Title: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Ed W on March 29, 2017, 12:12:12 pm
Post by: Ed W on March 29, 2017, 12:12:12 pm
Has anyone installed a sliding battery tray capable of holding the 3 x 8D batteries (two on the bottom and one on the top)? I do not know how many years of design have the three chassis batteries tucked away in the half bay (not accessible via a compartment like I have seen on some years). I removed my 3 batteries the other day which was not an easy thing to do. Before I install the new batteries I would like to get a better design for battery storage.
Any suggestions are appreciated. I am staying with the 8D AGM batteries.
Any suggestions are appreciated. I am staying with the 8D AGM batteries.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Caflashbob on March 29, 2017, 12:50:24 pm
Post by: Caflashbob on March 29, 2017, 12:50:24 pm
Oem was gels. All unicoaches had them. 13 years later should be of note if original. AGM's from lifeline will add around 90 more amp hours between three batteries. With roughly 1/2 of the 13 year service life from what I have been told. Their info says they are the same life as your original gels. Which is good. Testing long term would be helpful.
The mk engineer thought the latest mk gels might double their life. See east penns tech page. And your info reinforces his comment about a lot of Foretravelers with 12 year old batteries.
Our 97 has a two lower and one upper slide trays. Would need to be mounted into steel wall framing for the weight
The mk engineer thought the latest mk gels might double their life. See east penns tech page. And your info reinforces his comment about a lot of Foretravelers with 12 year old batteries.
Our 97 has a two lower and one upper slide trays. Would need to be mounted into steel wall framing for the weight
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: John Haygarth on March 29, 2017, 12:56:10 pm
Post by: John Haygarth on March 29, 2017, 12:56:10 pm
Don made a slide out but his batteries are in an outside bay. Brother Geoff built one too for his 94 GV so it can be done just need to sit and think about it and visualize the finished product. Simple.
JohnH
JohnH
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: John Morales on March 29, 2017, 02:48:24 pm
Post by: John Morales on March 29, 2017, 02:48:24 pm
I have the three batteries with one on top and two at the bottom. My racks don't slide. I would have to find some rails and maybe have to extend the cables. I don't know that it's necessary since their is enough room to work on the batteries.
John M.
John M.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Michelle on March 29, 2017, 02:52:30 pm
Post by: Michelle on March 29, 2017, 02:52:30 pm
For those unfamiliar with the 2003 U320 (and some later) battery location, this is what the battery compartment looks like and why a slide tray could be a nice improvement
In earlier model years, the AquaHot was in this general location (midline of coach). Since that needs annual service, FT opted to move the AH to a more accessible location and use the freed up space for the batteries instead so that storage space in the bays wasn't lost.
In earlier model years, the AquaHot was in this general location (midline of coach). Since that needs annual service, FT opted to move the AH to a more accessible location and use the freed up space for the batteries instead so that storage space in the bays wasn't lost.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: John Haygarth on March 29, 2017, 03:03:28 pm
Post by: John Haygarth on March 29, 2017, 03:03:28 pm
I am sure the opening in our coach off the mid bay is the same size looking at Michelle's picture (this though may be wider). I have just put my 4th battery there and had to put it length wise as tight fitting other way and no room for slides to allow them coming out. It is very feasible to make up and frame with slides and there is a box frame in centre of floor and one at opening so a steel frame could be made with vertical framing to support the slides. Only problem (untill I get back in there and measure the height) is you can only get 1 battery on each level so maybe opening is not high enough ???
With opening sizes known then you can draw something up.
JohnH
With opening sizes known then you can draw something up.
JohnH
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: oldguy on March 29, 2017, 09:27:51 pm
Post by: oldguy on March 29, 2017, 09:27:51 pm
This company makes battery trays Battery Trays - Fleming Sales OEM | Elkhart, IN (http://www.flemingsalesoem.com/battery-trays/) I will be ordering the battery hold down straps
as soon as I get a minute
as soon as I get a minute
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Mark Duckworth on May 07, 2017, 08:12:41 pm
Post by: Mark Duckworth on May 07, 2017, 08:12:41 pm
For those unfamiliar with the 2003 U320 (and some later) battery location, this is what the battery compartment looks like and why a slide tray could be a nice improvement ...
Cool. Been wondering where the house batteries are located.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on May 07, 2017, 08:37:58 pm
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on May 07, 2017, 08:37:58 pm
Mark, that is a tough place to remove/replace batteries, even to service them (check cable connections etc.). Measure the space carefully. In my coach, a 2001, the batteries are on the side. In that space I can get six FullRiver DC335-6 6 volt batteries, 1005 amp hrs. In yours you might be able to use L-16 sized DC400-6, 1245 amp hrs. Lots more than the three 8Ds.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Mark Duckworth on May 07, 2017, 09:37:38 pm
Post by: Mark Duckworth on May 07, 2017, 09:37:38 pm
Mark, that is a tough place to remove/replace batteries, even to service them (check cable connections etc.). Measure the space carefully. In my coach, a 2001, the batteries are on the side. In that space I can get six FullRiver DC335-6 6 volt batteries, 1005 amp hrs. In yours you might be able to use L-16 sized DC400-6, 1245 amp hrs. Lots more than the three 8Ds.
In my coach the two basement areas available for storage -- one full width (left to right) bay behind the front wheels and one, 1/2 width bay that backs up to the electronics bay -- both have Joey Beds. I'm assuming if I extend the latter's Joey Bed I'll see the battery compartment cover.
The house batteries were replaced by FOT in 2015. I have not done any sort of load test on them. Is there a simple way to setup a constant load and measure how long it takes them to deplete some percentage to determine their health? I have amp and volt meters.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on May 07, 2017, 11:21:41 pm
Post by: Roger & Susan in Home2 on May 07, 2017, 11:21:41 pm
Mark, you need a big carbon pile load tester to adequately test the big batteries. I bought a used one of these used on eBay.
AUTO METER SB-5/2 BATTERY TESTER, 800 AMP W/ UNLOADER
Most places that sell these big batteries should have something like this. Most will tell you you need new batteries. If you take good care of your batteries they will last 7 years, maybe more. They will not store as much as they get older.
AUTO METER SB-5/2 BATTERY TESTER, 800 AMP W/ UNLOADER
Most places that sell these big batteries should have something like this. Most will tell you you need new batteries. If you take good care of your batteries they will last 7 years, maybe more. They will not store as much as they get older.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: jcus on May 07, 2017, 11:43:30 pm
Post by: jcus on May 07, 2017, 11:43:30 pm
Roger,
In my coach the two basement areas available for storage -- one full width (left to right) bay behind the front wheels and one, 1/2 width bay that backs up to the electronics bay -- both have Joey Beds. I'm assuming if I extend the latter's Joey Bed I'll see the battery compartment cover.
The house batteries were replaced by FOT in 2015. I have not done any sort of load test on them. Is there a simple way to setup a constant load and measure how long it takes them to deplete some percentage to determine their health? I have amp and volt meters.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Mark Duckworth on May 08, 2017, 11:33:36 am
Post by: Mark Duckworth on May 08, 2017, 11:33:36 am
...Most will tell you you need new batteries....
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Tom Lang on May 09, 2017, 12:46:37 pm
Post by: Tom Lang on May 09, 2017, 12:46:37 pm
I would think you could do this with nothing more than many of us already have on board. Fully charge the batteries, then disconnect all but one, turn on the inverter, and microwave something on high while monitoring battery voltage.
Repeat for each battery.
Repeat for each battery.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: WagonWheels on June 20, 2017, 05:20:34 pm
Post by: WagonWheels on June 20, 2017, 05:20:34 pm
Has anyone installed a sliding battery tray capable of holding the 3 x 8D batteries (two on the bottom and one on the top)? I do not know how many years of design have the three chassis batteries tucked away in the half bay (not accessible via a compartment like I have seen on some years). I removed my 3 batteries the other day which was not an easy thing to do. Before I install the new batteries I would like to get a better design for battery storage.
Any suggestions are appreciated. I am staying with the 8D AGM batteries.
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Caflashbob on June 20, 2017, 05:30:53 pm
Post by: Caflashbob on June 20, 2017, 05:30:53 pm
With the poor as designed access putting in AGM's with one half the cycle life would seem a lot of work at some future time.
On the other side lifeline AGM's offer 300 amp hours from 50% SOC to 90%
While MK gels would have around 270 amp hours from the same SOC.
Moving the batteries would alter the left to right and front to rear weight distribution that Foretravel carefully designed in.
Desulphurators would help the lifeline AGM's if thsts what you are using.
Lifelines can be equalized. The other AGM's no.
Gels require no equalization and there long life is probably why they were oem and buried
On the other side lifeline AGM's offer 300 amp hours from 50% SOC to 90%
While MK gels would have around 270 amp hours from the same SOC.
Moving the batteries would alter the left to right and front to rear weight distribution that Foretravel carefully designed in.
Desulphurators would help the lifeline AGM's if thsts what you are using.
Lifelines can be equalized. The other AGM's no.
Gels require no equalization and there long life is probably why they were oem and buried
Title: Re: 2003 U320 Battery Tray
Post by: Ed W on June 30, 2017, 08:31:11 am
Post by: Ed W on June 30, 2017, 08:31:11 am
For WAGONWHEELS, with regard to battery removal, I would say it is a two person job. As pictured in Reply#4 above, we do not have a joey bed in the half bay. If there is one (we have been thinking of installing one in our coach) it would have to be removed. We installed 8D batteries from NAPA. Battery replacement was easier than removal because I measured better and did not take the support frame apart on installation as I had on removal (I painted the support frame while I had the batteries out). There is a 1/4" of clearance between the top of the battery post and the top of the compartment. Therefore the bottom batteries need to be removed first. Then I put a bottle jack (piece of wood on top of bottle jack to distribute the load) in toward the center of the top battery to raise it above the frame lip but keeping it level. Then we slid the battery out. I did have a stack of wood on a small roller dolly that was about level with the raised battery height. The battery was slid onto this stack. The batteries weigh 160 lb each so be careful not to smash any fingers. You can PM me if you want clarification on the method. I replaced the original house batteries and I hope I do not need to do this again for several years. Placing the batteries low and in the center is good for center of gravity but they are hard to remove.