Water in the battery box
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8139
Printed Date: 01 Jul 2025 at 7:26am
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Topic: Water in the battery box
Posted By: ron/roscoe
Subject: Water in the battery box
Date Posted: 08 Jun 2016 at 7:26pm
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Twice my battery box has filled up with water, I assume rainwater. I finally drilled about a dozen holes in the bottom of the box. Question? The plastic lid on the top of the battery box is secured by a tight strap. So, how does that much water get in the box up to the top of the battery? Curious minds want to know. ------------- Ron Rowland |
Replies:
Posted By: JandL
Date Posted: 08 Jun 2016 at 7:45pm
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Mine has vent holes on the top so I drilled some holes in the bottom when I installed my new box. The boxes have to be vented to allow any gas to escape ------------- JandL 2013 Honda Ridgeline 2012 177 2 Paynes in a Pod |
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 08 Jun 2016 at 9:07pm
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We get a lot of condensation during temperature change.
------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 09 Jun 2016 at 7:59pm
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Rain splashed in while driving, through the gaps in the lid. Drilling a few holes in the bottom is the right thing to do. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: malkbean2
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 11:13am
| Drilling holes is fine but if the leakage wets the top of the battery enuf going to short out across the terminals and discharge the battery. Shouldn't that be covered by the warrantee? I mean thats just a ridiculous design to put a vented battery box right under the rain runoff of the trailer. Am I wrong? |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 11:53am
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Ours came with 2 battery boxes. One had drain holes, and the other did not. The one without holes filled with water. We drilled drainage holes in the one that was filling with water, and the problem was solved. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2017 at 3:26pm
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I think the battery boxes were designed for places like boats or other places where containment of any battery acid would be mandatory. In these cases, one would not expect rain water to get in to the box. With ours, it is not rain, but water splashed up by tow vehicle wheels, wind-driven rain, etc. that fill the box. Drainage is mandatory for us.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Gene and Fonya
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 10:46am
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I found mine full of water this morning when I checked after reading the earlier posts. In my case it had to be rain entering the ventilation holes as it has been parked in my driveway since we bought it. We have had a couple of gator gushers in that time frame. The top of the battery was dry since it is above the case sidewalls. I drilled a small hole low on the passenger side to drain it. This is an area I will be modifying later on my RP-178, probably by replacing the size 24 Deep Cycle with two Size 27 AGM batterys mounted inside the trailer under the table seats as close to the axle as possible. I have been using 12 volt AGM batterys to power my ham station for several years since they are good for indoor installation. |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2017 at 4:44pm
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Battery boxes will leak. I recall once after a particular rough weather period followed by bitter cold - my battery was frozen to the top in the battery box. I had not been traveling and no amount of days of condensation would have filled it. BTW it still worked and I added drain holes. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |