Energy pod.

[Telcobilly]

I'm going to be setting up a commercial truck body as a liveaboard capsule. I would like some ideas for building or buying a tool box to house a second battery, inverter and a couple of 12v outlets. I could put this under the sleeping platform and run wiring back to the truck battery for charging purposes. I would like it to be tidy and versatile and have enough power to run a cooler, fan ect. I plan on buying a generator as well..
Anyone done something like this?

 

[Seraphim]

<p>Where are you thinking of putting the battery? I had considered adding a couple to my truck, with a connecting cable and plug to a truck camper for flexibilty. I'm no electrical expert...</p>

 

[Telcobilly]

There is a wasted space in the front of the bed ahead of the wheel wells . I could install an access hatch and put the battery/ electronics in the space between the shell and bed side, with the added benefit of the battery venting outside.

 

[Ricekila]

<P>Photo's <IMG src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/wink.gif" align=absMiddle border=0></P>

 

[gadgetMe]

I did it in my suburban...<br><br>I documented on the blog<a target="_blank" href="http://roosterpheasant.blogspot.com/2012/03/part-3-battery-suburban-solar.html"> here</a><br><br>Putz<br>

 

[Wild_E]

If you have a truck body you have lots of room underneath it. There are normally lots of options;<div>I would get a steel shelf or box, put the batteries in there,</div><div>run wires up into the body and run wires into the engine compartment.</div><div><br></div><div>Even hanging a steel tool box you get for cheap at a garage sale will do.</div><div><br></div><div>Since all you have are the cables coming into the box, you do not have to worry about fumes. Mount the inverter on the wall.</div><div><br></div><div>That is how I am re-wiring mine. Box Truck as well.</div><div><br></div><div>Now I do have a small fully sealed 12v battery that I just got. This battery will be up on a shelf being recharged by a solar panel that is inside on the Skylight panel that I have. This battery is to run a couple of computer fans during the day and evening to pull the hot air out of the Box/living area. This will keep the heat down a lot.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Since the computer fans in the computer boxes are all 12v and draw so little power and are so quite, I will be running about 3-4 of them.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>Soon I will get another solar panel to run the fans directly in the day time and the other I can switch to in the evening when the sun is low. Just using simple quick little clips.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>So far I have tested 3 fans with no issues on the solar panel and it is just the 1.5watt ones.&nbsp;</div>