Golf Cart Batteries

[cousin01]

After reviewing a lot of posts on different forums I decided that I would like to replace my Group 27 battery with two 6 volt golf cart batteries. I say two as there is not room for four in my 235S.

Turns out there isn't room under the step for the higher profile of the GC2 batteries.

Has anyone successfully installed the GC2s under the step? Did you have a riser built to accommodate the higher profile? Did the odd height make the steps awkward to climb?

[bclemens]

Someone on here put an oak strip on the step well edge and raised the step well lid to accommodate the taller batteries.

[cousin01]

I had hoped to install 4 batteries but there is barely room for 2!

Well I accomplished the installation of the golf cart batteries. I used double sided 3M tape to attach 3/4 inch hardwood strips all around the bottom of the step cover.

I had to shave a little off of one of the spacers at the bottom of the battery compartment as the new batteries are slightly wider than the group 27 battery.

Wired the batteries in series. Lucked out and found a pre-made 2 gauge jumper to connect the batteries. (4 gauge were readily available, but I wanted to match the existing cabling)

thumb screws are now too short to hold down the step cover so using standard Philips head screws until I can find some longer thumb screws.

Pics to follow.

[cousin01]

Initial testing went well. New batteries tested at 12.4 volts and everything looked great.

This morning, around 6:30 AM Hooked up 110 and checked the charge voltage. Reading 13.7. OK, probably topping things off, I;m thinking.

Away from the Solera all day with it plugged in.

Wife reports that around 10 AM she heard the CO alarm sound. she went to check on it and it stopped sounding after a couple of minutes, It did not alarm again as far as she knows.

Got home around 4PM, hear the story and checked.

Voltage still 13.7 (still in charge mode?).

Removed fill caps from one of the batteries. Instant CO alarm.

silenced the alarm, checked voltage at the battery still 13.7. while plugged into shore power. Disconnected shore power and ran the slide out and turned on a few lights and it reads 12.8-12.9, indicating a full charge.



Long story - short question. Is it normal to get a co alarm (from the hydrogen gas) when charging the battery from shore power? I have never had that happen before.

[2012WhiteSolera]

Just a thought. Is it possible that the retrofit allows more gas to escape from the compartment than the OEM fit of the step, thus triggering the alarm. Try repeating the charge process with similiar voltage levels in your batteries with just the screen door and see if that changes the results.

[hkreck]

That is a bad location for that CO detector mounting instructions for that monitor states not to mount it closer than 12 inches from a door. I received a new monitor a few weeks ago after the other one kept going off. Haven't had the Solera plugged into a shore line without someone inside since putting the new monitor in so don't know if the problem will reoccur. If it does I'm looking at relocating the monitor away for it's current location.

[cousin01]

Good thought. I left the original gasket material around the rim of the battery box but there are small gaps in the corners of the risers.

Question. Is the battery box intended to be air/water tight to the coach with all ventilation via the two inch hole at the rear of the compartment and under the coach?

[cousin01]

Just checked and the CO is detector is 14 inches from the door. Right over the battery compartment though.

[cousin01]

Pics of the Golf Cart Battery Installation.

[butch50]

Yes batteries are meant to only vent to the outside and not into the coach. I think you just found your problem. You need to seal the battery case to keep hydrogen gas from coming into the coach.

[2012WhiteSolera]

Air and water tight, probably not. Just think how most car batteries (also flooded type) are exposed under the hood. In another application, where flooded batteries are contained in the trunks of cars, they have a special gas collection type cap that connects to a tube, which then vents outside the trunk space to the outside. My guess is that the excess gas released during charge, is meant to vent out that hole you mentioned.

[cousin01]

Not going for air and water tight, just sealed at the top so gas does not escape into the coach.

Just finished caulking the riser I added to the step cover.

There are holes at the top and bottom of the battery compartment that are open to the outside. Se pic.

[cousin01]

Well it seems like the gas builds up under the step until it finally escapes and sets off the CO detector.

If you look back at the picture of the battery compartment you can see that hole in the back is below the rim that the the step sits on. With the step built up to accommodate the taller batteries it creates a space above the rim.

the vents in the caps of the new battery sit higher than that rim.

I caulked the riser but the gas still escapes into the cabin and sets off the alarm

I love these batteries, need to solve this ventilation problem.

[bclemens]

Maybe a rubber or foam gasket on the bottom of that oak...in as continuous of a piece as you can get?

Then make sure there is a louvered vent in the box?

[cousin01]

I officially gave up on this mod today and installed a group 27 battery.

I didn't like the idea of gas collecting under the step if I completely sealed the compartment.

thought about springing for 6volt AGM batteries but the dealer had none in stock and I am in a pinch for time.

Not certain that the converter would properly handle AGM batteries and I called the distributor too late to reach them.

Will remove the step riser and go back to the stock configuration tomorrow.

May pursue AGM batteries in the future, but for now, a little more stealth camping!!