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Old 07-11-2020, 02:08 PM   #1
GaryUT
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Finished rewiring the battery compartment

The wiring in the battery compartment on my fifth wheel was a mess. Part of it was the way it was done at the factory, and the way the tech at the dealer installed the 2 6v batteries.

The first picture is how it was delivered to me, the batteries were "secured" by one nylon strap. Multiple wires were being smashed between the batteries and the bulkhead.

The second photo is what I did shortly after delivery. I properly secured the batteries with threaded rod and lengths of angle iron. I also cleaned up the wiring so that nothing was being smashed behind the batteries. I left it like this for the first year to avoid any warranty problems.

The third photo is the new panel I made to install in place of the mess of wires and auto resetting breakers. I also installed a ground buss bar to clean up the ground wires.

And the forth photo is the finished product.
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Old 07-11-2020, 03:56 PM   #2
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Looks great, I was amazed to see, in the first photo, they just had the nylon strap going over the battery fill caps

-Brian
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Old 07-12-2020, 04:35 AM   #3
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Very nice! It never ceases to amaze me how much shoddy work is done out there. Even in a compartment the batteries belong in a box, and yeah what’s with the single strap?
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Old 07-12-2020, 05:46 AM   #4
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One would think the dealer would know the batteries need to be in a vented box. One would think..
On second thought, yeah they knew that. They just were too lazy to do it.
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Old 07-12-2020, 06:08 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gearhead View Post
One would think the dealer would know the batteries need to be in a vented box. One would think..
On second thought, yeah they knew that. They just were too lazy to do it.
Or too cheap to pay the $8 wholesale price to put them in the trailer... Every dollar "not spent to support the customer's purchase is a dollar more profit."
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Old 07-12-2020, 06:45 AM   #6
flybouy
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You could have forced them to do better at delivery but you know it would have never been as neat and clean a job as you have dome. Great work!
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Old 07-12-2020, 06:53 AM   #7
GaryUT
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gearhead View Post
One would think the dealer would know the batteries need to be in a vented box. One would think..
On second thought, yeah they knew that. They just were too lazy to do it.
Keystone built it to only hold 1 12v battery. The compartment is open on the bottom and there is a vent on the front wall that would have connected to the stock battery box the dealer removed it to install the 6v batteries. I have attached a couple more photos that show the bottom of the batteries and the battery compartment without the batteries.

My next project is going to be making a box and cover out of kydex sheet and running a hose to the vent, and closing off the area below the battery disconnect.

Gary
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Old 07-12-2020, 06:59 AM   #8
gkainz
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I replicated the holes in the front compartment floor to add more batteries, and bought battery boxes from the dealer to match what they installed. I only wish they would have cut their hole fore and aft instead of sideways. My ocd objects to that.
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Old 07-12-2020, 07:07 AM   #9
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Wait - yours came with a battery strap? That would have been nice - Looks great! The bar has been raised.
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