Front under cap storage weight limits

[Lakelife]

I'd like to install 4 6 volt L16 group batteries weighing 120lbs a piece in the front storage compartment where the stock batteries are now. Is this area sturdy enough to tolerate 480lbs of batteries?

[Carl n Susan]

Yes it is, I have six 6Vs there.

[lightsout]

The question is can your truck tolerate the added payload, if you have a SRW that is the bigger issue, DRW you are likely fine. The front compartment should handle the weight displacement just fine you may want to add plywood under the battery boxes for better displacement. The Onan 5500 Gen that normally goes in there is 300lbs.

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

Yes it is, I have six 6Vs there.

The L16 6v's the OP is referring to are nearly twice the size twice the weight of standard 6v.

[prndl]

Originally Posted by lightsout

The question is can your truck tolerate the added payload, if you have a SRW that is the bigger issue, DRW you are likely fine. The front compartment should handle the weight displacement just fine you may want to add plywood under the battery boxes for better displacement. The Onan 5500 Gen that normally goes in there is 300lbs.

Don't they actually cut out the floor along the perforations for the Onan to drop down into?

[Lakelife]

Originally Posted by lightsout

The question is can your truck tolerate the added payload, if you have a SRW that is the bigger issue, DRW you are likely fine. The front compartment should handle the weight displacement just fine you may want to add plywood under the battery boxes for better displacement. The Onan 5500 Gen that normally goes in there is 300lbs.

We have a F350 Dually so towing capacity and hitch weight aren't an issue. Mainly I was concerned about the floor of the compartment. I like the idea of adding a piece of plywood to distribute the weight a bit. We may do that.

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by prndl

Don't they actually cut out the floor along the perforations for the Onan to drop down into?

Yes it is cut out however the OP also has a gen so he will be using the small front compartment which will be tight with 4 big batteries, that has a solid floor.

[twindman]

These batteries (as mentioned in the other thread) have almost the same footprint as standard GC2's. Just 1 inch longer and 5 inches higher.

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by twindman

These batteries (as mentioned in the other thread) have almost the same footprint as standard GC2's. Just 1 inch longer and 5 inches higher.

That is still tight plus you should have closed battery boxes with external venting which will likely have to be custom built to properly fit

[rohrmann]

Even if the truck is capable of handling the weight, you are adding quite a bit of extra weight the the frame of the trailer. We don't have a generator and only have two group 27 batteries, and still had a frame failure several years ago that had to be repaired/welded at the campground before we could travel any farther. This is a case that would make lithium batteries a good choice if the extra AH are needed.

[BiggarView]

Originally Posted by rohrmann

Even if the truck is capable of handling the weight, you are adding quite a bit of extra weight the the frame of the trailer. We don't have a generator and only have two group 27 batteries, and still had a frame failure several years ago that had to be repaired/welded at the campground before we could travel any farther. This is a case that would make lithium batteries a good choice if the extra AH are needed.

X2. I would add, it depends on how you load your RV. If loaded out to the max routinely... then consider the LFP recommendation from Bob. Same footprint, 1/4 the weight. Could make all the difference. Since we are talking about weight, I would remind you that your particular rig has two long slides on the left side with the fridge and the pantry in one of them. combined with 7,000 lb axles the added weight of AGMs could put you over on the driver side tire positions ratings. Think premature tire failure or wheel bearing failure. Cha ching.

[Slow Hand]

I am not sure why anyone would go to all the trouble of so many batteries. If you camp in the woods than I would just buy a generator and call it a day. I am not a fan of all that amperage under my bed.

[BiggarView]

Originally Posted by Slow Hand

I am not sure why anyone would go to all the trouble of so many batteries. If you camp in the woods than I would just buy a generator and call it a day. I am not a fan of all that amperage under my bed.

I can think of three right off the top...

1. They don't want to be always listening to a large genny droning on.
2. They want to not spend all their money on fuel and maintenance for the genny
3. They enjoy being off the grid. (in conjunction with solar and a smaller genny as backup only when needed.. this works really well.)


Just sayin', what you would be okay with, they may not. A choice.

[Lakelife]

Originally Posted by BiggarView

X2. I would add, it depends on how you load your RV. If loaded out to the max routinely... then consider the LFP recommendation from Bob. Same footprint, 1/4 the weight. Could make all the difference. Since we are talking about weight, I would remind you that your particular rig has two long slides on the left side with the fridge and the pantry in one of them. combined with 7,000 lb axles the added weight of AGMs could put you over on the driver side tire positions ratings. Think premature tire failure or wheel bearing failure. Cha ching.

Well stated about tire ratings.The G rated tires that come on them are rated for 16,320 lbs between the 4 of them. As the rig is going to come with a pair of 85AH group 27 AGM's (that's the best battery the dealership has) I will probably use an amp meter and battery monitor to do some real world testing before we upgrade the batteries. If we have the money for Lithium we may go that route for the weight savings.

[BiggarView]

Originally Posted by Lakelife

Well stated about tire ratings.The G rated tires that come on them are rated for 16,320 lbs between the 4 of them. As the rig is going to come with a pair of 85AH group 27 AGM's (that's the best battery the dealership has) I will probably use an amp meter and battery monitor to do some real world testing before we upgrade the batteries. If we have the money for Lithium we may go that route for the weight savings.

Testing is good. 170AH of batteries will power your fridge and the inverter for about 12 hours if we use the 50% AGM DoD rule. (and assuming thats two 85AH 12v batteries) Enough to get you from one campground to another. You have mentioned boondocking, as a desire... you will surely need more batteries... guaranteed.

On the tires, yes the G rated tires can carry 4080 lbs each which exceeds the axles rating. But it is the axle ratings that will get you into trouble all things being equal. The axle ratings tell us they are the weakest link in your current suspension set up. Unless of course you jack your trailer into tight spots all the time which results in sideways stress on tires and wheels and axle bearings too. Again think premature failure of critical components.

[StageCoachDriver]

Wow! 120lbs each! My 6V Trojans weight 27lbs each. They must have some serious amp-hours.

[lightsout]

Originally Posted by StageCoachDriver

Wow! 120lbs each! My 6V Trojans weight 27lbs each. They must have some serious amp-hours.

You might want to check your scale, that is what Lithiums weight, Wet cell nearly 3 times that. The OP batteries are also 370 AH twice the size of a standard 6V 210-250 AH battery like the Trojan 105

[McRod]

Originally Posted by Lakelife

I'd like to install 4 6 volt L16 group batteries weighing 120lbs a piece in the front storage compartment where the stock batteries are now. Is this area sturdy enough to tolerate 480lbs of batteries?

Yes, I have 8x 6v T225s in there (67lbs ea). I did, however, add 1/4" bar stock underneath that runs from frame rail to frame rail. The metal pan that's in there from the factory is welded in, but I think it's 1/8".

[jretz]

I have 4 6volt L16 agm batteries. They are 400amps each and weight around 130lbs each. This supplies me with 800amps of power (400 amps usable). Yes this is a lot of weight on the front storage floor so I added 3/4" plywood under them and anchored it to the angle iron framing. When I get home next month I will add metal reinforcing straps under the bottom of the floor. Prior to these batteries I had 5 12volt 100amp agms with no reinforcement under them (I had them in for about 5 years).