Battery box or not?

[Rated Aargh]

Who is using battery boxes for their house battery bank? If you are what are you using? Start batteries are pretty easy but there are typically far more batteries in a house bank than start batteries.

Back story:
New to me boat had a wooden box for the 4) 6v house batteries that was built super tight. The batteries were shot and swelled so badly I had to basically destroy the box to remove batteries to replace them.
So now I’m trying to decide how to secure the new batteries. Build a new wooden box that won’t contain acid or try and figure out a plastic box for the batteries. Space is fairly limited also.

 

[Ken E.]

Fisheries Supply in Seattle has battery boxes made from a very strong poly material. I have these in my boat and they've worked well for 20 years or so.

 

[DennisB1]

Another approach would be to use AGM for batteries rather than the wet cell type. They still need a good tie down system.

 

[O C Diver]

When I did my refit, I had Sean build a house battery box out of Coosa board and fiberglass. It works quite well and served the purpose of being able to contain open lead acid batteries.

If you build a box, allow atleast an inch on all sides of each battery for heat dissipation.

Ted

 

[tiltrider1]

When my bank was made of L16’s LA. I used plastic boxes. Fisheries Supply had nice poly style boxes that would hold 4 L16’s.

Now that my bank is LiFePo4 I no longer need boxes. All batteries need some form of cover to prevent being shorted out by an accidental drop of a metallic object.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Our 3 house batteries are in the lazarette each in their own box, but that makes them virtually impossible for me to work on. The furthest starboard battery is especially difficult for anyone but the skinniest kid to reach. Just not enough vertical space in our lazarette.

 

[Larry M]

Noco makes very solid boxes for 6 volt GC batteries.

https://no.co/hm426

 

[kchace]

I’m using these from Dyno and like them a lot

https://www.go2marine.com/Dyno-Battery-Battery-Boxes

Ken

 

[Pete Meisinger]

I advise plastic boxes with lids.

I once had a battery freeze and it lost most of it's acid, fortunately into a battery box, otherwise it would be in my bilge.

Coast Guard wants terminals covered, ergo the lid.

pete

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. RA. Build new wooden boxes allowing room for ventilation (post #4) and coat them with acid-proof paint. https://skygeek.com/345qt.html

 

[STB]

I use these:
-- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002WCUR0M

 

[Ken Kindrick]

Need to use battery boxes?

Find out what the local, state and federal requirements are. Don't just ask what the other guys do. That's ok on non electrical questions.

 

[Iggy]

I like seeing my batteries, the connections. I used pressure treated wood 1.5" high around each battery some sharing the wood from left to right. Than a ratchet strap across them. For the house bank, to add the side of these batteries where smooth. Unlike car batteries.

For my bow thruster, I am using batteries with tabs for hold down brackets. Than I used pressure treated wood with notches that fit into the tabs. So wood all around and no strap/s needed.

 

[Barrie]

I use battery trays that are screwed down and then the batteries are strapped in. Find this makes maintenance easier and if there is a battery leak, it goes in the tray.

 

[HeadedToTexas]

Find out what the local, state and federal requirements are. Don't just ask what the other guys do. That's ok on non electrical questions.

This is really the bottom line. Don't risk messing with your insurance.

That said, my real gripe with our battery boxes is the lack of visual access. It is mostly their location in the low head room of our lazarette, but it's still a problem.

I like seeing my batteries, the connections. I used pressure treated wood 1.5" high around each battery some sharing the wood from left to right. Than a ratchet strap across them. For the house bank, to add the side of these batteries where smooth. Unlike car batteries.

 

[psneeld]

As far as I know, there are no local, state or federal regs on battery boxes for recreational vessels.

Best you might do is ABYC which are still only recommendations unless one's insurance company demands otherwise.

 

[Jerry formally Epoxy Lady]

Batt Boxes

ABYC is pretty clear on their 'recommendations' on battery boxes. Makes sense. Especially to most Ins Cos in an Ins Survey.

 

[psneeld]

Insurance companies can be dissuaded from ABYC recommendations and internal ones sometimes if the argument is well documented and makes sense.

 

[Larry M]

We had 13 batteries in the engine room on our 42’ Krogen. Ten for the house bank, 2 start batteries and 1 generator battery. All were in battery boxes. I can’t imagine working on the engine dealing with battery tops, even with the terminals protected.

 

[Jerry formally Epoxy Lady]

When I was a SAMS surveyor, the lack of boxes, properly secured, w covers, was always written as an exception, fyi.

 

[psneeld]

When I was a SAMS surveyor, the lack of boxes, properly secured, w covers, was always written as an exception, fyi.

If this is directed at me, it was a few items on surveys that I disagreed with and with enough documentation got the insurance companies to reverse their decision in originally mandating the surveyors reccomendations or findings.

Just suggesting to anyone that with enough research and some common sense, negotiating isn't out of the question.

Not saying that straying from ABYC recommendations is wise, but some of their recommendations have a lot to be desired as discussed MANY times here on TF. And worse, that some surveyors don't use their experience and just blindly quote ABYC when suitable alternatives are reasonably accetable for older vessels.

 

[Lou_tribal]

The OP did not mention what type of battery he will use as replacement. Not an expert but this would certainly be a factor to consider to decide what type of box to use if any.

L

 

[Iggy]

As far as I know from U.S.C.G. inspections. All batteries must use a hold down system and battery post must have covers.

Form there I have not heard any thing out of Ins. Co.

 

[Mako]

I get nervous when I’m looking at various trawlers and I see the batteries buried down below the sole in the engine space. As soon as that bilge area floods they will be underwater. As far as I know, bilge pumps run off electricity, not little hamsters on a wheel. Also, saltwater and acid (FLAs) don’t mix well together.

 

[DennisB1]

The discussion is on flooded lead acid batteries: They need containment boxes along with securing and covering of exposed terminals.

Other non-flooded batteries could use a different approach in that they do not need a liquid containment box (AGMs for example) The do need proper securing and covering of exposed terminals. They may also need protection from exposure or from mechanical damage depending on where they are located in the boat or engine room.

 

[psneeld]

From the CFR's, section on Batteries. Out of the Boating Safety section CFR 33 not 46 which are commercial regs for the most part. There could be another section referencing batteries in pleasure boats, but I don't believe I have seen more in my travels.

183.420 Batteries.
§ 183.420 Batteries.
(a) Each installed battery must not move more than one inch in any direction when a pulling force of 90 pounds or twice the battery weight, whichever is less, is applied through the center of gravity of the battery as follows:

(1) Vertically for a duration of one minute.

(2) Horizontally and parallel to the boat's center line for a duration of one minute fore and one minute aft.

(3) Horizontally and perpendicular to the boat's center line for a duration of one minute to starboard and one minute to port.

(b) Each battery must be installed so that metallic objects cannot come in contact with the ungrounded battery terminals.

(c) Each metallic fuel line and fuel system component within 12 inches and above the horizontal plane of the battery top surface as installed must be shielded with dielectric material.

(d) Each battery must not be directly above or below a fuel tank, fuel filter, or fitting in a fuel line.

(e) A vent system or other means must be provided to permit the discharge from the boat of hydrogen gas released by the battery.

(f) [Reserved]

(g) Each battery terminal connector must not depend on spring tension for its mechanical connection to the terminal.

 

[rslifkin]

I get nervous when I’m looking at various trawlers and I see the batteries buried down below the sole in the engine space. As soon as that bilge area floods they will be underwater. As far as I know, bilge pumps run off electricity, not little hamsters on a wheel. Also, saltwater and acid (FLAs) don’t mix well together.

I agree, I don't like batteries buried too deeply down there. Ideally, they should be at a height where by the time the tops of the battery cases get wet, there's already a catastrophic amount of water in the boat.

 

[slowgoesit]

The discussion is on flooded lead acid batteries: They need containment boxes along with securing and covering of exposed terminals.

Actually, no. The discussion, from the OP is:
"Who is using battery boxes for their house battery bank?"

No mention was made as to the battery chemistry of the house batteries he is asking about.

For us, we don't use any type of battery box for our LiFePO4 house battery bank.
Of course, they are shimmed, mounted outside of the mechanical spaces, and have terminal protection for the battery terminals. The compartment is also vented, although that is not needed for LiFePO4 batteries.

 

[Rated Aargh]

thank you all for your input. After getting new batteries and actually getting them to the boat i realized that theres really no extra space to do anything different than whats there which is a 3/4in plywood box to contain all the batteries. with a lid thats clamped to the box. sure isnt enough room to do what i had hoped but when you cant make room you simply work with what you have.

 

[Lou_tribal]

thank you all for your input. After getting new batteries and actually getting them to the boat i realized that theres really no extra space to do anything different than whats there which is a 3/4in plywood box to contain all the batteries. with a lid thats clamped to the box. sure isnt enough room to do what i had hoped but when you cant make room you simply work with what you have.

This depends if it was done right or wrong, in what case you always have the option to make it right.

L