Coach Batteries

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Just some general comments....go here to get a better understanding of batteries and their characteristics:

http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Bat...ting%20battery

It is my opinion that each type of battery has its strengths and weaknesses. I think the factors that decide which battery to use depend on how the converter set up the coach. Space available, temperatures, ventilation, and battery connections all are considerations.

On a coach in which all the batteries are in parallel the owner has some flexibility in deciding how many batteries and what size and type. If the coach is a 24 volt coach with the batteries in series and parallel so 12 and 24 volts is available swapping batteries out for a different quantity of a different size may not work without revamping the battery wiring.

If a coach has AGM, switching to a gel may not work with out insuring the location is relatively cool, and without changine the charging voltages. On the other hand, switching from a gel to AGM is OK and less likely to result in failed batteries even if the charging voltages were not changed.

Do not expect the battery salesman to have a clue about your batteries. You need to make sure you understand how your inverters or chargers are set, whether the location is OK for the type battery you want to buy, and how you use your coach determines to an extent what batteries will work best for you. The salesman will sell you anything you say you want.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

I think the beauty of Garry's tool is in the fact that almost anyone, anywhere can mock up such a devise from easily acquired materials, and get the job done without getting hurt or damaging the bus, and cheaply at that.

The engine hoist night work, but I think it's arm would be too high. It also has the potential to ram the bus and damage the SS.

IMHO, if anyone else is contemplating Garry's tool, please be very careful in using a metal piece through the battery straps to lift with. There is a very real potential that you will short out between the + & - terminals and get yourself in real deep DO, DO.

At a minimum wrap the piece on the ends by the terminals with several turns of electrical tape.
You could also make a sleeve for the whole tube from a piece of larger PVC tubing.

Those of you that want to make the tool can do so using a suitable piece of wood such as a 2x6 of a suitable length (depends on your weight)

A four wheel dolly

A fulcrum (made in the shape of a triangle from 2x6 and placed on the dolly.

A cross bar for the battery

suitable connectors between the (2x6) lever and the (cross bar)

The other big thing is the smooth floor on which to roll the dolly.

JIM

[garyde]

Gary, my inverter settings are:

Left / no 1 Right / no 2

#1 off #1 off
#2 on #2 on
#3 on #3 on
#4 on #4 on
#5 on #5 on
#6 on #6 on
#7 off #7 off
#8 on #8 off

are yours the same?

JIM

Hi Jim. Left is correct, Right I have not checked yet.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Thanks Gary. I'm going through everything I can think of to be sure everything is up to specs.

JIM

[garyde]

Jim, the reason I used metal conduit, uni-strut, and metal jack: I needed to make certain no single componant would fail or move. The rollers were the only item which I wanted to move. Wood may work, but the cross arm would be a weak point depending upon how it was secured to the pole. My pick points were a 2 to one leverage, but the upper shelf battery was a longer reach and I had a 10 ft. 1 1/2 rigid conduit slid into the end of the 10 ft. 2 inch rigid to leverage that battery out. The batteriy positive stud was taped off.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Hi Jim. Left is correct, Right I have not checked yet.

Gary have you checked the right inverter no.2, settings yet.

They are the ones I am most interested in as I am having intermittent difficulties with same.

JIM

[garyde]

HI Jim. I had no reason to check . Should be the same as the first one. When I get a chance , I'll check it out. It's not in a good location to easily check. Because I changed from Gel to AGM, the settings were fine.

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

OK, and thanks Gary, I am concerned because I will also be changing to AGM in the future, and feel that I should know what settings you, with the same conversion, same inverters, and your electrical knowledge were using.

You say they should both be the same, well no. 8 position on mine are different, so that is the one I want to know about most.

I do have GEL batts. installed in 2003, so their time may be coming soon.

JIM