Executive summary:
After mapping out the current electrical architecture and figuring out where I wanted to go with the build, the first project within the project on the project truck was the battery box itself.
Objectives:
- Fix unbalanced architecture
- Add fuses and circuit breakers
- Manual Disconnect
- Onboard battery tender/charger
- Upsize cabling for larger alternator
- Prep for winch
Building the box
The more I dug into those things, the more it all ran together. There would be no incremental piece-meal solution to individual objectives; the entire charging system, cabling, and battery box would need to be altered. Thankfully the box is spacious and capable of bearing a considerable weight. Each of the original four 6T AGM batteries weighed ~88# but the commercial 24M AGM batteries replacing them weight half that at ~45#.
First step was to deconstruct the existing battery box to create a blank slate, followed by washing, and then measuring for some 1/8″ aluminum plating which would serve as the new bottom.
I took a quick detour to paint the air tanks and box supports while I had it apart. At some point some battery acid had leaked down and was cracking the paint. I neutralized it and then stripped/painted the tanks and any metal part of the box and the frame behind it. Yes, the overspray bothers me, but the whole frame will be black at some point so for now I’m just ignoring it.
New Layout
After deciding on a layout that would keep the battery weight inboard and allow me access to the disconnect switch, I designed some laser cut/CNC bent aluminum plates. These support the Vanner 24v->12v converter, Blue Sea Systems 9003E disconnect, and a Blue Sea Remote Battery Switch for a winch in the future. Underneath is a NOCO GenPro 10×2 2 bank, 10A/EA charger/maintainer with room to replace with a 10×4 should the need for (4) batteries arise.
The rear plate, which I unfortunately had to manually cut to clear the “hinges” of the box, contains (3) busbars for 12v, 24v, & ground, a 100A thermal circuit breaker for cab 12v, a 50A thermal circuit breaker for cab 24v, and (3) MRBF Blocks with 100A/200A/300A fuses for the inlet air heater, alternator, and starter respectively.
In conjunction with the other aspects of this project of projects, it amounted to a solid improvement towards what I plan to use the truck for.
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