Mounting battery in pass-through storage

WiTa

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2024
Messages
6
Hi,

Just purchased a 2024 Geo Pro G19FD and very excited to take it out on a few short trips not to far away.
One thing I'd like to do is replace the battery with a Lithium battery and mount it inside the pass-through storage.

Any tips you have on running the cables inside the pass-through and also how to screw the battery tray on the pass-through floor? First trailer, first mod. I know nothing but I'm "technically inclined".

Thanks!
 
I used wooden strips screwed to the floor around the battery to keep it in position
then added a strap to hold the battery down

4000 miles hasn't moved

behind the battery added a piece of plywood for mounding stuff like disconnect switch

drilled 2 small holes (9/16 I think) through floor ... just big enough to put one battery cable UP through each hole in the floor

used the same battery cables from the front mount battery box... removed them from tongue frame easily as they were just held in place with zip ties

Replaced my disconnect switch cause the original died just after changing battery
(co-incidence?)

while you are there.... check the BATTERY NEGATIVE cable to frame AND the CONVERTER NEGATIVE to frame connections
If there is star washers between cable lug and the frame... remove the washer and scrape off the paint.... get good metal to metal contact... Use a bit of spray paint AFTER attaching cable to paint over cable and the frame to prevent corrosion

whole job was easy
except the converter to frame cable was a PITA to get to as it was under inside the underbelly material
 
I used wooden strips screwed to the floor around the battery to keep it in position
then added a strap to hold the battery down

4000 miles hasn't moved

behind the battery added a piece of plywood for mounding stuff like disconnect switch

drilled 2 small holes (9/16 I think) through floor ... just big enough to put one battery cable UP through each hole in the floor

used the same battery cables from the front mount battery box... removed them from tongue frame easily as they were just held in place with zip ties

Replaced my disconnect switch cause the original died just after changing battery
(co-incidence?)

while you are there.... check the BATTERY NEGATIVE cable to frame AND the CONVERTER NEGATIVE to frame connections
If there is star washers between cable lug and the frame... remove the washer and scrape off the paint.... get good metal to metal contact... Use a bit of spray paint AFTER attaching cable to paint over cable and the frame to prevent corrosion

whole job was easy
except the converter to frame cable was a PITA to get to as it was under inside the underbelly material

Thanks! Super helpful.
 
I did not want to reroute my cables and they were too short anyway. Yours might be long enough. Mine are inside as I cold weather camp and the pass thru does get down to freezing once in a while on the extremely cold nights(usuallly below 20) if the heater were to fail or the light bulb I keep on burns out.

I bought some 2/0(not 2 gauge) cables of the length I needed and ran them from the new battery position to the original cables and connected them. I figure 2/0 is large enough to eliminate any voltage drop.

Applied heat shrink and electrical tape to cover the ends and tie wrapped in secure places. They are not going to contact anything.

To protect the cable I did put in a 100 amp breaker near the battery. Forgot so I did need a short 2/0 cable from the battery to the breaker. Did I really need the breaker since I do not think I am going to have a chafe problem with the cables? I put it in anyway.

With the original negative cables at the battery box to ground I ran each one to a different mount on the frame. Mine had two cables. Cleaned them up as mentioned in the previous post.
 
Safety Note: make sure you have enough ventilation to vent off gasses that can form with batteries.
 
Here's the compartment that I created to hold the 200ah lithium in the pass-thru under the bed of our Geo Pro 19FBS.

I located it near the middle so that I still have easy access to storage on both sides. Took all of one afternoon to build this and relocate the battery.

I routed the new battery cables though the existing hole in the floor under the bed and sealed with expanding foam.
 

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