Duracell EGC2 Battery Boxes

[H33CRich]

I made two battery boxes for the 4 EGC2 batteries I picked up from SAMs on Monday (seee attached). There is a lower box (mounts in shower sump), and an upper box (mounts on top of lower box). Total hieght is 28 inches. In anticipation for this, I had already remade the cabinet set under the map table. It is two inches longer than before to take the battery box column. I can lower the column further in the sump if need be, but I don't think I will need to if my measurements are right. The trick will be to load the batteries into the boxes since each battery weighs 68 pounds, the pair almost 140 pounds. The lower box should not be an issue putting batteries in the mounted box. The upper will require some rigging I've yet to make to allow sliding it into place. BTW - The steps now mount to the sloping front of the map-table cabinet and lifts out for access to the battery banks.

I still need to drill the holes for the power cables and hydration tubing lines and paint, plus mount the mega fuses for each battery pair, plus the bus bars, but we are getting there.

 

[Ed Schenck]

All that work makes me glad I am just strapping mine down in the bilge. Next week I hope. I can't appreciate your efforts because I don't understand where and how those fit on the H33.

 

[SamLust]

It's OK ed. I own a 33, I've been on his boat, and I haven't figured it out. Based on how well his holding tank project came out, ALMOST as good as mine, I'm letting him slide on this one.

 

[H33CRich]

Thanks Sam for your vote of confidence. You are right about your holding tank; yours is better, mine was cheaper -). I have have one photo from when I was checking the fit of the access door frame showing the sump well and frame. It is going right there. The upper box is not fixed to the lower box lid yet. I will not screw it down until I check the box for access door clearance. I will take a photo of the boxes in place this weekend.

 

[Benny17441]

You may or may not be unto something. Can't wait to see the finished product. You should be able to find a battery strap that holds the batteries by the poles. It will sure help in lowering them into the boxes. At 68 lbs I think two people may make the job easier.

 

[GorillaToast]

I made a strap for my EGC2s out of an old tie down, looped each end thru the fitting and bolted them with a 1/4" bolt, washer and nut. Works fine.

If you look online, the golf car industry has a carrier that has a hook on each end to go thru the 2 holes in the strap fitting. When you've got 60+ golf cars to service you need something to attach quickly and efficiently. But that's why they don't come with straps like most batteries do

I think they sell for under $10 online.

 

[Redbeard33]

This is one of the projects on my long to do list. Please take lots of pics. Also, is the bottom box elevated to allow room for a pump? I was thinking of trying to find a pump that could be located outside the shower sump and just have a 1/2" pickup hose in the sump to allow more depth. Has anybody done anything like this? Or are you just not using the shower inside the head?

 

[H33CRich]

I have a few more pictures on my website. This is going to work really well. I don't have the batteries installed yet but after I do, i will add an article to the owner mods section of SBO. http://www.richgard.com/h33celectrical.htm

 

[H33CRich]

You may or may not be unto something. Can't wait to see the finished product. You should be able to find a battery strap that holds the batteries by the poles. It will sure help in lowering them into the boxes. At 68 lbs I think two people may make the job easier.

I have the battery rewire almost complete. I misplaced one cable for the top battery positive line. argh! was so close. Anyway, here are a few more pictures of them installed in the place over the sump. I also have the cranking battery under the pilot berth next to the engine/transmission well.
450 Ah of house, reasonable cranking battery, I think I am set for power storage. Now for replenishment... Another day. I splash 5-5.

 

[H33CRich]

This is one of the projects on my long to do list. Please take lots of pics. Also, is the bottom box elevated to allow room for a pump? I was thinking of trying to find a pump that could be located outside the shower sump and just have a 1/2" pickup hose in the sump to allow more depth. Has anybody done anything like this? Or are you just not using the shower inside the head?

The bottom battery box rests on support blocks just above the sump output port. See attachment. Since taking this picture, I added two more supports (one on each side of the well) to give it support on all 4 sides of the well. I also installed a new automatic bilge pump with a manual overide.

 

[H33CRich]

I made a strap for my EGC2s out of an old tie down, looped each end thru the fitting and bolted them with a 1/4" bolt, washer and nut. Works fine.

If you look online, the golf car industry has a carrier that has a hook on each end to go thru the 2 holes in the strap fitting. When you've got 60+ golf cars to service you need something to attach quickly and efficiently. But that's why they don't come with straps like most batteries do

I think they sell for under $10 online.

I love inventing things too. In this case I was too lazy. I stopped at Batteries Plus near me and they gave me a strap with a double hook on each end; gratis. Wow! Nice folks at Batteries Plus.

 

[fiestaMojo]

Great job. . . thanks for all the work putting this together, here and on your web site - a great resource for those of us with 33s (and limited resources). . . Pat