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Old 12-16-2014, 12:23 PM   #1
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Who installed 4 GC2 Batteries in their 36CKTS?

Upgrading, and these batteries wont fit in the "oem" location under the hyd pump. And it doesn't seem like the floor of the front basement would hold 300 lbs.....while the floor pan is welded to the sides and rear frame of the basement, it is barely secured to the front wall with screws.

What did you do?
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Old 12-16-2014, 01:10 PM   #2
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If it is welded on 3 sides already, to be safe I would a some 1/4" steel to make the area stronger if you can. 300 lbs. bouncing down the road would not be an ideal situation without some reinforcement.
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Old 12-16-2014, 02:19 PM   #3
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I carry a freezer in the front compartment. I added some more screws to the floor where it joins the door frame. Personally, I would put two in the regular battery compartment and two in the front compartment.
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Old 12-16-2014, 04:20 PM   #4
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If the batteries are put somewhere else, ventilation needs to be considered. The OEM location has a vent on the door, right?

This seems surprising because the footprint of a GC2 is about the same as a Group 24 Deep Cycle, just taller. Units with a residential refrigerator are supposed to have 4 batteries, so there should be room for 4.

Will you describe what dimension is not fitting? Battery length or width?

How did you try to fit them? Side by side with the long sides next to each other?
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Old 12-16-2014, 09:58 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by racer4 View Post
If the batteries are put somewhere else, ventilation needs to be considered. The OEM location has a vent on the door, right?

This seems surprising because the footprint of a GC2 is about the same as a Group 24 Deep Cycle, just taller. Units with a residential refrigerator are supposed to have 4 batteries, so there should be room for 4.

Will you describe what dimension is not fitting? Battery length or width?

How did you try to fit them? Side by side with the long sides next to each other?
Yes, currently have the one battery box which is vented through the side wall. I can install new vents. So there are three issues with fitment in the oem location.

1.Because my 5er did not come stock with a residential refer and the four Group 24 batteries, there is no "built in" battery box. I think the box is made of thin aluminum, but still not there. The Group 24s are slightly narrower then a GC2, thus a 24 fits nice and tight. I think FR builds that battery compartment slightly different if no res refer is installed.

2. I have 28 1/4 inches from the ds hyd jack to the rear wall inside the battery compartment to position 4 GC2 batteries side by side. I measured the batteries at the place I'm going to buy them, Fullriver AGM 224-6, or the Trojan T145 are 7 1/8 wide.

3. Also the lower hyd jack (front ds) hose is plumbed oriented towards the battery compartment, which limits the battery height to 9 inches before the top of battery would hit the hyd hose. The position of the hose takes up about 2 inches of battery width.

All in all it is a tight space. Some options I see is to have an aluminum battery box built, re-plumb the hyd hose, and cut some material from the top edge of the jack. OR reinforce the woefully weak front floor pan in the front basement and install the batteries there....... still debating....
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Old 12-17-2014, 12:48 AM   #6
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Cedar Creek uses a different battery box if 4 batteries are optioned out and should come standard with the residential fridge.
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Old 12-17-2014, 03:20 PM   #7
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batteries

I added 4 6v trojan batteries to the front basement of my Silverback using a Walmart truck tool box for a battery box. This was an almost perfect fit for the 4 batteries except I had to heat an indentation in the ends of the box to gain about 1/2" Used a hot air gun I bought from Harbor Freight for $15. The box is sealed and hinged and only cost about $25. The weight is an issue so I added 2 cross braces using 1-1/2 x 1/8 angle located under the sides of the battery box. A year and a half of rough roads and no issues. I cut a hole in the top of the box and connected to the existing vent hose that goes out the side of the 5r. I also add a 1-1/2 pvc vent/drain to the bottom of the box to allow for air flow and deal with possible leaks.
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Old 12-18-2014, 12:18 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by palmetto rogue View Post
I added 4 6v trojan batteries to the front basement of my Silverback using a Walmart truck tool box for a battery box. This was an almost perfect fit for the 4 batteries except I had to heat an indentation in the ends of the box to gain about 1/2" Used a hot air gun I bought from Harbor Freight for $15. The box is sealed and hinged and only cost about $25. The weight is an issue so I added 2 cross braces using 1-1/2 x 1/8 angle located under the sides of the battery box. A year and a half of rough roads and no issues. I cut a hole in the top of the box and connected to the existing vent hose that goes out the side of the 5r. I also add a 1-1/2 pvc vent/drain to the bottom of the box to allow for air flow and deal with possible leaks.
Good idea about the truck box. Thanks.
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Old 12-18-2014, 01:13 PM   #9
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Quote:
I added 4 6v trojan batteries to the front basement of my Silverback using a Walmart truck tool box for a battery box. This was an almost perfect fit for the 4 batteries except I had to heat an indentation in the ends of the box to gain about 1/2" Used a hot air gun I bought from Harbor Freight for $15. The box is sealed and hinged and only cost about $25. The weight is an issue so I added 2 cross braces using 1-1/2 x 1/8 angle located under the sides of the battery box. A year and a half of rough roads and no issues. I cut a hole in the top of the box and connected to the existing vent hose that goes out the side of the 5r. I also add a 1-1/2 pvc vent/drain to the bottom of the box to allow for air flow and deal with possible leaks.

Palmetto,


Great mod! I especially like the vent/drain in the bottom of the box. That is something I probably would not thought of - until I had a battery go bad and leak acid into the bottom of the box. Then I would have had a mess and no easy way to clean it out. All you would have to do is remove the batteries and take a hose to the inside of the box. Good job!
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Old 12-18-2014, 01:18 PM   #10
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When I first upgraded batteries, I added a piece of 5/8 exterior plywood. I now have 4 golf cart batteries, leveling blocks, jack, power cords and some other stuff with no problems.
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Old 01-03-2015, 09:53 PM   #11
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We installed 4 GC batteries in our 13 36CKTS. Have had no issues, but I do the PM semi annually & check batt fluid level quarterly, and add distilled water only when indicated. Did add battery tender charger/maintainer which gets plugged in when the Creek is considered in storage, about 3-4 months each year!

Travel safe, enjoy the journeys & hope to meet at the FROG Int'l Ralley in August 2015 (Elkhart County Fairgrounds, Goshen, IN)


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Old 01-04-2015, 09:58 AM   #12
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I just finished the installation of four batteries in the front basement. I welded 2 inch angle iron to the frame, and bolted down three-quarter inch plywood. welded the battery hold-down brackets to strap steel and bolted it to the plywood. added a drain that goes through the floor . used a container box from Lowe's with a vent mounted to the top. pictures will follow in a few days. Sorry for the format....
Yes. Looking forward to Goshen !
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Old 01-04-2015, 10:01 AM   #13
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Battery

Here is pic of my setup. I also wired the batteries using 4/0 cable for an inverter
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Old 01-04-2015, 09:05 PM   #14
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Here are some pix. Battery wires, shunt and wiring will change/move when I install the inverter.
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