[RE-wrenches] Battery Box Construction

[Dave]

Ray,

As an option for the plywood box with the 10 mil poly lining. You can do two
layers of the poly liner and also protect it with two lengths of 1 x 3 wood
strapping on the floor of the box to support the heavy batteries and protect
the poly liner. I have done this for years with no problems. Cut the 1 x 3's
shorter than the length of your box and sand the wood completely with
special attention to rounding the corners and edges so that the wood is
smooth against the poly. Once you get one battery in place the wood
strapping does not move and you can pretty easily move the other cells into
place.  I sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of the box before installing
the cells. The plywood has held up well for twenty years or more, even with
people who add too much distilled water > and create some electrolyte
overflow upon charging. It gets a little stinky in the box then, but the
double lined poly has never failed me because it is designed right and
installed with care.

Alternatively you can use another material to protect your poly liner such
as the polypropylene sheeting that you are thinking of using to build your
box. Again, cut it smaller than your footprint of the plywood box and round
all of the edges off the sheeting material to protect the liner from being
cut.

Dave

David Palumbo 
Independent Power LLC
462 Solar Way Drive
Hyde Park, VT 05655
802-371-8678 cell
802-888-4917 home




  plywood box with the -----Original Message-----
From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On
Behalf Of Ray Walters
Sent: Thursday, January 28, 2016 5:26 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Battery Box Construction

Hi All;

We're looking to improve our battery box construction, and are considering
using 1/8" think polypropylene sheeting.  I've used small premade boxes
before, but this will be for a HUP install, and we would want to build the
box around the batteries after.  Does anyone have experience/ comments on
welding plastic?  The alternative would be to just seal the seams with acid
resistant caulking. (silicone, Geocell, ?) I've had good luck in the past
just using 10 mil plastic sheeting stapled up on the inside of a plywood
box, but we will be scooting 1000 lb batteries around on it, so I don't
think the sheeting will hold up.

Thanks,

--
R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

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