Instructions for building a battery box

If you are planning to carry that battery around a bit then you need a box with a comfortable carrying handle.
I built a box out of plywood that looks like an old fashioned tool caddy. The box is sized to the battery and the carry handle (20mm dowel) is removable to be able to insert the battery. This battery is used to power a home built winch on a boat trailer and the box works well, getting carried to and from the car and to the charger in the garage.

I just fitted large brass screws with wing nuts to the battery posts to connect my winch, it would be easy to fit any other connectors to the side of the box if required.

If you build something like that make it sturdy, especially the box base to sides attachment, so it can survive a bit of rough handling. Also, seal the box with something (sealer, paint etc,) to prevent acid seeping into the wood should some escape from over enthusiastic charging.

I have not yet come across a plastic battery box that was as easy to carry around as my plywood box is.

Klaus

I am putting together a portable dual battery system which includes the controller, spike protection, anderson plugs, lighter socket and universal wiring connection. It is all in a plastic battery box complete with carry handle and externall brass wing nuts for other items you want to connect. Will be ready in about 5 days and will go up on ebay ABR has usefull ebay links to products. Regards Derek.

Whitworth's Marine have them ranging from a plain box at $10.95 (Why would you make one out of plywood?) to a fully fitted out unit at $78.90.

Just a matter of what battery you then choose to fit inside. The best for your use would be an AGM battery but they do cost a bit.

Battery Boxes

If using any of the commercial thumpers replace the existing cables by cable of least foiur times the cross sectional area. Copper cable is very expensive and the makers economise in this area.
Collyn Rivers

Comment was a generalisation but should have made it clearer I was referring to supplied jumper leads. Same comment applies to jumper leads generally. Most are more insulation than conductor and have huge voltage drop on heavy loads.

Best to make your own - but a good pair of three-four metre leads with proper clamps will not leave much, if any, change out of $100. But can make all the difference between a successful jump start - or otherwise.

Welding cable incidentally (from electrical wholesalers) is more flexible and usually a great deal cheaper than battery cable.
Collyn Rivers

If it were just for a fluoro, a 7Ah gel cell (SB-2486) inside a Jaycar SLA carry bag (SB-6360) - www.jaycar.com.au.

I've had a couple of these for years, and are way more portable than bigger units. But with the new truck setup, I have a 15metre twin cable and cig socket that I just pull out when I need it.

Collyn,

you are just being pedantic in your assumption that "everything needs improving" so there "must be something wrong with the product" and therefore, by default you are bagging a product without obtaining valid information.

The specs I quoted were "word of mouth" from the Electrical Engineer at Blue Apple.

Should you, or any other interested parties require further information, I suggest you contact Blue Apple (Home of 12 Volt) on 08 8536 2144.

the question is... Anyone got a good reference for setting up a battery box for portable power? Looking at remote power for Versalites etc, "potentially" a FRIDGE.

First off you DO have to know what you want it for.... before you build it!!!

With a fridge you will have to go for THICK cable as Collyn has said
for only lights you could use 4mm sq cable without a hassle but you will never, repeat never, be able to run a fridge "at any distance" from the battery simply because you will definately have a voltage drop with undersize cables.

Obviously a sealed DC battery or far better still an AGM battery (~$210 @ 100a/h)

A really smart idea would be to also have an expanded voltage meter (10v to 16v, about $39) attached to the 'box' and also an Ampmeter (about 15a) to see if power is going into or out of the battery and see what amps you are using, as you may also want to use a small low cost portable solar panel/sheet to recharge the portable battery system at some future time.
You need the battery and the guages before you attempt to build the container, because it should be built to fit snugly and you will then also save space as well.
The idea of ply is interesting and would be an easy method to contain the portable battery system.