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Hi all. I’m hoping you folks might be able to help me out on this one:
I have two Group 27 (SRM-27 Interstate 12V) batteries and I’m looking for a battery box to fit them both. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find a “side by side” (lengthwise or rectangular shaped) box. All I can seem to find is a squared box. I looked into a link that Ray posted in his battery bank video, but I was unsuccessful.
Any ideas? Has anyone done something custom that may have some pointers?
Here’s a google search link, my cougar had the white plastic ones but can’t remember the store name, from Canada.
I measured my batteries and then picked up a super heavy plastic storage box with lid from our local Menards (Big Box Home Improvement Store) then mounted it temporarily then marked where I needed to drill and mount a pipe for air to escape through the bottom and added another to the lid for connecting the air intake. Works like a charm and only had about $10.00 total. Just an idea.
If you cannot find a ready-made box that fills your need, you can build a box out of fiberglass. It takes time, but is really not that difficult. For sure, I’m no fiberglass expert, but I built both a battery box for a boat and a fender for a travel trailer out of fiberglass. I used 1/4 inch plywood to build the box and then fiberglassed it. Added a wood clad-in-fiberglass lid to cover it. You can put holes for vents/cables anywhere you want. Also, tabs for mounting, handles if necessary, etc. (BTW, for the trailer fender, I just patched up the old, cracked fender, waxed it well, and applied fiberglass right over it. Came out great and much more durable than the original!)
You can make a box lighter and thinner if you are short on space by building the box, rounding corners with some kind of filler and then covering it with mold release or just old engine oil and fiberglassing it. Remove the fiberglass box from the mold when finished. Of course, in this case, you have to be sure that you have an easy way to remove it (you can use a wood frame around the top, however, and just cut it off so that fiberglass box can be removed.)
There are lots of Youtube videos about it and you can get some great West Marine booklets that show how to do it at your local marine supply store or online. To get you started, check this out: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLlwpbgibX_O9f9kmtwFPn_ApwAThcr01E
Bob
Stephen, that’s kind of what I was thinking. I’ve been keeping my eye open for something like that. The ones I have found are just an inch too short on either the length or the width. If I find one, I think that’s the route I will go.
I wish we had Menard’s here in Denver. I think the closest one we have is in Cheyenne. That is the only place as well that sells U-channel vinyl gutter (for my sewer hose holder mod). All we have here is K channel and the hose doesn’t want to sit well in it.
As Bob mentioned, I could do it out of fiberglass, but I don’t believe myself that handy :Loser: . I am going to take a look at that though if for nothing more than informational purposes and planning for when these batteries die and I switch to 6V.
I really appreciate everyone’s feedback.
If I can’t find a toolbox, I do have some 3/4″ plywood hanging around. I might just build one out of that and then prime it and coat it with some Thompson’s. Although this is probably the cheapest option, I would like to find one of those boxes so I can keep the weight down.
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