SV34 battery door upgrade!

[RobintheHood]

It seems every time we went camping, my better half would scrape her heel on the #$@% battery door latch. You know the one. I ordered a different design from China/Amazon and installed last weekend. I decided to cut the tab from the center to make a clean look. Happy wife, happy life!

[Judge]

That looks good...... but I just removed that latch all together about a year after I bought it. Walking on that step constantly made it seal very tightly and it took some effort to break the seal to open it. The latch was not really doing anything.

I've never had an issue with it opening on it's own..... plus I never open it now since I converted to LiFePO4 and installed them under the dinette seats.

[RobintheHood]

Originally Posted by Judge

That looks good...... but I just removed that latch all together about a year after I bought it. Walking on that step constantly made it seal very tightly and it took some effort to break the seal to open it. The latch was not really doing anything.

I've never had an issue with it opening on it's own..... plus I never open it now since I converted to LiFePO4 and installed them under the dinette seats.

Fair enough. LiFePo is still six months away. Unfortunately, sometimes my OCD gets the better of me...

[Judge]

Originally Posted by RobintheHood

Fair enough. LiFePo is still six months away. Unfortunately, sometimes my OCD gets the better of me...

Your's is still a good solution as well. We used to scrape our heels against it all the time too. Thor's placement was terrible.

The wife tried to put something over it but after it fell off once, I removed the latch altogether. I don't know about your step but it would take me working the finger tips of both my hands under the lip and some force to get it to break the seal when I did want to open it.

[Pandamonium]

Originally Posted by RobintheHood

It seems every time we went camping, my better half would scrape her heel on the #$@% battery door latch. You know the one. I ordered a different design from China/Amazon and installed last weekend. I decided to cut the tab from the center to make a clean look. Happy wife, happy life!

BRILLIANT!!! we are going to do THIS!!!!
Does your little light on the left work? Ours never has (maybe we don’t know how to turn it on?). Have you tried to replace the bulb? Not sure how to even open it or if the “juice would be worth the squeeze”!!!

[Dr.Detroit]

Thanks for posting!

We’ve had our 2023 SV34 for a little over a week now and I’ve already snagged my heal on that thing!!

[nyles@gentzfinancial.com]

Great idea on that latch.

We need to replace the house batteries under that step.
They don't fit thru the opening. Can't get them out.

Ideas?

Thanks

[Judge]

Originally Posted by nyles@gentzfinancial.com

Great idea on that latch.

We need to replace the house batteries under that step.
They don't fit thru the opening. Can't get them out.

Ideas?

Thanks

I have a 2020 SV34 as well and the batteries come out but it is a tight fit through the step opening. You can actually put 4 batteries in there but it is a very, very, very tight fit.

First, make sure you have the step open as far as you can. Use a bungee cord to keep it open. You then need to remove all of the battery cables. You will also need to move some of the wiring in the battery compartment. Mine was a rats nest of wires that I can to clean up.

If they wired yours like mine there may be a single post bus bar mounted to the bottom center of the battery box. I would remove that as well so you can easily slide the batteries around.

Then you want to slide one battery as far under the forward step as far as you can but be careful you do not let the terminal hit the metal and short out. Then you want to lift the second battery at at angle and start to work it. It might be tight because of the weather stripping around the step opening.

It will take some maneuvering, wiggling and patience but it will eventually it will start to slide out the opening.


Another owner on here I know actually cut out the side of the battery box so he could slide them in and out from under the coach easier. I never went that route but I was able to get 4 batteries in the battery box.... before I converted to Lithium batteries and installed them under the dinette seats.

[nyles@gentzfinancial.com]

Tried that the batteries are 1/4 to wide to come out.
Might need to remove the step
Thanks

[Judge]

Originally Posted by nyles@gentzfinancial.com

Tried that the batteries are 1/4 to wide to come out.
Might need to remove the step
Thanks

Then they must have installed larger batteries in yours..... and built that coach around them after they were installed. I got four batteries in and out of my SV34 with the step installed.

[Pillbox]

Thanks Rob,
I’ve seen this post 3 times, each time i then visit my rv. Low and behold, every time, that dang latch seems to be undone.
Thanks for a new honey do project. This looks like a 2 cocktail brain twisting 5 hour job. Just one favor, if wife asks you how long to do this job….lie for me.
Terry

[RobintheHood]

Pandemonium,
Our light does work, but the wiring from the battery access area to the lamp is sketchy - in need of a few well placed tie wraps. Yours might have gotten pinched by the steps?

[TheGoodLife]

Originally Posted by nyles@gentzfinancial.com

Tried that the batteries are 1/4 to wide to come out.
Might need to remove the step
Thanks

Different model, but our top step comes out by lifting it open and pulling forward. The opening into the battery box is 6 7/8” wide max, and as Judge posted there is space on the tray beneath for up to 4 12-volt FLA or AGM batteries.

[mrambo4]

Originally Posted by Judge

I converted to Lithium batteries and installed them under the dinette seats.

What did you have too do to convert to the Lithium?

[Judge]

Originally Posted by mrambo4

What did you have too do to convert to the Lithium?

Here is what I did at a high level:

1. Purchased (5) 170Ah LiFePO4 batteries from BigBattery

https://bigbattery.com/products/12v-...70ah-2-176kwh/

2. Replaced the existing BIM-160 w/ the LI-BIM 225

https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Born-B...2-63e904010ad0

3. Replaced Xantrex Freedom X 2000 Inverter w/ the Xantrex Freedom XC 3000 Inverter Charger

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

4. Purchased New Bus Bars

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

5. Purchased Victron 500A SmartShunt

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...e?ie=UTF8&th=1

6. Rewired coach to allow Inverter to power any AC circuit in the coach (including an A/C, Microwave, etc.).

7. Disabled the Converter / Charger


I pulled the flooded house batteries from the battery compartment (I had already repaired and improved Thor's factory wiring mess in the battery compartment). I used the battery cables that came with the 170Ah LiFePO4's and I either reused or purchased new cables of the proper size and length so I could place the LIFePO4's under the dinette seats. I used the Bus Bars to connect the batteries to the necessary wiring in the battery compartment.

I also purchased new cables of the proper size and length to connect the new Inverter / Charger to the LiFePO4's for optimal charging and power consumption. I also installed a SmartShunt to monitor battery usage and capacity.

I then installed a 75A sub-panel for the Inverter Output and installed a 15A breaker... as recommended by Xantrex but not done by Thor.... for the refrigerator and TV circuit. I then branched off the sub-panel and ran new wiring back to the Power Distribution Center so I could back-feed it from the Inverter to power the entire coach when desired. I added a new 20A breaker to each branch in the last open spots in the PDC and connected the output from the sub-panel to the new breakers.

The 20A breakers are always off until I want to use the Inverter. Then I turn off the 50A main breakers so the Inverter does back-feed by hardwired EMS and Transfer Switch. Then I turn on the 20A breakers for the Inverter Output to back-feed the PDC to power all of the circuits in the coach.

I only run one A/C off the Inverter, if needed, which is usually fine at night.