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Old 02-23-2017, 10:55 PM   #1
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RV Battery Box Cover

I have a 38RL and as such the Batteries are in the front storage bay.

Can the covers be removed and left off for easier battery servicing.

There is ample ventilation in this compartment, so there should be no problem with that issue.

Other 5th wheels I've owned had battery trays, but were never in a Battery Box.

Appreciate all replies!

Thanks
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Old 02-24-2017, 12:37 AM   #2
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Technically they are supposed to be within the vented battery box, that has a lower vent an upper vent, that isolates them from all of the arcing equipment in the cabinet such as the transfer switch, pump motor, power relays, etc.
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Old 02-24-2017, 12:52 AM   #3
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That's true Brad, but also to vent off the hydrogen gas produced when charging the batteries. And if a battery were to be damaged, the acid would drain down and out the lower hole.


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Old 02-24-2017, 03:35 AM   #4
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With the AGM or maIntenance free you could, you could also tow the RW with a 3/4 ton truck, but not wise.
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Old 02-24-2017, 12:54 PM   #5
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I always wondered why the redwood was the ONLY rv I had that needed a battery box too
Maybe because it was in a cabinet with other stuff ????

Our current coach is open on the bottom and no box, and has the flow-rite watering system - makes maintenance easy as it can be !

If you feel the need for the box, you might take one hour to install something like this and never have to open the box again !
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Old 03-02-2017, 03:21 PM   #6
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Hey I pull my 38RL with my 3/4 ton Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab with a 6.7 cummins and have no problem.
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Old 03-02-2017, 03:27 PM   #7
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I have a 38RL and have a cover over mine also, but to remove the cover it's going to take some energy cause they put 12 screws in the cover along with sealing all the openings with sealer all around the wiring, cause I have never taken the cover off yet, these batteries should be heavy duty maintenance free, but I'm going to pull this cover off to verify.....
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Old 03-02-2017, 07:46 PM   #8
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We've been down the pulling with a 3/4 ton road so many times it's really not worth getting into again.

Only comment that should be made, and I'm sure is what Danny was referring to, is that when you get your rig weighed, take note of how much overweight you are on what your drive axle tires for the truck are rated for.

Years ago, when I bought my 36RL, I had a very nice 2012 F350 SRW CC SB that I loved. According to the brochure weights, all should have been good. Never really had the warm fuzzy feeling towing but chalked that up to being new at it. Got rig weighed, individual wheels but you could also do a CAT Scale at the truck stop, and found that I was more than 1000 lbs over what the rear axle on the truck was rated for and almost 1100 lbs over what the tires were rated for. Someone got a really nice 8 month old truck when I traded for a dually 10 days later.
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Old 03-02-2017, 11:43 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnboytoo View Post
I always wondered why the redwood was the ONLY rv I had that needed a battery box too
Maybe because it was in a cabinet with other stuff ????

Our current coach is open on the bottom and no box, and has the flow-rite watering system - makes maintenance easy as it can be !


As a suggestion, you should get a HYGROMETER to check the electrolyte also.

If you feel the need for the box, you might take one hour to install something like this and never have to open the box again !
I just installed the Flow-Rite Watering System on my Batteries.


I did replace the Cheap Batteries that came with the RV and Replaced them with a High Quality Deep Cycle Batteries. Had these new batteries for about 5 months now and when I checked the water level before installing the flow rite system, they were still perfect.


I currently have the covers off the battery boxes, but will modify them to fit over the watering system, mainly to allow easy access to the tubing.
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