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Old 06-24-2020, 04:57 AM   #1
mikec557
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Q: mounting Shunt on trailer tongue & self tapping screw

Hi again

Still gathering material for my projects. I need advice on two more topics. I need to mount the shunt for my BMV-712 on the tongue of my trailer near the battery. I feel like I need to mount it inside some sort of protection from the elements. Does anyone have a suggestion for some kind of water proof/resistant box to mount to the tongue to house it. Or maybe some idea better than a box?

The other item is, what kind of screws would you suggest for screwing electrical things, or boxes like above, to the metal frame. Ideally it would be self tapping because I would prefer not to add drilling pilot holes in the rv frame to my list of to-do(s).

Thanks
Mike
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Old 06-24-2020, 08:26 AM   #2
JRTJH
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I would not use self tapping screws with points toward the batteries inside the box. Doing so is a good way to have "cargo shift" slide the battery into those sharp points. I'd suggest removing the batteries, drilling appropriately sized holes, mounting the shunt (or the plastic box that holds the shunt) to the outside of the battery box with bolt heads INSIDE the battery box. That way, there's less chance of damaging your battery/batteries.
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Old 06-24-2020, 08:44 AM   #3
mikec557
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Originally Posted by JRTJH View Post
I would not use self tapping screws with points toward the batteries inside the box. Doing so is a good way to have "cargo shift" slide the battery into those sharp points. I'd suggest removing the batteries, drilling appropriately sized holes, mounting the shunt (or the plastic box that holds the shunt) to the outside of the battery box with bolt heads INSIDE the battery box. That way, there's less chance of damaging your battery/batteries.
Good point, no pun intended. I was thinking more along the lines of installing a negative bus bar on the inside surface of the tongue frame.
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Old 06-24-2020, 01:26 PM   #4
MarkEHansen
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I mounted my shunt inside the forward pass-through compartment. I just got a couple longer "negative" cables to run from the battery into the pass-through, and then from the shunt back to the ground lug on the trailer frame. It makes the negative side of the cable longer than the positive side, but I just have two 6v batteries connected in series, so I don't think this is a big deal.

This way, the shunt is mounted inside, out of the weather. The cables go through a hole I made in the bottom of the pass-through floor, which I then sealed with expanding foam ($3 from Home Depot).
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Old 06-24-2020, 01:39 PM   #5
mikec557
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I mounted my shunt inside the forward pass-through compartment...

This way, the shunt is mounted inside, out of the weather. The cables go through a hole I made in the bottom of the pass-through floor, which I then sealed with expanding foam ($3 from Home Depot).
When your drilled hole exited the bottom of the floor, was this somewhere up inside the coroplast or where ... I think the coroplast completely seals the Underbelly of the frame.
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Old 06-24-2020, 01:41 PM   #6
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No, there is about 12 inches or so outside the A frame before you get to the edge of the trailer body. At least this is the case on my trailer - I'm not sure how this is on 5th wheel trailers. Just have a look under the left or right side of your trailer. It will be obvious.
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Old 06-24-2020, 05:56 PM   #7
Logan X
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I screwed a piece of pressure treated lumber to the battery tray using the existing holes from the old battery box. Then I used general purpose screws and wide washers to screw through the bottom of the battery box and the bottom of the shunt box into the piece of lumber. I’ve used that set up for several years with no issue.
Edit-the battery box and shunt box are mounted side by side.

Here is the dual 6v battery box

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-HM426-Co.../dp/B003VAUG5A

And here is the shunt box

https://www.amazon.com/SOCKiTBOX-Wea.../dp/B009RX5GI2

I know I posted some of this stuff in the other thread you posted on, but I wanted to post it here too for future viewers.

I included a picture of how the lumber is attached. That photo is taken from under the tongue.
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Old 06-24-2020, 06:22 PM   #8
mikec557
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Logan X View Post
I screwed a piece of pressure treated lumber to the battery tray using the existing holes from the old battery box. Then I used general purpose screws to screw through the bottom of the battery box and the bottom of the shunt box into the piece of lumber. I’ve used that set up for several years with no issue.

Here is the dual 6v battery box

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-HM426-Co.../dp/B003VAUG5A

And here is the shunt box

https://www.amazon.com/SOCKiTBOX-Wea.../dp/B009RX5GI2

I know I posted some of this stuff in the other thread you posted on, but I wanted to post it here too for future viewers.

I included a picture of how the lumber is attached. That photo is taken from under the tongue.
Thanks Logan. Seeing pictures of the different methods that others have done is very helpful.
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Old 06-24-2020, 07:48 PM   #9
Logan X
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Originally Posted by mikec557 View Post
Thanks Logan. Seeing pictures of the different methods that others have done is very helpful.
For sure, you’re welcome.

One other thing I thought of. I recently had a problem with my Victron battery monitor “glitching.” I traced the problem back to the in line fuse on the small wire the powers the shunt. That wire goes from the shunt to the positive terminal on the battery. The housing for the in line fuse is not water tight, so over time some water got in there. The water caused a little corrosion and the result was the “glitch” issue. I put some dielectric grease on the top of the fuse housing and so far so good. All that to say- if you mount the shunt on the tongue, make sure you weatherproof the in line fuse as well as the shunt.

Here is a video about it if you want to check it out.

https://youtu.be/FwS_LEMIJKk
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