Battery box setup on a rear bumper - bad idea?

[ontheroadagain]

I have a small rv and the house battery is in a compartment in the right rear hatch.<br />It is just on the inside of the rear wall panel. So I want to add some batteries and there is no room in the rear hatch for anything. It's just big enough for the one battery. So I have a 4' square steal bumper and I was thinking of adding a hitch basket on the rear. I could mount a couple battery boxes onto the basket and run 2ft of 0 awg wire into the house battery hatch.<br />I will have to figure a way to lock it all up so it will not get stolen.<br /><br />I also thought of just mounting a box to the top of the bumper and lining them up&nbsp; on the rear bumper.<br /><br />Would this be really unwise?

 

[offroad]

You will be fine. There are folks with external fuel cans mounted on the back of vehicles. If you get rear ended there will be a lot of cleanup.&nbsp;

 

[bee]

Batteries are heavy, you would want them as far forward or somewhere between the axles, but if that isn't possible and you think your suspension can handle it go for it.<br /><br />You shouldn't put one battery in the battery box and the rest on the bumper it will reduce battery life/performance, they won't charge/discharge evenly.

 

[Possum]

<span style="font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Hello to everybody <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/wave.gif" class="bbc_img" /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; I am planning to mount my batteries under the van and make a battery box/frame set-up. There's alot free space usually&nbsp; under the chassis/ frame area. Then optionally you could add an access door in the floor of your"home"!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Randy</span>

 

[adi]

Are there any concerns about temperature affecting the performance of batteries? Either extreme, from 115F to -10F, how much can it affect your ah and voltage?

This is ignoring the remote temp probe requirements/concerns for the charge controller as well.

 

[sl1966]

This is one that I've been going back and forth on for a while. Currently I have a 12 volt marine deep cycle that is enclosed and sits on the tongue of my tt. Once I upgrade to solar I'll be swapping it out in favor of a pair of 6 volts. The problem I'm having is whether to keep them on the tongue or possibly move them inside the trailer. I'm not sure where to place them inside since there isn't anywhere to put the pair where the weight would be distributed evenly.&nbsp;<br><br>Here's the layout of my rig ...<br><br><div class="floorplanContent" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; clear: both; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium;"><div class="floorplan" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; float: left; width: 650px;"><img style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" rel="lightbox" src="http://kz-rv.com/sportsmen-classic/images/floorplans/2013/KZ13_SprtClassic_16BH.gif" class="bbc_img"><br><br><br>And here's a banana for scale.<br><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br></span><img rel="lightbox" src="http://rense.com/general85/banan3.jpg" class="bbc_img"><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br><br></span></div></div>

 

[blars]

Are there any concerns about temperature affecting the performance of batteries? Either extreme, from 115F to -10F, how much can it affect your ah and voltage?

<br><br>Assuming Lead-acid, the battery will have more internal resistance and lower voltage at low temperatures.&nbsp; (So less usable power and harder to charge.)&nbsp; At high temperatures, they have faster self-discharge.&nbsp; Most are optimized for 70F, but are rated for the full temperature range you quoted. At low enough temperatures, the acid will freeze destroying the battery.<br><br>

 

[cyndi]

Our buddy pondputz recently posted, in his blog, about the battery compartment he built.<br>http://roosterpheasant.blogspot.com/2012/12/solar-battery-bank-finished.html<br><br>I'll be interested to see where the solar installers at the RTR decide to place my 6 volt batteries ...

 

[sl1966]

Thanks Cyndi ... I looked at it and asked him how much it set him back. If it's cost effective I may go that route.<br><br>I was also toying with the idea of having what's on there removed and a tray welded to the tongue that would accomodate two batts and an LP tank. A box would be better but it costs more money and even though I have it I'm in the habit of saving every bit of it that I can.<br><br><div><a style="color: #004990; font-weight: bold; outline: none; text-decoration: initial; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px;" title="Reese Steel Hitch Mount Cargo Tray" href="http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/042899/042899104155lg.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img id="prodPrimaryImg" style="border-style: none; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; float: left;" src="http://images.lowes.com/product/converted/042899/042899104155lg.jpg" class="productimage bbc_img"></a></div><div>&nbsp;<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br></div>