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U-280 battery box height?

January 16, 2017, 03:45:39 pm

I will be upgrading the batteries on my '91 u280 and wonder if anbody knows if the stock battery box(3 8ds) will accommodate 6v  golf cart batteries(t-105 or crown cr-260s). Without modifying the cover to add height?  Thanks

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Re: U-280 battery box height?

Reply #1 – January 16, 2017, 07:54:21 pm

I put the 6v 105's in my stock bracket. Made a new hold down. My bracket is behind the drivers rear wheels. If input three in the top level I won't be able to use the sewer hose storage pipe.

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Re: U-280 battery box height?

Reply #2 – January 16, 2017, 08:30:37 pm

You should be able to get the height specs for 8d batteries and the 6 volt golf cart batteries online your batteries are in the service bay, right? I think you will have to modify the cover for the batteries

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Reply #3 – January 16, 2017, 10:28:22 pm

I think you will have to modify the cover for the batteries
I think you are right. I think it's fiberglass.  Hopefully I can cut out the top and raise it about an inch using fiberglass matting and resin. Never worked with that before, so advice is appreciated.

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Reply #4 – January 17, 2017, 02:52:47 pm

Wouldn't it be easier to raise the bottom where the cover rests on? With a spacer.

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Reply #5 – January 17, 2017, 06:56:25 pm

If I remember right that is on an angle so would be hard to do much easier to cut out the top and make it taller

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Reply #6 – January 17, 2017, 09:08:47 pm

It is on an angle. The back of the box is as tall as the batteries and the front low , barely a lip so you can get the batteries out easily. The sides go down atpt an angle. All capped with a lip the top gasket fits into. It's probably easier to cut out the lid and raise it. Can anybody point me to a good fiberglass work tutorial?

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Reply #7 – January 17, 2017, 10:18:38 pm

I have 4 6V T-105's  in mine. Tight getting them into the lower rack, but they fit.

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Re: U-280 battery box height?

Reply #8 – January 17, 2017, 10:47:57 pm

Doing glass work like that is a lot of work.  And that's not the easiest project to learn on.

I think I would make a new top out of wood and save the original top in case I wanted to go back to 8D's later.  I would coat it with an epoxy paint and would substitute the bulb seal with an adhesive backed foam strip.  I would buy a new set of rubber latches just so I could use the socket plates to mount on the new wood box while still using the original rubber part on the bottom. 

I know on mine the current fiberglass top doesn't exactly fit like a glove.  If made from wood guilds could be added to the inside to make it fit more secure to the bottom half.  I would probably also make 1-1/2" tall edges on the top of the box to hold things in and keep them from sliding off.

The vent might need to put in the side since hydrogen gas rises and you don't want the pipe to go downhill and trap any gas.  The pipe is just standard 1-1/2" ABS sewer drain pipe.

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