FOUR 6-volt or TWO 12-volt batteries under step in 2003 Winnebago Adventurer?

Hello,

I've decided that I want to get 4 Trojan T105 6v batteries for the coach on my 2003 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y. My concern is that they may not fit under the step alongside the engine battery (5 batteries total!). Has anyone faced this challenge and come up with any good solutions -- a picture would be worth a thousand words!!

If 4 Trojan 6v batteries will not work then I'm thinking of getting 2 Trojan 30XHS 12v batteries.

In either case, another concern may be filling the batteries with water. Should I be worried about that too? I don't hear good things about the devices that auto fill all the batteries at once.

Thank you.

Quite some time ago I read a post where a Winnebago owner was able to 4 T-105s plus a long narrow starting battery in his battery compartment.  On my 2005 Voyage I put 4 T-105s under the steps and moved the starting battery to the compartment just behind the steps where my water pump is.

Paul

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f23/battery-additions-and-upgrade-217250.html

I'm in the 5 batteries in the step club. And it just so happens I have a 31Y. (Hello fellow 31Y owner!) Lots of options in the thread above.

Thanks for the links to all the pictures, that's exactly what I need.
Looking at those photos it doesn't seem too hard to fill the batteries. I will look to get a more narrow chassis battery to put on one side, or maybe even in the middle, so it's easier to reach in case I need a 'jump'.

I'm putting four GC batteries in my Sightseer tomorrow. All will run N/S with two fore and two aft. The chassis battery, a group 29, will run E/W and be between the GC pairs. You probably won't need a thin chassis battery with this configuration and all are easy to access, except for cleaning the sides of course.

I could only fit 2 group 31's and a regular starting battery in my 99' Adventurer.  There's plenty of room under there to expand the battery box though, but that's a lot of metal work done while you're on your back.

I could fit 4 GC-2 and the regular chassis battery in my 99 Brave 35C, but I was 1/4" too narrow on my 2003 Adventurer 38G. There is no problem checking and adding water if you can fir them. I will be moving my chassis battery to a frame mounted drop down battery tray in the front.

Drop Down Battery Tray
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-Steel-Drop-Down-Battery-Box-For-Group-24-Batteries-/171081513751?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27d540bb17&vxp=mtr

John, where specifically will you be mounting the drop down battery box to the frame? on my 2003 Adventurer I see a possible location in the very front of the rig near where the 'bumper' meets the frame in front of the passenger side front tire.

That is essentially where I was planning to mount it. I plan on running a new battery cable to the existing Chassis Power Post and a ground wire from the negative to an existing chassis ground.

John,
So, you'd feel more comfortable mounting the battery up front like we are talking about vs. placing it in a compartment; even if it's inside an enclosed plastic box like the one in this link?

http://www.etrailer.com/RV-and-Camping/Deka/DW03189.html

I don't want to loose any space in a compartment. I also do think it is a better place from a cable and service perspective.

There is also a good chance that a regular compartment will not provide the ventilation required unless specific modifications are made. Lead acid batteries produce potentially explosive gasses when charging and thus the compartment must be ventilated adequately.

Well, sometimes measuring twice and cutting once just doesn't work. I must have measured my battery box at least 10 times over the last six months and yet four GC-2 and the chassis battery didn't fit. That's the short story... I needed about 1/4 inch more room.

The long, and more painful, story is that I bought a new chassis battery and two GC. One of the GC's was bad so I decided I would install four. The next morning I picked-up three more GC's and one of those was bad. The following morning I pick-up one more GC (batteries were not stocked so had to be ordered for overnight delivery each time).

Finally, with four good and two bad GC's I pulled my old batteries and tried to install the four GC and chassis batteries. Wouldn't fit. And, I got a more accurate measurement of the battery box when it was empty and I wasn't holding a steel tape over the top of hot batteries.

I have a two inch obstruction inside the box which is where the top step tucks when in. I though I had taken that into consideration along with reversing a few screws and rerouting the step door switch wiring, but evidently not. The batteries may have fit if I was willing to build a two inch false floor level with the existing obstruction, but since I don't boondock longer then 10 - 12 hours, or at least have not so far, I simply lost interest. So, I will operate with two GC batteries.

The good thing is the store, after all their trouble, took back all the extra batteries and gave me a full refund.

There may be hope for Quillback 424...In my research I noticed that a guy placed a piece of plywood on the floor of the battery compartment to level it out and compensate for the obstruction you're mentioning.  This would have worked for me if my batteries weren't so tall. Maybe you can check into it.
IMHO I wouldn't use plywood though because I feel it would get eaten up by any leakage in this type of application.

As I mentioned, a false bottom probably would have worked. I was adding battery more out of boredom then need, and have lost interest in the project.