waterproof battery holder (1 Viewer)

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1973Guppie

1973Guppie

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Was hoping someone can point me in the right direction for a product, I am looking for a nice quality 12v battery holder for a trail build I am doing to run led lights for the cooking and awning areas. All I can find is cheap chinese crap that I know will break the first time it is used. I am so tired of cheap parts. Something like this but obviously covered and that can be out in the elements as it will be mounted outside on the trailer.

Portable 12V DC 8-Cell Battery Power Supply | Battery and CPS Compact Power Supplies | LED Power Supplies | Installation/Power Supplies/Misc | Super Bright LEDs

Thank you!

Noah
 
Why not put something like that inside of a "tuperware" container & pass the wire thru a water-tight "cord-grip"? Try to find a container with color in it as it will last longer in the UV than a semi-clear one will.

OTOH, if you step up to a slighter larger battery, say something like a motorcycle battery, then a tiny solar panel can help with charging duties, you won't have an on-going battery bill, and most any sort of box or cover will work.
 
Battery boxes also need to have a vent since you could have gases build up. My box (made in China) is a heavy aluminum that has weatherstripping on the lid, grommets for the wires and a vent. I would say it is water resistant but not by any means waterproof. I also insulated it so there would be no electrolysis.
 
CAFRAMO Portable DC Energy Pack | West Marine

image.jpeg
 
D cells are kinda puny and the bulk of them and the holder is going to be close to a standard sealed rechargeable. ntsqd's suggestion of a motorcycle battery is a good one. They come in all sizes from tiny to huge, so if the form factor is part of your equation, you can likely find one to fit. I'm partial to Interstate, but there are others. Here's a link to their deep cycle ones, but they also have them in standard config in a greater range of sizes: Sealed 12v Deep Cycle Battery from Interstate Battery System of America, Inc

The smallest is 6.5 H x 7 x 3, so just about the size of 8 D cells and a holder really, maybe even smaller. At 18aH, probably much higher capacity, though.

Tupperware is your friend for housing one of these. Once you have a couple of holes for wires and don't seal supertightly, you should have enough ventilation for most uses in camp. Gas production tends to be greatest when they're heavily loaded or even overloaded. Most of the time, it's very, very little, you just don't want a unit sealed tight in case you do get some venting.

If you want to go real nice, get a right-sized pelican box or something similar, just be sure to allow venting somehow.
 
I really don't want to mount a battery and I dont' want rechargable. I want to be able to replace a few AA batt's and go. The only power I will have is a few small led lights. So I need something batt powered.
 
I think the tuperware solution is going to be your answer.
 
You've shot down every suggestion yet have none of your own. Sorry for trying to help.
 
You could try a military ammo can. They make them down to pretty small sizes. Then it would be almost invincible and you could drill out what you need/seal it up with silicon. You could bolt that right up to the trailer and maybe have room for spares. Just a thought.
 
ntsqd said:
You've shot down every suggestion yet have none of your own. Sorry for trying to help.
Click to expand...

don't get sensitive, I just don't want tupperware hanging off the side of my trailer, just looking for a cleaner solution, thx.
 
ItWasntMe said:
You could try a military ammo can. They make them down to pretty small sizes. Then it would be almost invincible and you could drill out what you need/seal it up with silicon. You could bolt that right up to the trailer and maybe have room for spares. Just a thought.
Click to expand...

that's a good idea, I will search for different sizes.....
 
1973Guppie said:
Was hoping someone can point me in the right direction for a product, I am looking for a nice quality 12v battery holder for a trail build I am doing to run led lights for the cooking and awning areas. All I can find is cheap chinese crap that I know will break the first time it is used. I am so tired of cheap parts. Something like this but obviously covered and that can be out in the elements as it will be mounted outside on the trailer.

Portable 12V DC 8-Cell Battery Power Supply | Battery and CPS Compact Power Supplies | LED Power Supplies | Installation/Power Supplies/Misc | Super Bright LEDs

Thank you!

Noah
Click to expand...

1973Guppie said:
I really don't want to mount a battery and I dont' want rechargable. I want to be able to replace a few AA batt's and go. The only power I will have is a few small led lights. So I need something batt powered.
Click to expand...

so do you really need water proof? or do you need water resistant?
You don't like the idea of tupperware hanging off the side of your trailer, what about sitting inside the trailer, with or without tupperware and running a connection (trailer wiring kit?) to the outside to power the lights? If you mount the battery pack on the inside wall of the trailer, it should stay dry, easy to get to and replace the batteries and then run a power wire to the outside with a cover on the connection. Should it rain, the cover on the trailer should protect the batteries.
 
coops2k said:
so do you really need water proof? or do you need water resistant?
You don't like the idea of tupperware hanging off the side of your trailer, what about sitting inside the trailer, with or without tupperware and running a connection (trailer wiring kit?) to the outside to power the lights? If you mount the battery pack on the inside wall of the trailer, it should stay dry, easy to get to and replace the batteries and then run a power wire to the outside with a cover on the connection. Should it rain, the cover on the trailer should protect the batteries.
Click to expand...

well my first thought was to have something very simple outside of the trailer that I could just pop open and replace batt's. I did not want to mount inside as it would get banged up with the gear being loaded in there but I may have to look into doing just that with a little ammo can or something. I am also wondering if there are any led step lights out there that are self powered with internal batt's. Lots of cheap china crap but having trouble finding quality stuff.
 
1973Guppie said:
after looking at all the available options I think I will probably just use an ammo can in the rear of the trailer build, near the door to store either a small moto batt or some D cell batt packs.
Click to expand...
Ammo can could be mounted on the outside, trailer tongue maybe, could be a very cool way of doing this
 
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