Securing House bank

[Craig Illman]

How have people secured their quad bank of T-105's in their house bank?

Craig Illman

[Steve S.]

I am ashamed to admit that I haven't secured the 105's down.  I just jammed wood shims around the batteries to lock them into the box.  They are not going anywhere.  If I am heeled so far as to dislodge those batteries, I think I have bigger problems to worry about.

I was thinking of mounting some eyelets into the bottom of the box and just run some rope over the top.

[Craig Illman]

I've mounted my shunt for my Link 20, a circuit breaker and a BlueSeas ATC fuse panel on the port wall. I need to keep the batteries to starboard. I have an idea or two, I'm just curious if someone has something better.

Craig

[Ron Hill]

Guys : Don't "Reinvent the wheel".  I published an article with a picture in the Mainsheet Tech notes (May 1989) on the question asked.  Look in your tech note CD.  

Hank Recla (#954) made a "cage" to hold his 4 golf cart batteries down in the battery compartment.  He used aluminum angle stock.  Give him a call at (703)216-9965.
I later recommended that he spray some Auto Undercoat on any metal stock that you use.  It will help hold down any corrosion.
I also recommend that you protect the exposed terminals by covering them with a piece of clear (heavy duty) flexible plastic.  I held my covering in place with sticky back Velcro.  The plastic protects the the terminals form an inadvertent short (from dropping a tool) and you can still visually inspect them for corrosion.  

There's a wealth of information in the Mainsheet tech notes, website projects, FAQs and the message board.  
In fact most of the questions that come up have already been answered and documented.  A new question MAY come up every 6 months or so.  

[Roger Blake]

What Ron meant to type was Tech Notes for May 1998. Thanks for the reference Ron...I need to secure mine as well...this winter's project...and was wondering how I was going to do it.

[Steve S.]

Looked on the Tech notes and that doesn't fit my needs.  My batteries are offset due to the location of the shunt and other wiring.  Also, I am not crazy about putting a metal conductor around the batteries.  Any other ideas, examples out there?

[Ron Hill]

Steve : Here's another idea that I used to secure 2 of my 3 Gp 31 AGMs. 
I filled in the molds in battery compartment indentations with plywood so the bottom is even.  Then I secured the nylon tie down brackets (that come with the battery tie down straps), thru the plywood to the underside fiberglass(with screws).  The two side by side AGMs are secured individually with straps. 
You would have to use some cushioning material between each pair of 6Vs, but you could secure pairs of batteries the same way.  A strip of 1/4" plywood cut to size would be a suitable cushion that would keep the cases from rubbing together.  I varnished that plywood several coats so it wouldn't deteriorate.

As I mentioned in a post above, make sure that you protect the exposed positive battery terminals.  A thought.     

[Steve S.]

Yeah, that's more alongthe lines of what I was thinking.  I already have the cavity filled with custom cut plywood to create a level surface.  It would be easy enough to drill thru that and install some eyes or clips.   

[Randy and Mary Davison]

You're close to what I did.  I also filled in the spaces with painted wood and then mounted the brackets that came with the straps to the fiberglass on each side.  I figured this would be enough given that you have to do so much fiddling around to get the batteries in in the first place.  Of course, Murphy always trumps reason and luck.

[captran]

Although I have the regular 4d batteries, I would think the current system used to secure them would work equally well on the 105's, as I am thinking of converting  to those myself.  There is a 2x4 that goes across the top of the batteries, with screws into the ends.  two screws are come in from the seat wall in back of and under the sink, and two screws  on the opposite side, basically about where your calves would be if you are sitting with your back to the sink.  My link 20 shunt is mounted in the battery box compartment in the corner, forward of the batteries, with the display mounted on the whiteboard  on the outboard wall of the chart table.  If that all makes sense.