Jerry's Hurricane mods

[PapaMo]

Originally Posted by halfprice

Kent,
Im a little west if you in Whittier

Very cool! We just got the Windsport last week at Giant in Montclair. I'm guessing your Hurricane was maybe from Mike Thompson? (I've had good outcomes with their service in Colton. That's where we got our Montana a number of years ago.)

Maybe we'll get together at some point. I'm really impressed with all that you've done with yours. It's given me some great ideas for the future. Gotta keep me off the streets, you know!

I would say between your blog and Dino and Margie's Youtube video awhile back -- these are what truly sold us on the 29M floor plan. So far, we're loving it...and we haven't even taken it out yet! Hopefully things stay that way...

Cheers!
Kent

[PapaMo]

Originally Posted by SuperD

If it's got a switch turn it on, if it has a knob twist it, if it has a door open it (no telling what you might find). Enjoy your coach and have FUN!!!

Best wishes for a Great time!

Thank you, SuperD. I appreciate it. Looking forward to an investigative, yet relaxing week.

Cheers!
Kent

[SuperD]

Gotta love the thread Jerry started, great ideas and interesting reading, super happy Jerry started this!

[Munoz]

This really is a great thread. My Amazon wish list is packed though.

[dcbenny]

Originally Posted by SuperD

Gotta love the thread Jerry started, great ideas and interesting reading, super happy Jerry started this!

[PapaMo]

Has anyone out there installed or considered adding a battery slide-out tray to make the removal and maintenance of the house batteries easier?

I'm aware of the auto-leveler that one can add for the distilled water/acid -- but in the off season, I like to actually remove the batteries to bring them home to maintain and condition them. Where we have the MH stored there isn't any power source that I can plug in to.

Eventually, my plan is to convert over to 2 6v batteries when these have run their course.

Just curious...

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by PapaMo

Has anyone out there installed or considered adding a battery slide-out tray to make the removal and maintenance of the house batteries easier?

I'm aware of the auto-leveler that one can add for the distilled water/acid -- but in the off season, I like to actually remove the batteries to bring them home to maintain and condition them. Where we have the MH stored there isn't any power source that I can plug in to.

Eventually, my plan is to convert over to 2 6v batteries when these have run their course.

Just curious...

I thought about it for a minute or two then just got the qwik fill kit. Theres a lot of wires in the battery compartment and I wasn't sure how well a sliding tray would work or if it would even fit inside properly.

I keep my mh at the house so adding water isn't a big thing. I also have power at the mh so I can plug in any time I want.

Jerry

[PapaMo]

Originally Posted by halfprice

I thought about it for a minute or two then just got the qwik fill kit. Theres a lot of wires in the battery compartment and I wasn't sure how well a sliding tray would work or if it would even fit inside properly.

I keep my mh at the house so adding water isn't a big thing. I also have power at the mh so I can plug in any time I want.

Jerry

Yeah...I wish I had power nearby while it's in storage. Well, hopefully I have about 2 years before I need to worry about it. We shall see. Maybe if I go every couple weeks and run the generator for 15 - 20 minutes that would help. Probably good for the generator, too.

Thanks, Jerry.

Kent

[halfprice]

Kent,
Onan says the gen should run 2 hours once a month with air conditioning running. I follow this but sometimes i only go one hour. Advantage of having the mh at the house

Ive been having problems with my batteries. I thought the one or two hours a month would keep the batteries charged. Nope. So now ill plug into power one or two days a month if needed. I now check the batteries with a volt meter so if they get low i plug in

Make sure you use the store/use switch when you leave it at storage. Store kills power but there is always a little ghost draw somewhere


Jerry

[PapaMo]

Good to know. I haven't heard much positive about the stock batteries. Shoot, I have two deep cycle 12v batts that I bought at Costco that have date tags of May, 2012 for my Montana that still take a charge and run strong. Go figure.

Cheers!

[SuperD]

If I leave our coach unplugged more than a few days the batteries die even in the store position. Either the batteries are poor or there is a huge parasitic drain.

[TKM]

Originally Posted by PapaMo

Has anyone out there installed or considered adding a battery slide-out tray to make the removal and maintenance of the house batteries easier?

I'm aware of the auto-leveler that one can add for the distilled water/acid -- but in the off season, I like to actually remove the batteries to bring them home to maintain and condition them. Where we have the MH stored there isn't any power source that I can plug in to.

Eventually, my plan is to convert over to 2 6v batteries when these have run their course.

Just curious...

I have, for the exact reason you mention. I actually want to increase to (4) 6V batteries for more Amp Hrs, since I am in the desert dry camping and the generator is a gas hog. Did this on my 5th wheel but it had a much larger battery compartment.

[SuperD]

TKM, you might be able to squeeze 3 batteries in the compartment but not 4. When I change my batteries I'm going to use group 27 sealed deep cycle marine. I measured and they'll fit, won't have to mess with adding water. You might get 3 12v deep cycle batteries in but not sure the charger could handle 3.

[TKM]

Originally Posted by SuperD

TKM, you might be able to squeeze 3 batteries in the compartment but not 4. When I change my batteries I'm going to use group 27 sealed deep cycle marine. I measured and they'll fit, won't have to mess with adding water. You might get 3 12v deep cycle batteries in but not sure the charger could handle 3.

I Might extend the battery tray, or re design, if possible to add the 4th. I too will use Group 27, sealed. May consider Gel, since they can be mounted sideways or even upside down but the jury is still out on that! I may also upgrade to a 2000W Magnum Inverter/Charger and remove the stock Converter system. Its pretty pricey but I have seen great success with that setup on my buddies coach. I have a portable 100W solar panel that I just clip onto the batteries to help keep them charged while in the desert that worked great in my toy hauler. right now its a pipe dream, I think I have a few years before I need to upgrade.

[PapaMo]

Originally Posted by TKM

I have, for the exact reason you mention. I actually want to increase to (4) 6V batteries for more Amp Hrs, since I am in the desert dry camping and the generator is a gas hog. Did this on my 5th wheel but it had a much larger battery compartment.

TKM, have you found a slide tray and done this?...or just considered it? If you've installed one, where would I find such a thing?

Thanks!

[PapaMo]

Originally Posted by SuperD

TKM, you might be able to squeeze 3 batteries in the compartment but not 4. When I change my batteries I'm going to use group 27 sealed deep cycle marine. I measured and they'll fit, won't have to mess with adding water. You might get 3 12v deep cycle batteries in but not sure the charger could handle 3.

Good advice on size etc., SuperD. The stock charger wouldn't have any trouble with the two 6v, would it?

[TKM]

Originally Posted by PapaMo

TKM, have you found a slide tray and done this?...or just considered it? If you've installed one, where would I find such a thing?

Thanks!

In consideration right now. There are 22" long HD slider kits you can buy for around 250 bucks that you can custom fit and add 3/4" plywood to the bottom to get to the width needed. That would work with the current 2 battery system, now. Since I'm considering 4 batteries, its going to take more thought on how to extend the compartment without it getting in the way of the other items under the coach, then finding a set of sliders that can handle the weight of 4 batteries with the proper length.

[TKM]

Originally Posted by PapaMo

TKM, have you found a slide tray and done this?...or just considered it? If you've installed one, where would I find such a thing?

Thanks!

Here is a link to the sliders I was mentioning

https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Kwike...-p/92-6933.htm

[SuperD]

TKM, sounds like you've given this a lot of thought! I think you're going to run in to two problems, battery door isn't wide enough for 2 batteries side by side (assuming 4 6v batteries installed length wise) and the height inside the compartment isn't tall enough to mount a sliding tray. I'm going to keep looking at this, maybe between us we can come up with a solution! I'm retiring the end of May so I'll have a lot more time then to tinker! 66 days and counting!!!

[TKM]

Originally Posted by SuperD

TKM, sounds like you've given this a lot of thought! I think you're going to run in to two problems, battery door isn't wide enough for 2 batteries side by side (assuming 4 6v batteries installed length wise) and the height inside the compartment isn't tall enough to mount a sliding tray. I'm going to keep looking at this, maybe between us we can come up with a solution! I'm retiring the end of May so I'll have a lot more time then to tinker! 66 days and counting!!!

Congrats on the Retirement! I still have a few years to go....Ya, that battery compartment is not ideal, I may consider some sort of complete re do of the whole thing. Maybe some sort of vertical slide and pin system that the batteries lower to the ground. Who knows, I get kinda nutty on these things, always thinking on building a better mouse trap!