Can I place batteries near engine?

belfert · April 17, 2006, 01:59:48 PM

With my bathroom removed, there is a fair amount of space next to the engine.

Could I put my house batteries there, or will it be too warm? What about putting a diesel generator there instead?

Brian Elfert

H3Jim · April 17, 2006, 02:11:44 PM

I put my gel cell bateries in the engine compartment. My exhaust manifold is on the olther side of the engine, and the batteires sit farily low in their new home, so they remain somewhat cool. While its probably better to have them remain as cool as possible, so far I have had no issues. They do not get uncomfortably warm to the touch. If I have to, I can always add some heat sheilding as well.

Other things to think about are the weight of whatevewr you put there, either the batteries or the generator. It's on the rear overhang, and will reduce the amount of tongue wieght for any trailer you might hookup. Aklthough its small, I can tell the differnence in tire temp for the tag on that side. I run a few more lbs of pressure in that tire as a result.

It also comes in to play when you consider left to right loading. I am probably 400 lbs heavier on that side due to my batteries.

If it will fit along with any sound deadening you wish to use, its a good place for a genset. An really nicely done Eagle comes to mind that he put the genset in teh far right rear.

FloridaCliff · April 17, 2006, 02:21:36 PM

Brian,

I am looking at doing the same thing.

Another thing to keep in mind is where your muffler sits. If it were to spring a leak would it spray the massive amount of super heated exhaust on your battery location.

Mine sprung a small pin hole leak and melted part of a harness(GM's placement) and almost basically melted a small compressor that I was going to use on pretrip air up that was in the old a/c compressor compartment(My placement).

It made me rethink a lot of things.

ChuckMC8 · April 17, 2006, 02:37:46 PM

I placed my starting batteries in my engine compartment on MC8. No problems with heat issues.
It's not nearly as hot as underhood of my autos.........I have one of those digitall thermometers with the outside sensor.....I think I'll strap the receiver in the engine compartment in our Lexus and record the underhood temps at the battery, then duplicate the test at the battery location in the bus.......Stand by for results!
Click on my profile and you can see pics of the battery install in the bus.
Hope this helps, Chuck Lott Douglasville Ga.

belfert · April 17, 2006, 06:56:32 PM

Isn't side to side weight probably going to be an issue no matter where I put the generator? Of course, the batteries aren't light either.

Will there be too much heat in the engine compartment with the generator and the engine both running?

Brian Elfert

jjrbus · April 18, 2006, 05:33:08 PM

After reading many posts and talking to people, I put the batterys in the engine compartment on my MCI5C, I changed to 2 group 31 batterys, modified the old A/C compressor support for the tray. I have had this setup for 4 years without a problem!
Work?/Play safely Jim

belfert · April 18, 2006, 05:39:05 PM

Quote from: jjrbus on April 18, 2006, 05:33:08 PM
After reading many posts and talking to people, I put the batterys in the engine compartment on my MCI5C, I changed to 2 group 31 batterys, modified the old A/C compressor support for the tray. I have had this setup for 4 years without a problem!

I assume you relocated your coach batteries, not the house batteries?

I want to put my house batteries back there, not my coach batteries. My coach batteries are in a compartment with the B500 ECU, Vanner, and some other stuff.

Brian Elfert

NJT5047 · April 18, 2006, 07:48:23 PM

Quote from: belfert on April 17, 2006, 06:56:32 PM
Isn't side to side weight probably going to be an issue no matter where I put the generator? Of course, the batteries aren't light either.

Unlikely that the weight of cranking batteries or genset would have any noticable effect on a bus chassis. Consider that two average Americans may weigh that much...the leveling system will compensate for several thousand pounds of weigh bias. Clearly there is no problem where MCI guys are removing AC compressors and installing batteries on the AC mount.
As has been described, the engine compartment of a bus is much cooler during operation than an automobile. Automotive batts last for 4 or 5 years in much worse environments. Big problem with bus batts is that they are not used often, allowed to discharge, and then sit discharged for months, etc. Finite number of discharge/charge cycles.
I would not place batteries (or anything else) on the exhaust side, or near exhaust side turbo plumbing. Bus exhaust systems are an extreme fire hazard if rusted or cracked.
Water tanks, gensets, and house batts should be located to offset major weight distribution disturbances. But, if the leveling system is working properly, the bus doesn't care. Weigh each wheel (set of wheels) on your bus to get some idea of weight distibution....this information is good to know for tire selection.
JR

Bill 340 · April 21, 2006, 04:56:18 PM

I have a series 60 which runs about 200 degrees normally. I have my generator in the engine compartment. with absoutly no heat Issues, Works for us. Good luck Bill 340

JackConrad · April 21, 2006, 05:20:07 PM

We moved our bus batteries to the engine compartment on our MC-8. We have a thermister that monitors ambient air temperature in the engine coimpartment. Hottest temp I have seen is 147 degrees. This was while driving 65-70 with outside air temps in low 90s. I know 2 people with Eagle buses that have installed teir generators in the engine compartment with no adverse effects, althouigh one of their wives says it makes the bedroom too noisy if they run the generator at night.