored in my living quarters.

I can fab up some 1/4 inch thick steel boxes and mount them on my rear bumper at the expense of loosing 3" - 4" inches in departure angle or I can do what someone else here did and build an airtight battery box and vent it outside the van. My only question with venting to the outside is "Is the hydrogen gas smart enough to know it is supposed to follow the tube and exit my van?"

I contemplated a small computer size cooling fan to suck out the vapors, but it would have to be running anytime the batteries were charging. Also because an electric fan is electric it could spark and light up the hydrogen.

If I were to run a vent out of the van where would I have it exit? Side? Rear? Underside? and would all the air blowing around it allow the hydrogen gas to exit the vent?

I also thought of under the van behind the rear differential but that would mean chopping out a portion of the existing crossmember and even then it would be very difficult to service the batteries and I'd still loose a couple inches of clearance. The batteries are a full 12" high.

Are there other options I have not thought of yet? I have to come up with something in the next two days and then fabricate it.

So far I have either:
1.On the rear bumper in heavy duty battery boxes.
2. In the van and vented and I'm not so sure this would be safe or exactly how to do it.

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Old 10-24-2010, 10:19 AM   #2
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

Before we had our SMB, we had a popup camper on a pickup. Inside the camper was a battery in a plastic box vented to the outside. Do a web search and you can find multiple sources, here is one:

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-c ... vented.htm

Mike
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Old 10-24-2010, 05:11 PM   #3
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

Sorry, this may be too late for you, but I also have two 6V batteries. They are inside the van, rear passenger side, in a sealed plastic box. The box is vented out its rear wall into the area below the tail light, with a vent in the door jamb (hidden) just outside the rubber seal. Electrical connections pass through the front side of the box, sealed with silicone. There is easy access to the top of the box by lifting up the bed platform ("50"-style layout).

Here are a few pics of the box.

It vents through the black tube on the right.


That's the Espar heater in front.


Cheers,
Brent
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Old 10-25-2010, 12:52 AM   #4
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4981&hilit=battery

Also there is TONS of empty space under my van. Being aware of axle travel and other equipment, battery placement with some fabbed up brackets should be pretty easy, space certainly shouldn't be your problem. Saabman also custom mounted some batteries under the van IIRC, can't find the post right now.
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Old 10-25-2010, 06:56 AM   #5
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

Thank you for all the suggestions. I think for ease of installation, price and time I'm going boxed and vented.

As a side note I picked up my solar panels yesterday afternoon. I think after installing them I may qualify for "Van with the most solar panel square footage ever"

Each panel is 6' by 3' and I have three of them at 260 watts each for a total of 780 watts. I just hope they don't become a wing and suck me off the road.

I'll post pictures later today.
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Old 10-25-2010, 05:59 PM   #6
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

Here's the photos I promised.







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Old 10-25-2010, 06:03 PM   #7
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

Crikey
he has more solar than me
gotta get crackin!
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Old 10-25-2010, 06:55 PM   #8
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

What have you got that sucks power causing you to need so much solar?

My single 125W panel more than meets our needs.

Mike
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Old 10-25-2010, 07:47 PM   #9
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

That top photo is just one of the panels?!! How many batteries are you installing? You'll be able to charge those things in the rain, at night, underground

Did your friends set you up with the right solar controller? I'd imagine that those are 24V panels and they probably put out about 7A each... so ~40 amps at 12V altogether, if my math is correct!!

Anyway, stoked to see it all turn out. More pics once you're done, please

Cheers,
Mike.
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Old 10-26-2010, 12:59 AM   #10
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Re: Last minute decisions before a two week road trip. Bat Insta

You need an electric motor to make up for the wind drag.

Have you considered doing 2 panels mounted long ways instead of 3 across the van?

Also you might look into a Yakima shield or something to push air over the front of the panels, and close the sides- if it goes between the panels and roof it will create much more drag, as I believe the panels protruding past the van sides will (although it's been a long time since I've been around a wind tunnel )
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