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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper
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    Will a grp 31 battery fit into the battery box in a 303

    It is cold and windy outside or I would go out and empty the front storage compartment out and measure the stock battery box. Does anyone know if a Grp 31 AGM battery will fit in the stock box. I want to go with 3 Grp 31 AGM Deep Cycle batteries in the front and was hoping the stock battery box would hold one of the 31's.

    Thanks
    Butch

    I try to always leave doubt to my ignorance rather than prove it

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  2. #2
    King Pin
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    Butch. I believe the battery and battery boxes are installed by the dealership. GDRV specifies a group 27 battery. Your dealer could have installed a larger battery. So the answer is "it depends".

    Jim

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    Site Sponsor jbailey's Avatar
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    Butch,
    One word of caution. The "battery box" that comes with the rigs is a plastic shell that clamps together. The only thing actually holding it in the trailer is a plastic lip that sits on the compartment floor. I would hesitate to put a heavier battery in the factory supplied enclosure due to concerns of the whole thing falling out. Might be overkill, but food for thought. Many of us have bought a true battery box and mounted it on the floor of the compartment. This takes up more room but is more structurally sound.

    Ben
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  4. #4
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    The OE battery box is a snug fit to a Group 27 battery because the cables have to come down the ends of the battery and out the openings at the flange. The larger the gauge of the cables, the more difficult this routing is. I think this would be a very tight fit with a Group 31 . . . particularly if you plan something like an inverter which will need much heavier cables than the stock 6 ga.

    Rob
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  5. #5
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Butch - When planning to add batteries, be sure to understand the RV requirements for venting vs the more common marine expectations for this . . . they are quite different. See this thread or use the search tool in the upper right corner on “ battery venting” for other discussions. https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...attery+venting

    Rob
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  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cate&Rob View Post
    Butch - When planning to add batteries, be sure to understand the RV requirements for venting vs the more common marine expectations for this . . . they are quite different. See this thread or use the search tool in the upper right corner on “ battery venting” for other discussions. https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...attery+venting

    Rob
    Rob,

    Yea, I have already purchased a couple of RV battery boxes for grp 31 batteries. Sounds like I need to order another battery box. I well tie them into the existing vent as I really don't want to drill another hole in the side. If the 31 won't fit into the box then I'm thinking of moving all the batteries to the right side. Might as well move the weight to that side and take some off the left side. It is only around 200# but everything helps. I do plan on adding an inverter sometime in the future and down the road some solar. I think I would remove the drop down battery box to be able to use that space for other things.

    Do you guys know if anybody has changed out their charger for a different one. I'm thinking maybe an inverter/charger and eliminate the WFCO charger? I would then have a 4 stage charger that would give me a desulifcation cycle and also a faster charge rate. Any thoughts on this? In the past a few RVs I have had a 4 stage charger with the charge wizard like the Progressive Dynamics charger.

    Thanks Butch
    Butch

    I try to always leave doubt to my ignorance rather than prove it

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  7. #7
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    The WFCO charger is not as bad as some folks make it out to be. It is a reasonable 3 stage charger. Nothing wrong with installing a combination 4 stage charger / inverter . . . except the price . But, no need to remove the OE WFCO, just leave it there (but turned off) as a backup.

    Rob
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  8. #8
    Big Traveler SouthTX's Avatar
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    I don't think a group 31 battery will fit the OEM box. I had my dealer install two Trojan 6 volt batteries for me and they made a mess of it. They used the OEM boxes and, of course, they were to short to close on the batteries. The only thing they did right was place a piece of 3/4 inch plywood over the hole where the OEM battery normally sits. I thought sticking through the floor of the compartment was kind of an exposed position so I ordered two standard battery boxes from Amazon and installed them on the plywood covering the hole. Don't even think of using the multi-battery boxes as they are badly overpriced and make it more difficult to position the batteries.

    As for venting, you'll look a long time to find vented boxes and that tells me something. I'm not to concerned about a build up of lighter than air gas in our rather leaky front compartment. I thought of cobbling up a flange fitting to the top of the box then decided it wasn't worth it. YMMV

    Just a thought, if you're going to the trouble to install a larger battery you might want to check to insure that it will be sufficient for your needs. I have two 6 volt golf cart batteries and wouldn't want much less. When dry camping, we watch TV and use lights and don't give to much thought to conservation. You definitely don't want to be running the batteries down to less than 50% or you'll shorten their life considerably.
    John and Jean
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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by SouthTX View Post
    I don't think a group 31 battery will fit the OEM box. I had my dealer install two Trojan 6 volt batteries for me and they made a mess of it. They used the OEM boxes and, of course, they were to short to close on the batteries. The only thing they did right was place a piece of 3/4 inch plywood over the hole where the OEM battery normally sits. I thought sticking through the floor of the compartment was kind of an exposed position so I ordered two standard battery boxes from Amazon and installed them on the plywood covering the hole. Don't even think of using the multi-battery boxes as they are badly overpriced and make it more difficult to position the batteries.

    As for venting, you'll look a long time to find vented boxes and that tells me something. I'm not to concerned about a build up of lighter than air gas in our rather leaky front compartment. I thought of cobbling up a flange fitting to the top of the box then decided it wasn't worth it. YMMV

    Just a thought, if you're going to the trouble to install a larger battery you might want to check to insure that it will be sufficient for your needs. I have two 6 volt golf cart batteries and wouldn't want much less. When dry camping, we watch TV and use lights and don't give to much thought to conservation. You definitely don't want to be running the batteries down to less than 50% or you'll shorten their life considerably.
    John,

    The battery boxes I have already purchased are separate boxes for each battery. If the box won't hold the 31 battery then it is useless to me and I'll remove it and cover the hole also. I might put a metal plate over the hole as I want to relocate the batteries to the curb side of the trailer so the weight would be on light side and take weight off the heavy side.

    I am planning 3 grp 31. I know 1 wouldn't be enough. I thought of 2 6 volts but I want AGM and 6volt AGMs are really expensive.

    I have been searching and I found the box vent outlets but I'm having trouble finding it again. I'll try searching again.

    Thanks
    Butch

    I try to always leave doubt to my ignorance rather than prove it

    2020 Imagine XLS 17MKE
    2020 Red and Black Ram Rebel

  10. #10
    Site Sponsor jbailey's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by butch50 View Post
    Rob,

    Yea, I have already purchased a couple of RV battery boxes for grp 31 batteries. Sounds like I need to order another battery box. I well tie them into the existing vent as I really don't want to drill another hole in the side. If the 31 won't fit into the box then I'm thinking of moving all the batteries to the right side. Might as well move the weight to that side and take some off the left side. It is only around 200# but everything helps. I do plan on adding an inverter sometime in the future and down the road some solar. I think I would remove the drop down battery box to be able to use that space for other things.

    Do you guys know if anybody has changed out their charger for a different one. I'm thinking maybe an inverter/charger and eliminate the WFCO charger? I would then have a 4 stage charger that would give me a desulifcation cycle and also a faster charge rate. Any thoughts on this? In the past a few RVs I have had a 4 stage charger with the charge wizard like the Progressive Dynamics charger.

    Thanks Butch
    Butch,
    I did end up drilling a hole in the other side (curb side on a 303) and outfitting it with a new vent. It was actually quite easy, and I know have a vent into the battery box and a vent into the compartment for air movement. I also put in an inverter/charger that is wired into the main AC panel to power all the outlets. I also ended up fabbing a battery box because I did not want to buy one. I think Rob is right, the WFCO is not that bad, but the way they run 10ft of 8AWG (ish) cable from the charger to the battery the loss will be greater than if you are running a large gauge cable in the from compartment. So I saw the benefit as two fold, better charger and more efficient wiring.
    You can see in the following link the fabricated battery box and the inverter/solar/:
    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...eginners+Solar

    Ben
    Ben & Camille
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