Got’er Done . . .
The weather decided to cooperate this afternoon, so about 1pm I went outside to finish up my battery install.
Since I would be shutting off all the12v power to the coach, I wanted to have everything prepped for the change-out as quickly as possible. This is because the 12v not only runs the lights, etc., but it also powers the AC thermostats. So shutting off the 12v shuts off the AC’s too.
Luckily it wasn’t really hot this afternoon, so after shutting off the house battery disconnect right by the door,
I disconnected the battery cables and pulled the old batteries out. Which turned off to be easier said than done. These 6v batteries weigh almost 70# each and it was hard to get them dragged sideways so I could then lift them out. And then I did it again for the second one.
So now I was ready to install the new ones, right? Nope.
These new batteries are wider than the old ones, and so the spacers molded into the plastic tray bottom to hold them secure were in the wrong place and needed to be removed.
So using my Multipurpose Oscillating Tool, I sliced off both spacers off flush with the bottom of the tray and I was good to go.
So now I had to brute-force the first new one into place, a little easier at about 56#. Once in place I hooked up the cables, including the ones to add the second battery, and turned the rig 12v back on and got the AC’s running again, much to Jan’s appreciation, even though it was only about 15 minutes.
Now all I had to do was struggle the last battery into place and hook up the cables paralleling it with the first one.
And after tightening down all the connections and spraying everything with Strike-Hold, I was finally done.
Since the original hold-down frame for the old batteries no longer fits, I’ll have to come up with something else to lock them down.
So one chore checked off the list, and a whole bunch still to go.
Thought for the Day:
There’s a reason the rearview mirror is so small and the windshield is so big.
jhcv
