[VAC] Bambi battery

[Terry Tyler <tylerbears@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Dick,

My two deep cycle marine batteries are in standard plastic battery cases.
There was a "punch out" hole in each cover which I used for a hose of  the
same size as the punch out (about 1/4 inch). I used hose clamps on the
inside of each cover to keep the ends in the battery cases. Both short hoses
from each battery were routed over the battery case covers and plugged into
a plastic "T" with tapered ends (again about 1/4 or 3/8 inch).

On the single end of the "T", I connected another hose and ran it to the
sidewall of the trailer where I had drilled a hole and slipped in (tight
fit) a piece of copper tubing from my spare parts stash box. I had also
coated the copper tubing with blue lock tite (probably overkill) before
inserting it into the side wall. I then attached the hose to the copper
tubing where it protruded inside the wall and used another hose clamp.

The vent tube not only is located at the top of each battery box, but the
angle of ascent from the "T" toward the wall is uphill. I may be wrong, but
this seems like it takes care of ventilation issues.

This installation has been in place for 5 years, none of the hoses have
become disconnected and the trailer has been used extensively each year
(including several cross country trips). It has two solar panels on the roof
which keep the batteries topped off all the time. If ventilation was ever
going to be a problem, (IMH0)I think I should have had one by now.

>From the outside, the hole in the sidewall is only discernable to someone
with a background knowledge of Airstreams. It's not noticeable otherwise.

Next week, we'll be using this trailer while traveling to Colorado and then
back to the Adirondack Mountains in New York State by August.

If anyone on the VAC list has strong feelings about this arrangement being
unsafe, please rattle my cage. My tools will be in the truck with us and
modifications can be made anywhere along our route. Email is received and
sent nearly every day no matter where we are on the continent.

Terry
1967 22' Airstream Safari
mailto:tylerbears@airstream.net