Leisure battery change on a Dethleff Alpa - Mission Impossible?

[Bustup15]

Anyone looked at a battery change on a Grand Alpa I?
With the dexterity and determination of a skilled gynaecologist, I managed to disconnect all cables from the 2 leisure batteries. These are mounted securely into a floor mounted metal frame in the garage which prevents any fore and aft movement, access is very limited due to the shelf above the batteries housing the EBL, various relays and fuse banks.

Tried to lift and tilt the 1st battery out of the frame but the lack of fore and aft movement is preventing the battery clearing the metal frame, even tried using a bottle jack to give some extra power but no joy (and they are extremely heavy). Due to the shelf above it is impossible to reach the back of the battery and apply any upward lift force.

The shelf cannot be removed without a major and substantial internal strip out.

My only thought now is to cut a section of the frame out to allow the 1st battery to be slid out, manoeuvre the 2nd battery across and then out. After installation replace the frame and screw or rivet a patch to hold it together.

Or are there any wise ones who can suggest alternatives?

 

[ivorantony]

Can you screw a U bolt or strong eyelet to the base of the shelf, then using a bar with some strapping around a battery and using the U bolt as a fulcrum point you should be able to lift it out,

 

[TheBig1]

unscrew the blue clamping post to give you more room and don't forget 3 weatabix for breakfast and spinach as a snack before you start

 

[Bustup15]

unscrew the blue clamping post to give you more room and don't forget 3 weatabix for breakfast and spinach as a snack before you start

Already had porridge and that didn't work. Might try a night on Guiness and have another go

 

[Spriddler]

I'd cut through that black bar across the bottoms of the batteries and remove it (or enough of it to get the r/h battery out) if that would enable it to be slid out. Replace the bar afterwards with bridging plates bolted to each end.

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[RM_Marine]

Ask the better half to do it and you can stand and give guidance

 

[Bustup15]

I'd cut through that black bar across the bottoms of the batteries and remove it (or enough of it to get the r/h battery out) if that would enable it to be slid out. Replace the bar afterwards with bridging plates bolted to each end.

Yes, that was my conclusion also. But it's now peeing down so it can wait till tomorrow.

 

[Jamesh]

Why do you need to cut through the black bar?? Can you not lift them out using the handle?

If it's too heavy get a length of 4x2 and place on top tie off the handle and lever the battery up over the bar bar before pulling straight out?

If your struggling find a younger neighbour to help?

 

[Jev88]

Small crowbar/nail lifter down behind the black metal rail and under front end of battery (something wider than a screwdriver so you don't risk puncturing the plastic bettery wall) - lever up and pull on your rope loop?
Or am I missing something else blocking things?

 

[Bustup15]

Why do you need to cut through the black bar?? Can you not lift them out using the handle?

If it's too heavy get a length of 4x2 and place on top tie off the handle and lever the battery up over the bar bar before pulling straight out?

If your struggling find a younger neighbour to help?

Tried to lift and tilt the 1st battery out of the frame but the lack of fore and aft movement is preventing the battery clearing the metal frame, even tried using a bottle jack to give some extra power but no joy (and they are extremely heavy).

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[Bustup15]

Small crowbar/nail lifter down behind the black metal rail and under front end of battery (something wider than a screwdriver so you don't risk puncturing the plastic bettery wall) - lever up and pull on your rope loop?
Or am I missing something else blocking things?

Tried to lift and tilt the 1st battery out of the frame but the lack of fore and aft movement is preventing the battery clearing the metal frame, even tried using a bottle jack to give some extra power but no joy (and they are extremely heavy).

 

[Rollingwheels]

With those rope handles could you not pull the back one to get a little lift and drop so down behind it to stop it dropping back down the you would possibly have enough movement at the front to clear the bar

 

[Bustup15]

With those rope handles could you not pull the back one to get a little lift and drop so down behind it to stop it dropping back down the you would possibly have enough movement at the front to clear the bar

Unfortunately not, it's reaching over the full battery length and trying to apply a lift force, there's only a few inches clearance above (or maybe it's just me being a woose )

 

[Sheddy]

Was there any movement when you tried to tilt the Rh battery sideways? I would remove the Rh clamp post and then try to tilt the battery by applying force with care using a wide plate or similar between the two side walls at the top in the middle gap. If the battery will not then tilt or move it may over time have become "adhered" to the base surface.

 

[Bustup15]

Was there any movement when you tried to tilt the Rh battery sideways? I would remove the Rh clamp post and then try to tilt the battery by applying force with care using a wide plate or similar between the two side walls at the top in the middle gap. If the battery will not then tilt or move it may over time have become "adhered" to the base surface.

Yes it can move sideways although not a lot of clearance between batteries. It does also tilt front to back but not enough to clear the metal support bar.
Will try tomorrow or Saturday subject to weather

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[Rollingwheels]

How about this, you may need to shorten the rope handles to get the lift but pass a timber through both handles and make it long enough to provide a lever, lift the timber up and measure down to the floor from the bottom of the timber, you may need a spreader plate of ply to stop damaging the floor, cut a piece of timber a bit longer than the distance measured from the spreader plate to the underside of your lever then once in place press down on the timber and the battery should lift straight up evenly, you may have to play about with timber sizes etc. as to what is strong enough and small enough to give the clearance but should work ok, I have moved enormous pieces of stone etc with quite small timbers.

 

[vin0114]

It looks and sounds like there is not enough space around the front and rear of the battery to allow the front end to be lifted and tilted enough to clear the lip of the holding bar at the front. I would go with Spriddler 's suggestion. Who the bloody hell fitted these???

 

[Bustup15]

It looks and sounds like there is not enough space around the front and rear of the battery to allow the front end to be lifted and tilted enough to clear the lip of the holding bar at the front. I would go with Spriddler 's suggestion. Who the bloody hell fitted these???

Dethleff from new. Possibly during or before final construction

 

[Bustup15]

How about this, you may need to shorten the rope handles to get the lift but pass a timber through both handles and make it long enough to provide a lever, lift the timber up and measure down to the floor from the bottom of the timber, you may need a spreader plate of ply to stop damaging the floor, cut a piece of timber a bit longer than the distance measured from the spreader plate to the underside of your lever then once in place press down on the timber and the battery should lift straight up evenly, you may have to play about with timber sizes etc. as to what is strong enough and small enough to give the clearance but should work ok, I have moved enormous pieces of stone etc with quite small timbers.

I may give that a try if I can get sufficient length for the Lever arm.

 

[ROCHESB]

in years gone by batteries had 'feet' that stuck out and battery clamps were used to hold the base of the battery down. Could it be that these batteries are being held down by the black frame?

It could be the frame is made of angle rather than a box section?

I would try undoing the nuts on the threaded bars with blue plastic sleeving and see if the frame can be lifted?

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[Bustup15]

in years gone by batteries had 'feet' that stuck out and battery clamps were used to hold the base of the battery down. Could it be that these batteries are being held down by the black frame?

It could be the frame is made of angle rather than a box section?

I would try undoing the nuts on the threaded bars with blue plastic sleeving and see if the frame can be lifted?

The frame is rectangular section not angle. It can't be lifted as it forms the support for the shelf above and also extends beyond the batteries and around the inverter

 

[ROCHESB]

The frame is rectangular section not angle. It can't be lifted as it forms the support for the shelf above and also extends beyond the batteries and around the inverter

A nightmare installation......

 

[vin0114]

Come on you guys who've had these vans and some of you must have seen fubars like this build?

 

[Texan52]

I may give that a try if I can get sufficient length for the Lever arm.

 

[mushy]

Could you cut a small inspection type hole in the shelf above the rear of the right hand battery big enough to reach in and lift the rear of the battery by the rope handle. Then by lifting the front it would clear the frame so you could yank it out. Once out I would cut that frame away so you could in future just slide the right hand battery out on the floor.

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[Bustup15]

It's done!

Thanks to all for their suggestions.

It was a right bugger on to get the old ones out. On close inspection the frame around the batteries had an additional L angle welded to the frame internally which meant that the batteries were not only contained within the rectangular section but also sat on top of the L angle.

Resorted to levering the batteries out using heavy flat screwdrivers and the like until I could get something underneath to wedge them and pull them out. I was convinced at one point that the battery case would end up splitting with the force required but they did come out.

These 150ah are ridiculously heavy and now I have them out are still difficult to move around!

New batteries in and all connected and working thank goodness .

I have a minor issue that I will post seperately that I think is unconnected, the 12v isolator switch no longer works on the overdoor panel, its permanently live. Unless I've bent one of the pins on the cable harness when reconnecting?