Electrical Component Cabinet Design ??

[Almost There]

Okay, we're ready for the last 2 cabinets, one on either side at the very back of the van.

One will be devoted to all the electrical components including the batteries, the other will be general storage.

To bring the cabinet out from the wall far enough to allow for batteries (AGM stacked on shelves), I need to bring the 'wall' out past the edge of the door frame enough to square the cabinet off. I'm not particularly interested in covering up all the van wiring that is there so I'm fine with leaving that part wide open.

How would y'all build this cabinet?

Here's a couple of pics of the area - as you can see, nothing is straight or square (hey it's a van!).

 

[B and C]

You don't say how many batteries, physical size of batteries or size of space.  You will want the batteries at floor level (heavy stuff low).  AGM batteries can be laid on their side or their end with the electric posts where you can get to them.  A lip along the floor around them to keep them from sliding around and a hold down bar to keep them from jumping the lip on a bump.  Something like angle iron for the lip or even a piece of wood screwed to the floor.  A shelf above them could hold them down too, or multiple shelves.  Remove lip to change batteries.  Depends on how many and what size batteries you can fit and electrical needs.  You may also think of putting them on the drivers side as that side will not be as readily accessible as the passenger side from the back.  You'l want the passenger rear side for the stuff you use all the time.

Brian

 

[MikeRuth]

Totally agree with Brian on using the drivers side. If you just want to open and get something you will have full access to that side instead of some of it being blocked by the cabinet.

As said the AGM's allow different positions although I can't see why length wise along the side wouldn't work as well as any other position./
It's said that Charge controllers should not be put in with batteries but I do believe there is no issue with AGM's so that could go in there to.
solid shelves with straps should be fine. You might get away with a double compartment, batteries low then CC etc and maybe a shelf above for some other goodies.
Just my thoughts./

 

[Almost There]

You don't say how many batteries, physical size of batteries or size of space.  You will want the batteries at floor level (heavy stuff low).  AGM batteries can be laid on their side or their end with the electric posts where you can get to them.  A lip along the floor around them to keep them from sliding around and a hold down bar to keep them from jumping the lip on a bump.  Something like angle iron for the lip or even a piece of wood screwed to the floor.  A shelf above them could hold them down too, or multiple shelves.  Remove lip to change batteries.  Depends on how many and what size batteries you can fit and electrical needs.  You may also think of putting them on the drivers side as that side will not be as readily accessible as the passenger side from the back.  You'l want the passenger rear side for the stuff you use all the time.

Brian

I'm planning on 6V GC batteries. I've already figured that there's room for them and yes, they'll be installed on the bottom level, on their sides, on well built shelves on their sides.

They need to be on the passenger side to balance the load as well as possible across the width of the van.

My problem is how to build up the wooden wall on the back edge of the rear door of the van. I want floor to van roof height to allow room for batteries, inverter, charger, fuse blocks, breaker box for 120V etc, etc. etc.

I can get a straight run from the floor on the rear doorpost only to about 35" high. After that the door post jogs in a 1/4" - that's okay, I can shim in with 1/4" ply to fill the gap. About 5" above that though, the door post slants in sharply.

Short of making it 2 doors with a shelf for a divider and support at the bottom of the slanted area, I can't figure out a better way of doing the cupboard.

Just wanted to see if anyone had any brilliant ideas...

 

[B and C]

I don't know how sharply your doors slant in at the top.  I used 1/4 inch plywood and bent it to match the contour on my old '77 Dodge.  Moisten it a little (very little if not made with waterproof glue) and don't try to force the fit all at once.  Give it time to conform to what you need it to do.  The space will get narrower and shallower the higher you go.  Splitting your batteries away from the charge controller and fuse block is a good idea.  You won't need access to the batteries very often with AGM's.  If you split it into three sections, the unused section could be used for small items.

Brian

 

[Almost There]

1/4" plywood would work except that it's difficult if not impossible to attach anything of substance to. If I need to put a shelf in there to hold something that needs to be on a vertical plane I have nothing to attach the 3rd side of the shelf to.

I can use 1/2" ply on the forward side of the cabinet and the back wall (back being against the side wall of the van) but if I use 1/4" plywood for the 3rd wall (against the door post) I have nothing for the cupboard door to close on to. The hinges would be on the forward wall so that the door opens toward the bed.

Darn this all gets complicated to type out when the back wall is against the side wall and you've got cupboard doors and cargo doors and......

 

[karl]

You can use 1x1 cleats for the shelves- glue and screws driven through the 1/4" ply into the cleats. This does require removing the cabinet case from the vehicle to drive the screws though.

If there is no need to ever remove the shelves- I have used 1/2" plywood cut to the depth of the cabinet and to the height that I want shelf spacing....these can often be glued in place without taking the cabinet out. Start at the bottom and stack- side fillers,shelf,side fillers and on and on,
I prefer a good construction adhesive to fill any gaps between the case and filler pieces, prop them in place with thin friction fit strips of wood until the adhesive sets.
They will sort of follow a curved side as well. (wish I had a pic to better explain)

As for the door shutting against something- I usually cover the plywood edge with a stile (narrow vertical board 3/4" thick x whatever width allows for 1 vertical edge) scribed to fit the curve of the van and straight on the door side. it is rabbeted ( grooved) 1/4"x 1/2" to allow screwing through the 1/4" ply,and also cover the ply edge..... or simply glued and nailed to the cleats

Dang, it is hard to explain without visual aids!

 

[Almost There]

Dang, it is hard to explain without visual aids!

You did good! I understood perfectly!

After spending multiple hours sitting studying the door post, using scrap lumber to try to visualize how to get as large a door opening as possible while providing enough support to do the job and a lot of scribbling on a pad of paper,  I'm going to go with 2 cupboard doors. The larger bottom one will go up as far as I can and then with the aid of small cleats screwed to the upper section of the door post I'll put a front face on a smaller cabinet with a separate door. The other alternative would cause me to lose too much door opening. The smaller upper cabinet, well I'm sure I'll find something to stuff in there... If nothing else I can feed wires up in to there and use it for anything that needs to be kept well away from the batteries.

I'm kind of working in the dark because none of the components that will go in the cabinet have been purchased yet. I'm having to check the sizing and orientation on 'maybe that's what I want' pieces and a whole lot of 'geez I hope they'll fit'. Placing shelves will have to wait until the shopping is done in Quartzite this winter.

 

[SternWake]

If a grid powered charger, or solar charge controller, or inverter are to reside in the electrical cabinet, don't forget to allow for ventilation.

This location is practically the furthest possible distance from Alternator. Remember, AGMS like high recharging currents, and will get petulant if fed a Solar only low and slow diet and discharged to 50% regularly.

An hours drive early in the morning with a well wired alternator then solar to take over for the rest of the day, will make them much happier.

 

[MikeRuth]

Sorry I'm confused, I see AGM and GC batteries being used in this thread.

 

[Almost There]

Sorry I'm confused, I see AGM and GC batteries being used in this thread.

No, I'm sorry, I used GC for golf cart, you use it for gel cell!

 

[akrvbob]

Are your Golf Carts flooded lead acid or are they AGM?

Flooded lead acids are much more tolerant of slow charging so there life with solar only is much better, so long as you get them recharged to full every day.
Bob

 

[Almost There]

Are your Golf Carts flooded lead acid or are they AGM?

Flooded lead acids are much more tolerant of slow charging so there life with solar only is much better, so long as you get them recharged to full every day.
Bob

I was anticipating buying AGM so that I could place them on their sides.

I'll have 3 ways of charging them - alternator, my Honda generator with an appropriate charger and portable solar.

Learning to manage their charging is part of my winter schooling - it's one of those things that it's easier to do with the batteries in front of you than by book learning.

 

[akrvbob]

When you get that far I've been very happy with my Full River AGM golf carts. They are only 3 years old so it's too early to know how well they will do but so far they have been super batteries!.

When I bought them they were the cheapest AGM golf carts I could find and they also had the longest warranty. Back then it was 3 years full replacement and 7 years pro-rated. It may have changed I don't know.

I've never understood why some of the premium, super-expensive batteries have such short warranties--don't they think they make good batteries?
Bob

 

[Almost There]

Thanks Bob, I'll be doing all my buying once I reach Quartzite/Ehrenberg area and have the help I need to get everything installed correctly.

By that time I should be super tired of living with a rechargeable lantern and my headlamp for lighting..

Aside from needing some experienced advice, pricing here on electrical components has stopped me dead in my tracks on the electrical. When the exact same roll of 12V 10 gauge wire goes from $29.95 US on Amazon.com to $154. Cdn on Amazon.ca one stops to think about how to do it at a later stage!

 

[akrvbob]

There is a shop here in Quartzsite that will receive packages for you for $1 each, so you can get everything ordered and delivered right here. Very handy!

Also, the selection and prices of batteries is exceptional in Quartzsite. In AZ, anything intended for solar use does not pay sales tax, so that will give you a break also.
Bob

 

[Almost There]

There is a shop here in Quartzsite that will receive packages for you for $1 each, so you can get everything ordered and delivered right here. Very handy!

Also, the selection and prices of batteries is exceptional in Quartzsite. In AZ, anything intended for solar use does not pay sales tax, so that will give you a break also.
Bob

I'm looking forward to being able to buy from Amazon.com and paying a buck for receiving packages. And yes, I figured during the winter, Quartzite will be a shoppers haven for me.

I pulled the plug on the toilet I wanted, it's free shipping to a US address but the receiving is $11.00 at the closest Kinekpoint to where I'm headed for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. I wanted the toilet in place...NOW! I can use coolers for the time being until I have full electrical capacity, no point in buying the fridge if I have nothing to run it with...

Now if the currency exchange rate would only improve in my favor I'd be away to the races. 35% hurts a lot!!