Battery tray

[wirejock]

My new battery arrived. So exciting.
It won't fit in the battery tray. Not by much. It will go in the top, but jams about 2" in the mount.
Technically, it could be forcedn but then it won't ever come out.
Sweetie must have washed it. I notice my clothes keep shrinking.
Anyway...
Has anyone experienced the same? Solution?
Fabricate a new one?

 

[bardample]

New Battery Tray?

Larry, when I replaced my Odyssey with Earthx , I bought the Earthx tray, but later on another RV that I was building I modified the original Vans supplied steel battery tray / box by cutting the front wall off and allowing it to move a little bit forward by rivetting piano hinge to allow expansion. This also aids removal of battery when it becomes a bit crowded between engine and firewall. Jeff R Australia

 

[wirejock]

Hinge

Larry, when I replaced my Odyssey with Earthx , I bought the Earthx tray, but later on another RV that I was building I modified the original Vans supplied steel battery tray / box by cutting the front wall off and allowing it to move a little bit forward by rivetting piano hinge to allow expansion. This also aids removal of battery when it becomes a bit crowded between engine and firewall. Jeff R Australia

That's a neat idea. I assume both sides are hinged so the front can be removed to get the battery out?

 

[Roy Thoma]

RV-14 battery box

Larry,
I recently changed my steel Vans battery box for an RV-14 battery box so I could have more battery options. I moved the brackets from my original battery box to the 14 box. Saved about half a pound.

Vans part numbers:
FF-01403 battery box
FF-01403A battery box angle (holds battery in place)

Picture from a neighbors -14 (with a prototype Horton firewall reflective barrier)

 

[PaulvS]

Larry,
Yes I also experienced the same problem and the battery would not fit.
I cut off the front of the Vans steel box and fabricated a new front from steel sheet metal and riveted it on with flush rivets, factory heads on the inside. I didn't use hinges and painted it afterwards.
See pic for an idea of how it was done.
Cheers
Paul

 

[wirejock]

Battery box

Done. Hinged the front wall.
Now the battery fits and it's much easier to remove and replace.
View attachment 6

 

[bardample]

Tray

Thats what I did Larry

 

[cajunwings]

Battery box

Put hinges on the front of mine. On the taildragger for sure the battery easily can go in and out the right side.


Don Broussard
RV9 Rebuild in Progress
57 Pacer

 

[pazmanyflyer]

Done. Hinged the front wall.
Now the battery fits and it's much easier to remove and replace.
View attachment 6

Wirejock,
I did exactly that last weekend. 680 "replacement" was 3.03" but the 680 box measured 2.96"

 

[rmarshall234]

Nice solution, Larry! I always get a kick out of these “what do I do now?” posts..try building a plans built! Here is my “battery box”… start off with something that exists already such as rudder pedal wells and go from there. Doesn’t need to be particularly stout when the battery is only 3 lbs! Woohoo. Repeat offender dudes need to expand their horizons, ha!

 

[dmattmul]

Need more space ?

For those firewall area challenged the battery front is a great place to mount misc. items, especially easy if it's hinged.

 

[johnbright]

RV-14 battery box on RV-6 -7 -9

Larry,
I recently changed my steel Vans battery box for an RV-14 battery box so I could have more battery options. I moved the brackets from my original battery box to the 14 box. Saved about half a pound.

Vans part numbers:
FF-01403 battery box
FF-01403A battery box angle (holds battery in place)

Picture from a neighbors -14 (with a prototype Horton firewall reflective barrier)

There's also the FF-01411 foam rubber strip and the FF-01410 Nylon grommet strip. Ref RV-14 dwgs 28 and 43, snips attatched.

Also attached, a photo of an RV-14 battery box on my RV-6A.
.