How should I secure my batteries?

[Water Rat.]

It is boat safety time again. I think everything is in place, except the batteries. I have two batteries in a purpose made metal box affair with a lid, there is space for a third but I don't have one. How should I secure them? Can I just wedge something, some wood for example in the gap?

[Murflynn]

yes

[koukouvagia]

 

This arrangement works well on the butty. On the motor I have a similar method, but the piece of wood is supported on two battens and lifts out.

[mrsmelly]

It is boat safety time again. I think everything is in place, except the batteries. I have two batteries in a purpose made metal box affair with a lid, there is space for a third but I don't have one. How should I secure them? Can I just wedge something, some wood for example in the gap?

 

Yes just make sure it will not drop out of wedged position.

 

Tim

 

This arrangement works well on the butty. On the motor I have a similar method, but the piece of wood is supported on two battens and lifts out.

 

Funny looking batteries

 

Tim

[koukouvagia]

 

Yes just make sure it will not drop out of wedged position.

 

Tim

 

Funny looking batteries

 

Tim

Aaagh.

Anyway it might be useful for someone

[Ray T]

 

Yes just make sure it will not drop out of wedged position.

 

Tim

 

Funny looking batteries

 

Tim

 

 

I suppose you could call them gas cells / batteries, after all they store potential energy?

Edited April 16, 2015 by Ray T

[by'eck]

It is boat safety time again. I think everything is in place, except the batteries. I have two batteries in a purpose made metal box affair with a lid, there is space for a third but I don't have one. How should I secure them? Can I just wedge something, some wood for example in the gap?

 

Metal is far from ideal for a battery box, especially if the lid is metal as well. Accepting this is what you have though, I would line the casing with thick wood to hold batteries as far from the metal sides as possible, then fill the remaining space with wood spacers. If this invoves moving batteries even slightly, ensure that cabling is well clear of the metal case and physically supported to remain so. Remember the batteries need ventilation with regard to the lid.

 

A better battery box could be made from stout wood and slightly oversize for the batteries to be used, to allow for size variations within generic types when replacing. The box sides should be of sufficient height to exceed the top of the terminals. Any gaps can be filled with wooden slats to hold batteries snug. If not fitted underfloor, a suitable plastic or fibreglass cover could be made to fit over box with allowance for ventilation.

[Guest]

If we used the correct term for a "battery" ie an accumulator, then a gas bottle would qualify

I agree with by'eck that wood or a similar non conducting material is a good idea.

My batteries, sorry accumulators, have been strapped down with a ratchet strap these past eleven years. Passed various boat inspections that way. All terminals are covered with insulating covers, and a wooden lid over the lot for good measure.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Guest

[Bacchus]

It is boat safety time again. I think everything is in place, except the batteries. I have two batteries in a purpose made metal box affair with a lid, there is space for a third but I don't have one. How should I secure them? Can I just wedge something, some wood for example in the gap?

 

I used a luggage strap for mine for the last BSS cert. Three or four squid from halfords if you don't have any lying around, and a couple of self-tappers with washers.

 

Would look a bit less Heath-Robinson and give you the flexibility to secure extra batteries in the future

[Water Rat.]

 

I used a luggage strap for mine for the last BSS cert. Three or four squid from halfords if you don't have any lying around, and a couple of self-tappers with washers.

 

Would look a bit less Heath-Robinson and give you the flexibility to secure extra batteries in the future

Thank you Bacchus - but what exactly are they secured to? Mine are just sitting in a purpose built box thing.

[Higgs]

It is boat safety time again. I think everything is in place, except the batteries. I have two batteries in a purpose made metal box affair with a lid, there is space for a third but I don't have one. How should I secure them? Can I just wedge something, some wood for example in the gap?

 

 

Have someone build a box that fits the space, with a lid. You could store your jump leads in it. xx

[bizzard]

Jump leads stored with the batteries would be very dodgy unless their clamps were wrapped up and insulated. They might move about and the clamps touch terminals that they shouldn't, fizzzzzz, fizzzzz, Bang!!!!

[Guest]

Thank you Bacchus - but what exactly are they secured to? Mine are just sitting in a purpose built box thing.

Could you fasten the rathcet strap ends to the sides of the box using bolts and penny washers, and just pass the strap over the top?

Edited April 16, 2015 by Guest

[by'eck]

Is there really a need to hold the batteries down in a correctly dimensioned battery box of sufficient height? On a sailing yacht yes, where the boat may be subject to extreme angles of heel, a Contessa 32 for example held the benchmark for point of vanishing stabiity at 156 deg from the vertical, but not a canal boat surely which doesn't have to withstand pounding seas.

 

TBH if your boat somehow became inverted, loose batteries may be the least of your worries

[bizzard]

Is there really a need to hold the batteries down in a correctly dimensioned battery box of sufficient height? On a sailing yacht yes, where the boat may be subject to extreme angles of heel, a Contessa 32 for example held the benchmark for point of vanishing stabiity at 156 deg from the vertical, but not a canal boat surely which doesn't have to withstand pounding seas.

 

TBH if your boat somehow became inverted, loose batteries may be the least of your worries

Perhaps its a flying boat prone to looping the loop, in which case it would need anti-spill gell batteries also. .

[by'eck]

Perhaps its a flying boat prone to looping the loop, in which case it would need anti-spill gell batteries also. .

 

I guess they are certainly used in race boats where the crew have to experience upside down in a tank before self righting with that clever swinging keel thingy

[bizzard]

 

I guess they are certainly used in race boats where the crew have to experience upside down in a tank before self righting with that clever swinging keel thingy

I was just visualizing Peter O'Tool as Muphy zooming about in that old seaplane in the filum ''Murphys war'' I wonder if Tony Bullimore' batteries were lashed down when his boat turned turtle in the Southern Ocean.

[Paul C]

Is there really a need to hold the batteries down in a correctly dimensioned battery box of sufficient height? On a sailing yacht yes, where the boat may be subject to extreme angles of heel, a Contessa 32 for example held the benchmark for point of vanishing stabiity at 156 deg from the vertical, but not a canal boat surely which doesn't have to withstand pounding seas.

 

TBH if your boat somehow became inverted, loose batteries may be the least of your worries

 

I'm not sure there is a need, in normal day-to-day boating. But there's a few instances I can think of where secured batteries may be a good thing:

 

1. If involved in a collision, unsecured batteries may be disrupted clear of their original position, thus straining the leads, possibly to tear out the cable connections and cause a short leading to battery overheating or fire/sparks etc.

2. If a boat were put on its side, or inverted (eg cilling in a broad lock) would the loss of the batteries into the lock chamber, possibly for ever, count as a more serious pollution incident, than simply if the batteries were temporarily immersed in the canal but because they were fixed, recovered with the boat.

Edited April 16, 2015 by Paul C

[Québec]

 

This arrangement works well on the butty. On the motor I have a similar method, but the piece of wood is supported on two battens and lifts out.

OFF TOPIC......Apologies for changing the topic, but I was intrigued by this set up. Like many, I suspect, we have two canisters but only a single supply pipe which we have to unscrew and swap everytime one runs out.

How does this work? Do you only have one canister working at a time? How do you swap between canisters?

[Water Rat.]

Thank for your comments By'ek, very informative. The 'box thing' is integral to the boat but I will try to line it with some wood. The lid is wooden with insulation.

[tree monkey]

OFF TOPIC......Apologies for changing the topic, but I was intrigued by this set up. Like many, I suspect, we have two canisters but only a single supply pipe which we have to unscrew and swap everytime one runs out.

How does this work? Do you only have one canister working at a time? How do you swap between canisters?

Via the big yellow switch I think, I have a similar system, two bottles connected only one feeding gas system? It makes it an easy swap when the bottle runs out mid kettle boil

[manxmike]

Why are most gas lockers specifically built to remove large amounts of skin from knuckles when trying to swop an empty bottle out and a full one in?

[system 4-50]

My batteries are in a metal box having 3 metal sides and a metal floor. The 4th side is provided by a dexion metal bar which can be unbolted to provide side access. Wooden blocks sit in the box to prevent the batteries moving around as the box is somewhat bigger than the current batteries. A thin 3mm sheet of ply sits in notches in the metal sides just clear of the battery posts providing a lid. This passes the BSS. Wooden lining of the sides is not necessary. The batteries would not fall out up to 45degrees. The batteries are not strapped in.

HTH.

ETA The metal box sits in metal corners welded onto the swim so that it does not move as a whole.

Edited April 16, 2015 by system 4-50

[lockedout]

I have just finished rebuilding the battery box for Charlotte - the set up when we bought her was a nasty mess and I have finally got round to a complete rebuild.

 

I made two identical boxes out of 18mm ply, each box takes three batteries and the internal partitions are fixed. The fronts of the boxes are held on by 6 wing nuts threaded on to stainless dowel pins. This allows for the batteries to be more easily removed from the box. (have you ever tried to lift a 135AH battery up and out of a battery box?? I am not a weakling, but I really struggled getting the old 110Ah batteries out).

 

The lids are 9mm ply with slatted vents routed in to the top with raised covers over the slats to prevent any items falling in on the batteries.

 

The whole lot is painted with several coats of Ronseal Weatherproof.

 

Looks a treat!!

[Ray T]

These are available but a way to secure them is needed:

 

 

30640

MARINE GRADE BATTERY BOX 120AMP Product Description

120amp battery box: 27cm (H) x 22.5cm (W) x 40cm (L). The 1 20amp box has an adjustable bulk head to allow batteries of80, 100 and 120amps to be installed. • Adequate ventilation on the cover • Allows access for battery cables • Supplied with fixing straps and brackets.

Price: £14.99

http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/Catalogue/ProductDetail/marine-grade-battery-box-120amp?productID=97c7396d-615f-4b28-b548-34fc7bf4f2c4&catalogueLevelItemID=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000