flion
Well Known Member
As promised in another thread, here's some pictures of how I modified the battery mount to accept a 24V battery. Unintended benefit: I still have the original mount if I or a subsequent owner wishes to switch the electrical system someday.
I wanted to keep the design somewhat similar to Van's; I especially liked the channel at either end of the PC680. I got some .060 stock and found a fellow VAF member who had access to a press who could make some channel for me. He goes uncredited because it turned out much more difficult/expensive than he thought and I doubt he wants to go through that again. Anyway, I then used the original base plate as a guide for making a new one sized for the RG24-11 with overlap for the channel pieces. Once the blank was cut out and smoothed, I again used the old plate as a drilling guide for the screws to attach the plate to the structure and the bellcrank to the plate. Then I had to cut the slot for the bellcrank.
Next I drilled the front channel to the plate, put the battery up against it as a guide and drilled the rear channel, and then repeated the process with the side channels.
Finally, I drilled the bolt holes and shortened the hold-down to match the new mount.
I'll have to get shorter bolts (6.5" instead of 8"). Once the#40 holes are countersunk, it's off to the powder-coater's; I think I trust that more around the battery than simply primer/paint.
I wanted to keep the design somewhat similar to Van's; I especially liked the channel at either end of the PC680. I got some .060 stock and found a fellow VAF member who had access to a press who could make some channel for me. He goes uncredited because it turned out much more difficult/expensive than he thought and I doubt he wants to go through that again. Anyway, I then used the original base plate as a guide for making a new one sized for the RG24-11 with overlap for the channel pieces. Once the blank was cut out and smoothed, I again used the old plate as a drilling guide for the screws to attach the plate to the structure and the bellcrank to the plate. Then I had to cut the slot for the bellcrank.
Next I drilled the front channel to the plate, put the battery up against it as a guide and drilled the rear channel, and then repeated the process with the side channels.
Finally, I drilled the bolt holes and shortened the hold-down to match the new mount.
I'll have to get shorter bolts (6.5" instead of 8"). Once the#40 holes are countersunk, it's off to the powder-coater's; I think I trust that more around the battery than simply primer/paint.
