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Re: 2nd battery location G-van
DC79 #612864 April 26th 2013 10:52 am
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I've seen them. It's basically the same tray as the under hood battery, but it hangs off the side of the chassis rail. You can easily make one yourself, if you have some angle iron, threaded rod and a wire feed welder.


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Re: 2nd battery location G-van
DC79 #612865 April 26th 2013 10:55 am
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Another way you can go is to make a box out of 16 gauge sheet metal. Leave flaps at the top to weld or screw to the floor. You can even use the cut out piece of floor as the box cover.


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Re: 2nd battery location G-van
DC79 #612877 April 26th 2013 1:17 pm
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As someone with 2 group 27 batteries under the floor behind the driver's seat, lemme say you want to build the box at least 13.5 inches wide to accommodate a group 31 battery, which are pretty much the largest car jar 12 volt batteries you will come across. You can always put a smaller battery in the box, but you should be able to take advantage of a good deal on a group 31 as they do occur, and 31's can be built better for cycling than other sizes.

The access hatch from above is not only nice for adding distilled water every few months, but for actually making the connections at the terminals.

There are some kits for attaching a battery to the frame:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/battery-tray-and-tie-downs/c927j1s17.jcwx

But batteries offgas and hydrogen rises, so the box should have some airholes near the top and the lid/hatch to the interior should be nicely sealed, and 4awg wire should be considered the thinnest wire to use between batteries and solenoid.

Too many people use thin wire and expect quick alternator recharging of a distant battery at the end of thin wiring. Doesn't happen.

Even with thick wiring, getting the battery from 80 to 100%, which is important for battery longevity, is near impossible to achieve by alternator alone, and after any serious depletion, a grid powered charger should be attached to top it off, so it is ready to perform at or near 100%, for the next outing.

Worst thing you can do to a battery is let it sit discharged under 80% for any length of time. The longer and the lower it sits, the worse.

Last edited by wrcsixeight; April 26th 2013 1:19 pm.
Re: 2nd battery location G-van
DC79 #612888 April 26th 2013 4:31 pm
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We installed dual batteries on our chevy in the stock location by reworking the battery tray and mounts and lowered it down so we would be below the master clyinder.

This is an early mockup picture showing dual fullsize batteries, I believe they are group 27, not the larger group 31:

[Linked Image]

This picture doesn't show it as well, but it shows the final setup with 2 small Kinetic batteries and there is actually space to add a 3rd as they are AGM and can be laid on their side and stacked:

[Linked Image]


Star Dreamer
78 Full Custom Chevy
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Re: 2nd battery location G-van
DC79 #613605 April 30th 2013 11:02 pm
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That's a nice, clean setup.


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Ripper

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Re: 2nd battery location G-van
Ripper #613608 April 30th 2013 11:14 pm
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Originally Posted by Ripper
That's a nice, clean setup.


X 2

I've thought about lowering my battery tray and using a lighter smaller AGM battery with enough CCA for engine starting.

I got a marine/ dual purpose group 27 up there now which simply can't last much longer as it is approaching 6 years old.


Re: 2nd battery location G-van
wrcsixeight #613662 May 01st 2013 11:49 am
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[Linked Image]

I wanted to mount my aux. battery (group 49) under the floor (between frame & rocker panel just behind driver-side seat).Couldnt find a metal battery box big enough, so I used a modified tool box.

[Linked Image]
[Linked Image]

Still haven't decided how gain access to the box. Could keep it simple, adding a door hinge to one end and a gate latch to the other (limited access though), use drawer slides and a window regulator, or if I want to get real fancy, use a power seat track (generously donated by Reed- rock on dude!)

[Linked Image]


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Re: 2nd battery location G-van
DC79 #613711 May 01st 2013 3:27 pm
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Great Post all of you guys!! Ive got a lot thinking to do on the project.

Doug DC79


1984 G30 Chevy
Re: 2nd battery location G-van
DC79 #615289 May 11th 2013 5:45 pm
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Sorry his van is inaccessible for pics. It's stored in another state than we both live. You may want to check junk yards for Ford diesel vans. They have a frame mounted box on the passenger side that works well.


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