MEP-016B / 701A Battery Conversion

[ETN550]

The height appears to be 6.14" but there is some conflicting info regarding it.

Isn't the height somewhat irrelevant? There appears to be plenty of headroom above the top of the battery.

That height will work.

 

[Triple Jim]

Right hpcs, I was thinking of Volts per battery. The float voltage for a 12V AGM is usually around 13.7, so for two in series it's 27.4V. If you get much higher, you get into the bulk charging mode, and unless you're using a smart charger, that will cause loss of electrolyte once the batteries are fully charged. Much lower and the batteries won't be charged to their capacity.

Even a trickle charger can cause venting from a fully charged AGM battery. A good automatic charger, or smart charger, reduces its charge voltage once it detects a full charge. The important thing with AGMs is to follow the manufacturer's charging specs carefully. I manufacture regulators for Kawasaki triples, and I designed them to work with AGM batteries. They're set at 13.7V so the batteries never have to vent, and live a long life.

 

[hpcs]

Right hpcs, I was thinking of Volts per battery. The float voltage for a 12V AGM is usually around 13.7, so for two in series it's 27.4V. If you get much higher, you get into the bulk charging mode, and unless you're using a smart charger, that will cause loss of electrolyte once the batteries are fully charged. Much lower and the batteries won't be charged to their capacity.

Even a trickle charger can cause venting from a fully charged AGM battery. A good automatic charger, or smart charger, reduces its charge voltage once it detects a full charge. The important thing with AGMs is to follow the manufacturer's charging specs carefully. I manufacture regulators for Kawasaki triples, and I designed them to work with AGM batteries. They're set at 13.7V so the batteries never have to vent, and live a long life.

Is it the situation that any venting from these batteries is undesirable and causes a permanent loss of electrolyte? There is no possibility of adding any electrolyte to replace any lost?

I had better find a smart charger for them, I suppose.

 

[Triple Jim]

Exactly. They have fiberglass mats between the lead plates, and just enough electrolyte to fully wet the mats, but no extra. This means there is no free liquid, so they can't spill acid even if they get broken. When charged per the manufacturer's specs, gasses are reabsorbed as fast as they form, but if the charging voltage gets even a little too high, they will vent the excess gasses out a safety valve. As they vent, electrolyte is slowly lost, and since there's none to spare, they lose capacity. I'm not familiar with all the smart chargers on the market, but if you choose one for your AGM batteries, it should be designed for charging AGM batteries. I own a solar charge controller that lets me select the battery type, either flooded, AGM, or gel. Its output voltages for bulk, equalize, and float are different for each battery type. Of course flooded batteries are relatively insensitive to overcharging, as long as you keep the electrolyte level where it belongs.

 

[hpcs]

Exactly. They have fiberglass mats between the lead plates, and just enough electrolyte to fully wet the mats, but no extra. This means there is no free liquid, so they can't spill acid even if they get broken. When charged per the manufacturer's specs, gasses are reabsorbed as fast as they form, but if the charging voltage gets even a little too high, they will vent the excess gasses out a safety valve. As they vent, electrolyte is slowly lost, and since there's none to spare, they lose capacity. I'm not familiar with all the smart chargers on the market, but if you choose one for your AGM batteries, it should be designed for charging AGM batteries. I own a solar charge controller that lets me select the battery type, either flooded, AGM, or gel. Its output voltages for bulk, equalize, and float are different for each battery type. Of course flooded batteries are relatively insensitive to overcharging, as long as you keep the electrolyte level where it belongs.

Thanks.

The real question is whether these AGM batteries are worth the expense and effort? In a standby condition where their use is, effectively, zero for their entire lives, would they be a better choice over a flooded battery?

There will be no charge/discharge cycles for the batteries. The entire question is the life of a battery that gets no use as compared to the initial cost and the maintenance difficulties.

 

[hpcs]

That height will work.

After researching the SLA batteries, it appears they will be a poor choice for durability. Many of them don't make it two years.

So, I find that Wal-Mart has the U1P-7 battery, 275CCA, for an excellent price of $28.57. The dimensions are:

L 8.25 x W 5.8125 x H 7.8125

It has a bit of a larger top and that's where the greater length is coming from:

Will this work in the frame?

 

[t5noel]

After researching the SLA batteries, it appears they will be a poor choice for durability. Many of them don't make it two years.

So, I find that Wal-Mart has the U1P-7 battery, 275CCA, for an excellent price of $28.57. The dimensions are:

L 8.25 x W 5.8125 x H 7.8125

It has a bit of a larger top and that's where the greater length is coming from:

Will this work in the frame?

Have you looked at the batteries at Tractor Supply? I was using the batteries from Advance Auto for my lawn tractor but they kept dying after a year. I got one from tractor supply and it's going on 2 years and still strong.

 

[ETN550]

Have you looked at the batteries at Tractor Supply? I was using the batteries from Advance Auto for my lawn tractor but they kept dying after a year. I got one from tractor supply and it's going on 2 years and still strong.

I used the Advance Auto " Autocraft" and Tractor Supply u1 batteries. They will both fit my battery tray and they will fit in a 701A

 

[ETN550]

This has been a trial and error process and I am pretty happy with my 4th generation design. I will be making 12 trays and using 6 myself on this initial run. I have the materials all cut and drilled. I am currently making a weld fixture. I'm going to be away until Dec 27. Then I will be making up the first few and will report back.

The U1 dimensions I am working with are:
5-13/16 or 5.8125 Wide - dimension taken at the top, allow for a smaller base dimension
7-3/4 or 7.75 Long - dimension taken at the top, allow for a smaller base dimension
7-5/16 or 7.3125 Tall

My top clamp is set for 7-3/4 but it could be flipped over or the end flaps could be cut off. The 016E has the most room by far and could take a longer battery. The 016B has the oil cooler lines in the rear and they are not always precisely in the same spot so some allowance has to be made. This leaves the 7-3/4 inch long battery overhanging about 1-1/2 inches beyond the outside of the frame. The 701A has a 2 inch deep ASK panel so it can be modified to remove part or all of the insulation on the inside of the panel and it will swallow up the 1-1/2 inches of protrusion just fine. 8-1/4 inches is really pushing it on the top length dimension for a 701A. The height is pretty close too. Much higher and the battery will hit the angle brace on the frame and much lower and the slave cable becomes too short to reach.

I have counted about 20 OEM battery trays in my junk pile so I have converted at least 12 - 14 of the 016B, 016E and 701A to the dual battery design. Since they are each slightly different in design it is a bit of a challenge to make a one tray fits all. I have settled on my current design because it will fit all and, at least so far it is the easiest and simplest and lightest weight to make. In addition the batteries slide in from the front which is a huge advantage. My earlier designs had a perimeter at the bottom of the tray and the batteries had to be dropped in and it is so tight that it was easy to skin a knuckle or arc the battery terminals against the frame.

 

[hpcs]

This has been a trial and error process and I am pretty happy with my 4th generation design. I will be making 12 trays and using 6 myself on this initial run. I have the materials all cut and drilled. I am currently making a weld fixture. I'm going to be away until Dec 27. Then I will be making up the first few and will report back.

The U1 dimensions I am working with are:
5-13/16 or 5.8125 Wide - dimension taken at the top, allow for a smaller base dimension
7-3/4 or 7.75 Long - dimension taken at the top, allow for a smaller base dimension
7-5/16 or 7.3125 Tall

My top clamp is set for 7-3/4 but it could be flipped over or the end flaps could be cut off. The 016E has the most room by far and could take a longer battery. The 016B has the oil cooler lines in the rear and they are not always precisely in the same spot so some allowance has to be made. This leaves the 7-3/4 inch long battery overhanging about 1-1/2 inches beyond the outside of the frame. The 701A has a 2 inch deep ASK panel so it can be modified to remove part or all of the insulation on the inside of the panel and it will swallow up the 1-1/2 inches of protrusion just fine. 8-1/4 inches is really pushing it on the top length dimension for a 701A. The height is pretty close too. Much higher and the battery will hit the angle brace on the frame and much lower and the slave cable becomes too short to reach.

I have counted about 20 OEM battery trays in my junk pile so I have converted at least 12 - 14 of the 016B, 016E and 701A to the dual battery design. Since they are each slightly different in design it is a bit of a challenge to make a one tray fits all. I have settled on my current design because it will fit all and, at least so far it is the easiest and simplest and lightest weight to make. In addition the batteries slide in from the front which is a huge advantage. My earlier designs had a perimeter at the bottom of the tray and the batteries had to be dropped in and it is so tight that it was easy to skin a knuckle or arc the battery terminals against the frame.

Thanks for the update. I decided to stay within your dimension parameters and found a perfect battery at Advance. It has the exact dimensions as stated and it was obtainable with discounts for $35. per battery.


http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wc...ge//N3582E/large/2050013_alg_u13_pri_larg.jpg

 

[ETN550]

Okay - Update:

I have finished fabrication of 12 battery tray assemblies and now need to paint them. I can do the Rapco CARC 686 Tan and the Rapco CARC 383 Green.

The weather is bad here for painting but as soon as possible I'll post up some pics of the finished and painted design. I made some more changes and now they will fit into the 701A with only removal of the sound insulation on the one panel and no drilling. They will bolt in to a 016B and 016E with no modifications.

 

[ETN550]

Here are some pics of the finished battery tray conversion. I revised the design so that no drilling is needed. They drop right in place and bolt up. The 701A will require removal of the sound insulation inside the one panel. This is easily accomplished by drilling out the aluminum rivets holding the retaining strips in place. I use the 701A without the insulation on that one end piece and do not notice any difference in noise. However, the existing insulation and screen could easily be cut for battery clearance and re-installed if desired. PM me if you would like more info.

 

[hpcs]

Excellent work.

My two batteries from Advance are ready and waiting. As far as I am concerned, you can paint them any color you wish.

 

[hpcs]

I have received and installed my kit from ETN and can state that it is expertly designed and manufactured. It installed into the 701 with the batteries in about 30 minutes without any issues. The full set of instructions made the installation a breeze. I highly recommend this kit for anyone who wants to get those 12V batteries installed without spending hours reinventing the support brackets.

 

[sigo]

These look great. I just picked up my MEP016B yesterday, getting batteries today. I'm in for one green kit. PM sent!

 

[machinist75]

What is the price with all the connectors and the cable?

 

[ETN550]

$105 for everything except batteries, includes hardware, cable, disconnect, and shipping with insurance and tracking to the lower 48. Send a PM if interested.

I had originally stated $75 for just the tray and top clamp in another post a while back. +cable $7, disconnect $5, UPS boxing $7, Ship UPS Ground to lower 48 $12 - $15, paypal fee $3.30 = $110.80 so I rounded down to $105 now. I'm going to look into buying some boxes of the correct size to knock a few dollars off the boxing fee. Right now I take them to the UPS store and they package them.

 

[machinist75]

I'll be ordering one in the next few weeks.

 

[stoney_bogg]

I bought and installed one of these well made and thought out battery trays.
I thought I could make my own but it would require two-three hours of time and 20 to 30 dollars of materials made me believe the $ 105 price is WELL worth it.
After installing ETN550's battery tray in less than 30 minuets -It is well worth it.

 

[sigo]

I paid for the battery conversion kit on Monday, received the kit Thursday and installed it today in about 30min. Excellent quality with detailed instructions. Thanks ETN550! This is a worthwhile mod. My MEP didn't come with a battery, so this was a natural step to make it more friendly. Two U1LUH batteries from O'reillys, the kit from ETN and I have a FMC MEP-016B.