Urgent - Old batteries bulged over winter?

[Bailey'sMom]

Originally Posted by clan_salmons

Do you have a battery cutoff switch? .

I do not. I would have like to add one in but me and electrical anything don’t really mix well. So I decided to do a straight swap of old batteries for new. Same kind, etc.

I had looked at both AGM and lithium batteries but ended up just replacing the flooded lead acid batteries with the same.

[BrucePerens]

Sara, I would recommend that you get a battery cut-off switch, and an automatic battery cut-off. You have the option of using pre-crimped cables; or getting ones cut to size and crimped, which requires special tools. Perhaps an auto electrical shop might be best.

I use the Blue Sea mini battery cut-off switch, which I have mounted on the street-side (away from tampering kids) frame by the battery case, and the Victron Battery Protect 65. The switch is $22 online and the protector $44 from PKYS (and $58 on Amazon) The protector saves you the price of two new batteries if you leave something on accidentally and run down your batteries, which everyone does eventually. It's programmable but comes adequately programmed.

[gonzo628]

Hi Bruce,

Do you have pics over where these are installed? (inquiring minds)

[Bailey'sMom]

Also my batteries are inside the back storage compartment because I have a slide dinette model, thus complicating the work area.

[BrucePerens]

Sara, since your batteries are in the back compartment, I'm going to modify my suggestion. Buy the Victron BP-65 and not the orange switch. Remove the black jumper wire from the plug in the photo of the Victron. Wire that to any switch mounted on the outside of your camper where you can reach it with the camper closed - this will have low voltage and current running through it. The switch commands the BP-65 to cut off or enable the battery. There is a very minor current drain of 6/10 of a milliamp in "cut-off" mode, which is negligible.

This requires only one additional battery cable, and low-voltage wiring for the switch. So, it's pretty simple, but I'd still suggest that you have someone with electrical competence do this. Use the diagram in this manual, the switch is labeled "remote" and you will not need the program switch, the LED, or the buzzer.