Willie2 wrote:
I'm looking for a source for a weather tight, probably fiberglass, box.
About 4'x6' and 2' high with a lift-up top. Can anyone suggest? Some
custom fiberglass shop?
Chris Tromley via EV wrote:
What you're attempting to do is pretty simple, so just about
any fiberglass shop could do it. Expect it to be expensive.
That's because it's time consuming. It's not hard. In fact, it's a simple
enough project for someone who's never worked with fiberglass before.
I second this notion. I've made fiberglass battery boxes before as
first-time projects, and they turned out well. Here's how I did it:
I live where there are winters, and wanted to keep the batteries warm
without excessive heating costs. So I bought a 4' x 8' x 1" thick
styrafoam sheet from Home Depot.
Make a test box out of scrap corrugated cardboard around your batteries.
This box establishes the necessary INSIDE size of your battery box, and
acts as a temporary spacer to be sure you can slide your batteries in
and out of the final box.
Make a styrafoam box that fits OUTSIDE this cardboard box. This will be
the core of your final box.
If you want strength, get a woven fiberglass CLOTH. If mechanical
strength is less important than cost, get fiberglass MAT (random
pattern). In either case, get enough to cover the styrafoam box inside
and outside with two layers.
I recommend West System Epoxy resin. Compared to the usual cheap
polyester, epoxies are stronger, easier to use, don't smell, aren't
nearly as toxic, and won't attack the styrafoam, Here's a beginner's kit:
http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=3842&campaign=email022916
Paint the outside of the box with the mixed epoxy resin. Press the cloth
into place. When it's most (but not all) of the way cured, add a second
layer of cloth and resin.
Once it's cured, remove the box from your cardboard box mold. Remove and
discard the cardboard box. Repeat the process to build an inner
fiberglass box. This isn't strictly necessary, but makes the box
considerably stronger and more rigid, and provides a nice solid surface
so the styrafoam won't get torn up.
--
Knowledge is better than belief. Belief is when someone else does
your thinking. -- anonymous
--
Lee Hart, 814 8th Ave N, Sartell MN 56377, www.sunrise-ev.com
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