Mick if you are near a pretty thick edition of the yellow pages, you should be able to find a listing for someone who does plastic vacuum molding or prototype molding. The vacuum mold system is perfect for large non-critically dimensioned and low production custom pieces of plastic. The mold core will be made of wood and shaped like the inside of the battery tray. A sheet of plastic is heated then lowered onto the core and a vacuum pump will draw the plastic tight over the core. A basic tray, or several smaller trays for pairs of cells can be made up pretty inexpensively this way. If it is a size battery type you install often you could probably get a better price for multiple pieces. Here's a shot of a rather sophisticated production vacuum forming machine at work. Smaller shops may have older machines but your needs are not critical. Just be sure to specify the correct type of plactic that will be acid resistant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL-h0HAcdFA&feature=related
Jim Duncan North Texas Renewable Energy 486 W.N. Woody Road Azle Texas 76020 Since 1993 nt...@1scom.net 817.917.0527 www.ntrei.com NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer No.31310-57 *** -----Original Message----- From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org]on Behalf Of Mick Abraham Sent: Friday, April 30, 2010 10:22 AM To: RE-wrenches Subject: [RE-wrenches] Ideal platform for flooded type batteries: opinionswanted Hi, Mechanix~ My "customer du monde" has a dirt floor in the battery space but he's willing to build something on which we could place his "wet" type batteries. Concrete is strong but it also tends to begin dissolving when battery acid gets on it. Been there, seen that, didn't like it. Wood could be strong but what about the dissolving problem? Would pressure treated wood be better than white wood, redwood etc.? OR: what else would the group advise for a support structure? ************************************************************ The above questions assume that whatever we do will probably get wet, but that may be too pessimistic. Could someone give me a mini-review of plastic trays which would protect whatever goes beneath? I'm pretty sure polypropylene is the right type plastic but short of custom welding by a plastic fabricator...where can I find trays which fit OK with floor scrubber type battery case dimensions? Thanks all around, Mick Abraham, Proprietor www.abrahamsolar.com Voice: 970-731-4675
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