Autotrail battery access (2 Viewers)

[Daifuse]

The two leisure batteries on my Cheyenne 630S are a b****r to get at. They're behind the rear drop panel on the Ducato chassis. I want to check the electrolyte levels and if necessary remove them for a full charge at home. Anyone got any suggestions for an easy way to do this? The weight of the batteries (110 Ah) is considerable and I'm not getting any younger (are any of us?) and I can foresee problems in lifting them up to put them back if I get them out in the first place. There must be an easy way to do this - or do I have to take the 'van to my local (friendly) battery shop?

 

[gibbon]

Batteries hard to get at!

I have a Cheyenne 634U on a W reg & my leisure battery is also behind the flap at the back next to the spare wheel. I confirm that it is indeed a complete pain to get at.
I look forward to reading any responses you get on this cos I'm currently awaiting the delivery of a 30kg Trojan deep cycle replacement & I'm not looking forward to wrestling with it under the back of the van, especially in this weather

 

[TheBig1]

find a local eastern european handyman to do the lifting for you. paying £20 is much preferred to weeks in agony with a knackered back spoiling trips away in the van

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[Trikeman]

That seems a 'bit weird' locating the batteries where you can't really get at them easily..... Our Autotrail (admittedly it's an Apache) has it's 110ah batteries in the rear locker floor which are accessed from within the locker via a trap door - hope I'm not appearing ignorant here, but is there a lid somewhere?
Seems hell of a job just to get at the batteries for simple maintenance.


Regards,

Trikeman.

 

[gibbon]

Yes, I too thought it was an unlikely place to put the bloody thing. I can assure you that there is no trap door or any other way to access the battery either inside the van or outside via a hatch. I wish there was!!!
Mind you, there's plenty of ventilation to waft away any gas produced, and a would be battery thief (if there are such thing's) would never find it.
Trying to find some positive's because it is a stupid location:thumb:

 

[Allanm]

Unless he's reading this thread!


Allan

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[TheBig1]

Yes, I too thought it was an unlikely place to put the bloody thing. I can assure you that there is no trap door or any other way to access the battery either inside the van or outside via a hatch. I wish there was!!!
Mind you, there's plenty of ventilation to waft away any gas produced, and a would be battery thief (if there are such thing's) would never find it.
Trying to find some positive's because it is a stupid location:thumb:

theres some motorhomes where the battery is held in a box under the van and you have to wind it down to the ground like the spare tyre. problem is they really are hard to get to and get killed easily by any frost

other vans they are under the cab seats and you need to unbolt the seats to service the battery/s

its always a compromise in motorhomes where to site the leisure battery but some places seem plain ridiculous

 

[Allanm]

Luckily, mine are under one of the side sofas with easy access. No idea where the cab battery is though, I think it might be under the cab floor somewhere, but not bothered to look yet!
Allan

 

[MHVirgins]

Ours are located in a external compartment on the right hand side of the van, same side as the driver's door. It's easy to unlock the compartment, the lid lifts up giving you access to the leisure batteries..........but ours is a Dakota.

Bill

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[Scout]

Yes, I too thought it was an unlikely place to put the bloody thing. I can assure you that there is no trap door or any other way to access the battery either inside the van or outside via a hatch. I wish there was!!!
Mind you, there's plenty of ventilation to waft away any gas produced, and a would be battery thief (if there are such thing's) would never find it.
Trying to find some positive's because it is a stupid location:thumb:

there at the other end of the battery to the negitives

 

[Richard B]

The two leisure batteries on my Cheyenne 630S are a b****r to get at. They're behind the rear drop panel on the Ducato chassis. I want to check the electrolyte levels and if necessary remove them for a full charge at home. Anyone got any suggestions for an easy way to do this? The weight of the batteries (110 Ah) is considerable and I'm not getting any younger (are any of us?) and I can foresee problems in lifting them up to put them back if I get them out in the first place. There must be an easy way to do this - or do I have to take the 'van to my local (friendly) battery shop?

I have had the same problem on my 630s. I came up with the following solution, however it still needs you to lay on a bit of old carpet.
I made up a square of scrap 18mm plywood with 4 casters on the corners making a sort of small trolly. Then by trial and error found a plastic bucket on the correct height placed upside down on the trolly and reaching just up to the shelf level. making sure that the wiring loom connecting the batteried together was loose , just slid the battery from the shelf onto the upturned bucket. Then roll the lot outside the flap for easier inspection etc . replacing the battery is the reverse. A bit naff but I found it to work. The RH one is a bit easier to get at than the LH one. Hope this helps a bit

 

[Daifuse]

I have had the same problem on my 630s. I came up with the following solution, however it still needs you to lay on a bit of old carpet.
I made up a square of scrap 18mm plywood with 4 casters on the corners making a sort of small trolly. Then by trial and error found a plastic bucket on the correct height placed upside down on the trolly and reaching just up to the shelf level. making sure that the wiring loom connecting the batteried together was loose , just slid the battery from the shelf onto the upturned bucket. Then roll the lot outside the flap for easier inspection etc . replacing the battery is the reverse. A bit naff but I found it to work. The RH one is a bit easier to get at than the LH one. Hope this helps a bit

Sounds like a sensible idea. I'm relieved that I'm not alone on this one and that others have the same problem. Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions - I'll give the bucket/trolley solution a go and let you know how I get on. All I need is for the bl##dy rain to stop for a few hours - the 'van is not under cover! Wish me luck.

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[Daifuse]

Sounds like a sensible idea. I'm relieved that I'm not alone on this one and that others have the same problem. Thanks to all for your comments and suggestions - I'll give the bucket/trolley solution a go and let you know how I get on. All I need is for the bl##dy rain to stop for a few hours - the 'van is not under cover! Wish me luck.

I called into Lidl's this morning and for 4.99 bought a "Furniture Transport Set" which looks as though it might help. The casters might be a bit small but the loading is 75Kg. so should be enough.

 

[Stephen & Jeannie]

On my Scout......

I use a dental mirror and a wee torch !:Cool::Cool::Cool:

 

[gibbon]

I have had the same problem on my 630s. I came up with the following solution, however it still needs you to lay on a bit of old carpet.
I made up a square of scrap 18mm plywood with 4 casters on the corners making a sort of small trolly. Then by trial and error found a plastic bucket on the correct height placed upside down on the trolly and reaching just up to the shelf level. making sure that the wiring loom connecting the batteried together was loose , just slid the battery from the shelf onto the upturned bucket. Then roll the lot outside the flap for easier inspection etc . replacing the battery is the reverse. A bit naff but I found it to work. The RH one is a bit easier to get at than the LH one. Hope this helps a bit

This gave me the idea to use my mechanics stool which is on castors & is telescopic. It was still a bit of a wrestling match & yes it did start raining as soon as I reached the point of no return, but job done :thumb:
Many thanks for the idea.

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