RV House Battery (Pair) Exchange- Aspect 30J

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

I want to replace my 2 each RV house Napa Group 31 House batteries on my Aspect 30J. The current OEM Batteries are Napa 8231, and I have height limitations so going back with the same Deep Cycle style batts, same form fit. These house batteries are on a slide out under the dining room slide.

I am going Lead acid to replace the Lead acid batteries I have. I was kicking around the idea of AGM, but will deal with the periodic Maintenance for better performance. I am not a boon docker. I have 100 watt on the roof with a Zamp 30 amp controller. The controller can take up to 510 watt input and I have two available panel plug ins on the roof junction box. I may add two more 100 watt panels later, just in case as the install looks fairly easy.

I have been having a boil over or leak which results in a acidic mess. I finally realize, I think that the top retain battery bracket is too tight. Probably done by factory and I believe that I either have a slight crack on the plastic battery housing near the top creating the acid leak, or the over tightness has slightly deformed the seals for a cell near the battery retainer bar. The batts hold a charge and have enough to crank the gen set monthly. Even though they hold a charge, I need to do something about the acid over flow. I think it is time to stop ignoring the corrosive situation and do something before my batteries drop out on the highway while enroute.

Question, After I remove the terminals to the 2 house batteries, I should just wrap the positive in a rag and tape it to avoid arcing? I am thinking in addition to this I should disconnect the Ford E450 also. I want to wash and repaint the tray the batts sit in with some fresh paint. This next time I will put some wooden paint sticks or something so the batts don’t sit direct on the battery drawer.

I am thinking I should drop the connection for the E450 batt as they cables tie into a bus bar from the ford and I do not want to create a arching situation totally while I am goofing around with this.

I think I wanting to change out the Battery Terminal cables while I am kneed deep into these house batts? The OEM cables look like a amateur fabricated them. I want to have a professional looking cable terminal connections and I want to install that negative termnal cut off, I got awhile back to prevent phantom drain while in storage.

I am not sure I am going to be able to get beautiful cables fabricated locally. Anybody have any E-Commerce Ideas?
Any board members have any real world feedback on custom battery cables?

I also think I might should just go with new J bolts all thread and battery retainer while I am at it.

Not sure these cables are totally necessary, but as long as I have the batteries out, I am thinking why not just do it? No better time than then... Not real happy with the OEM look of the cable end terminal connections I have on it. I am going to add 1-2 inches to each one if I do it.

Anybody ever buy prefabricated Battery cable on the net?

 

[ChasA]

JD, you don't need to put anything around the positive battery terminal. Just disconnect the negative cable first and move the cable end away from the battery. Current cannot flow without both battery terminals connected. And as a safety measure always disconnect the negative first. When putting them back, negative goes on last.
Re neutralizing the battery acid. Mix up an strong solution of baking soda in water and wet the battery tray down. Let it sit for a little while and then hose it all down.
Rather than paint, I use truck bed liner out of a spray can, 3 or 4 coats.7

 

[John Hilley]

You have a good plan. It never hurts to be too safe, so disconnecting the Chassis Battery isn't a bad idea. Take a picture of every thing before you remove any cables. Fabricated cables are easily obtained on line. Marine suppliers are a good source. A lot of automotive supply stores can also fabricate cables as can welding supplies stores. I use marine battery cable or welding cable.

I usually buy from a company in Georgia on eBay.

 

[John Canfield]

Moved here from the Winnebago board.

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

I will make sure I disconnect it all, clean it up, I like the Rhino Coat that Chas Speaks of, take pics, and then see about the cables. Now is the time to just do it. I will make sure I don't tip the battery into a spark situation when I wrestle them out too.

I am posting a few random pics of the battery tray. I am not a fan of the 3 bolt hold down and that skinny bar / strap top design. These are NAPA 8231, Marine, Deep Cycle. I read a battery article here and see that this style is what I need for my RV as the House Batts crank the 4K Onan Generator, or it is shared cranking duty. Something along those lines. These are OEM Winnebago Installed batts/

I do not like the size of the batteries in relation to size of the slide out frame / tray. Too much wiggle room, or room for batteries to shift if you do not have the center clamp over tight. Maybe the original owner did that, but I doubt it. I didn't for sure.

I was hoping to find a plastic top retainer / battery to lock the batteries together in better alignment while they sit on the battery tray. I can not find a Battery frame Assy like that to buy on the internet.

I was looking for one that went around the outer perimeter at the top of the batteries still allowing cell access for maint. I can't find any aftermarket contraption. Maybe they don't exist?

I am also thinking maybe I might just buy a group 31 lower tray assy plastic, if I can find one that looks like I can cut it with a Dremel to fit the tray. Meaning like a cradle of the 2 batteries to sit it. That would allow a looser bar/strap tightening of the batts at the top and keep them from shifting during transport.

I think I may just have to use wood block to shim the batteries and keep them spaced and stationary when I put the new batteries in.

I think there is a waterjet cutting place here where I can see if they can fashion this same crappy center strap out of a harder material for cheap or just try and buy a fresh one of WGO.

This Battery Hold Down is a poor design, and the idiot at the factory has the back hold down bolt so tight it has deformed the plastic housing of the battery top I'll bet creating the crack or deformed to make the acid Leak.

Also I think the way the factory bundled the wires coming to the battery they should have allow a bit more slack. I can add distilled to all 12 cells currently barely, but I see there is 2 more inches of travel on the slide out, or it appears that way as the positive cable is tight on one of them.

Few random pics of the house batteries, 2 each.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I am going Lead acid to replace the Lead acid batteries I have. I was kicking around the idea of AGM, but will deal with the periodic Maintenance for better performance.

Just for the record, AGM batteries are still lead-acid. It's the plate construction that differs in an AGM battery, not the chemistry. With AGM you do lose some amp-hours vs flooded cells, at least in terms of the factory rating. Less sure that you lose effective or usable capacity over the life of the battery, though. Too many usage variables to predict that.

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

Sent off a email to Winnebago Parts, Got the Auto Reply that they are busy scrolling Facebook (Wink) and it may take 5 days for a reply. New World Order / crappy customer support is here to stay I will bet. I got to thinking and I am sure the part has to be cheaper off the shelf than to fabricate it. Not wanting to pull out the batts until I have the locking bar in hand as this original is all wavy and bent. Not going to throw new batteries in there until I have the parts I want.

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

Just for the record, AGM batteries are still lead-acid. It's the plate construction that differs in an AGM battery, not the chemistry. With AGM you do lose some amp-hours vs flooded cells, at least in terms of the factory rating. Less sure that you lose effective or usable capacity over the life of the battery, though. Too many usage variables to predict that.

Gary,

I still think the heat down here will ZAP AGMs quicker, and I will be better off just adding fluid to the new ones, like I do the OEM batts I got. We are going to get into FLAME Thrower Temps here soon. I am still waiting on the WGO reply for the battery hold down parts, as the original bracket is over tight, bent and wavy. I probably could fix it with a hammer, but want to go Fresh on the install. I think the wood blocks around and between the batts will allow me to go snug as opposed to over tight on the top hold down, as I got right now. The Factory guy or Gal who installed it, need to get a job elsewhere. Dumb Axx.

My Schedule is pretty open so time is not a problem. The 6V Golf cart batts are a no GO for my Rig with the carry tray at OEM specs. Too Tall and not enough foot print to add 4. I was thinking about taking the underseat storage on the dinette and going AGM (+2) for a total of 4 AGM. Too much weight adding two more lead cells to the mix.

The Lithium Ion (BB) are out of the question due to expense, and I see they have no Cold Cranking Amps. My House batts work in concert with the Ford Battery to start the Gen Set, I think. Pretty sure about that. I would sure hate to invest all that money and come to find out my Gen Set Won't crank for me, LOL. Be my luck.

JD

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

y tray at OEM specs.

Deleted / Double Post

 

[X-Roughneck Strike 3]

Finally got a reply at day 5 from my email I sent to winnebagoparts.com. Winnebago no longer sells parts direct to customers. The email said they had the new parts for $20 ish and to call a number if i want to order, and guess what folks, it goes back right to the Voicemail loop if you are receiving during normal hours we are busy. The same one their their 800 and Regular Phone line take you to in perpetuity.

Is there a better place to buy Winnebago Parts?

Total Joke of a Business.

JD

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Doesn't Lichtsinn in IA sell factory parts? I was under the impression they were in tight with the factory. I'm not sure you can get there from here with WGO parts. I would be looking at marine suppliers for premium battery hardware.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[ChasA]

JD, Winnebagoparts.
Com is not Winnebago, it is a separate entity that buys left over parts from Winnebago and resells them.