Boxes For Your Batteries Acid Tight?

If your battery boxes are not screwed down using external mounting tabs that you can see then you have a problem. I just replaced my battery set because I had battery acid running out of the battery box all over the engine room.
I found that the battery cell had failed and was leaking.
But the box was mounted with screws drilled through the bottom of the box
Two problems with that. With the screws through the bottom the box is no longer acid tight.
Second. Even if your batteries are not leaking, the gas given off during each charge corrodes the screw head. As soon as the screw heads are gone your boxes with be flying around your engine room.
So check your battery boxes for external mounting screws.
A source for battery boxes with external mounts is:
(I hope that I am the only one with this problem)

That is why you should always line the bottom of your battery boxes with a generous coating of baking soda before you put batteries in them.

"So check your battery boxes for external mounting screws."

Dropping off a wave a simple wood screw will probably not work to keep the batts secure.

The larger batt boxes (usually for 8D or a group of batts) will use (4) 3/8 lag bolts or machine screws with nuts for security in a knockdown., or upset.

I have 2 battery boxes. The first one holds 2 group D8's and I'm not even going to talk about the house bank.

They make a battery mat's that will absorb and neutralize acid. Yes i use a battery mats under my AMG's.

I have not seen many battery boxes that would be safe that do not bolt through the inside of the box.

"I have not seen many battery boxes that would be safe that do not bolt through the inside of the box."


Keep looking , the ones in my boat have robust cast ears that will handle bolts, or heavy lag screws..

Not at the boat so cant give name till November.

Capt.Bill11 said:

That is why you should always line the bottom of your battery boxes with a generous coating of baking soda before you put batteries in them.

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How much baking soda? Just curious if you have done the titrations to be sure of the quantity? Baking soda is a pretty weak base, as compared to sulphuric acid which is an extremely strong acid. Me thinks any reasonable quantity of baking soda would far insufficient to neutralize a ruptured battery. Caustic soda would do it but I'm not sure I'd want that stuff in my ER.


Jim
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Hmmm, all of mine are strapped down. No screws or bolts.

Mine are strapped down as well. So were the ones on my previous boat and the one before it.


The straps and the pieces to hold the straps down usually come with the box.


I never heard of lining the bottom of a battery box with baking soda and I don't think I would do this. If you can find a purpose built mat to absorb acid, that would be OK.

menzies said:

Hmmm, all of mine are strapped down. No screws or bolts.

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WesK said:

Mine are strapped down as well. So were the ones on my previous boat and the one before it.

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Me too. Large Eyebolts into the structural stringers and serious Nylon tie downs...

menzies said:

Hmmm, all of mine are strapped down. No screws or bolts.

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Ours are both.

Good thread. I too installed decent battery box for my 4D. Found by accident that a manufacturing defect had a hole through the box. I found when i took the box out to wash it out after bad battery boiled over and puked acid all in the box. Luckily the hole in the box was high enough no acid leaked out. I patched it but need to replace it.
I like the ideas of strapping it down in addition to the lugs cast with the box, Larry. Heavy stuff has a way of breaking loose.
Dave.

Baking soda will neutralize the acid turns it into salt water.

I just dump a goodly amount into the box or tray and let the batteries sit right in the white baking soda powder. I figure it is very unlikely a battery will dump all its acid like split the case. I suppose it could explode. Baking soda will just harmlessly sit there and be ready if an event happens. I used one large box for 4 batteries in a tray. Baking soda covered the bottom maybe 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. It won't hurt to use more, you will be glad you did if something does happen and the acid leaks out.

I also think batteries vent a little acidified humidity, especially if they are bubbling from a high volt charge, or maybe under a large current drain. So the baking soda is good all the time for protection. AND it is so cheap and so effective, why not.

Does anybody think boxes like these are needed for AGMs/Gels? Tie-downs for sure, but boxes?

angus99 said:

Does anybody think boxes like these are needed for AGMs/Gels? Tie-downs for sure, but boxes?

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I don't have them for mine. They are in tied down "trays"...but not boxes. WIth that said, the boat came with wet cell LA batteries and the set up was the same....which was another reason I chose AGM as the replacement. Yes, boxes would have been cheaper but space was an issue.

I believe hold down trays meet the requirements....they don't have to be full boxes.


None of the new Sea Rays I was familiar with in the early 2000's had boxes, just tie down trays...NMMA approved.

Wouldn't mind hearing more suggestions for likely battery boxes.


The NOCO "commercial" boxes and Bonar boxes look to be the best I've seen.... but I keep thinking there ought to be matching boxes for pairs of GCs, single 31s, single 24s, etc. and I haven't been able to solve that. My thoughts about that are simply because of the way our battery set-up works, and because I'll likely always have some mixture of battery profiles like that.


If using the NOCO commercial boxes, or a mixture of their commercial and snap-on boxes... I think I'd be inclined to paint all those white first... assuming they can be painted... partly to make dirt or whatever easier to spot... and partly to take some of the "dark" out of the engine room. Would be easier if they were simply manufactured in white in the first place...


Are there other decent boxes out there?


-Chris

Capt.Bill11 said:

That is why you should always line the bottom of your battery boxes with a generous coating of baking soda before you put batteries in them.

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I'm a tad anal and pouring gritty powder into my battery boxes goes against the grain. Is there anything similar to oil-absorbent napkins made for this purpose?

Shoalwaters said:

I'm a tad anal and pouring gritty powder into my battery boxes goes against the grain. Is there anything similar to oil-absorbent napkins made for this purpose?

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As i said in my last post they make a battery mat just for that.

choppywater said:

As i said in my last post they make a battery mat just for that.

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Sorry Choppy, I missed that. Will have to Investigate.

ranger42c said:

If using the NOCO commercial boxes, or a mixture of their commercial and snap-on boxes... I think I'd be inclined to paint all those white first... assuming they can be painted... partly to make dirt or whatever easier to spot... and partly to take some of the "dark" out of the engine room. Would be easier if they were simply manufactured in white in the first place...



-Chris

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That is funny you say that. My batteries are white with an almost glowing cobalt blue top. I never thought I'd be 'ghey' about the appearance of batteries but when I look down there I always think....COOL!!!!

If you use hold down brackets instead of boxes, you will have to insulate the positive battery connections to be legal (and safe). The lids on the boxes take care of that