Battery box

[Kakalina]

Where in ABYC is the requirements for battery boxes. I looked all through it and could not see anything relating to battery boxes

[Teknishn]

Kakalina, not sure if this helps, but here is what was stated in my pre-purchase survey last July pertaining to how batteries are to be secured:

"ABYC recommends the following with regard to their installation: “Each
installed battery must not move more than one inch in
any direction when a pulling force of 90 pounds or twice
the battery weight, whichever is less, is applied through
the center of gravity of the battery as follows:
(1) Vertically for a duration of one
minute.
(2) Horizontally and parallel to the boat's center
line for a duration of one minute fore and one
minute aft.
(2) Horizontally and perpendicular to the boat's
center line for a duration of one minute to
starboard and one minute to port. Actions must
be taken to satisfy these criteria.”
In addition, ABYC recommends that”
Each battery must be installed so that metallic
objects cannot come in contact with the
ungrounded battery terminals.” The terminals
must be protected."

Unfortunately the Surveyor did not list the ABYC reference.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Teknishn

...Unfortunately the Surveyor did not list the ABYC reference.

I don’t recall the current citation, but from the “Standards & Recommended Practices for Small Craft ~ 2000” [Since Revised]:

E-10.7.2 Provision shall be made to contain leakage and spillage of electrolyte.
-
E-10.7.4 Each installed battery shall not move more than one inch (25mm) in any direction when a pulling force of 90 pounds (41kg) or twice the battery weight, whichever is less, is applied through the center of gravity of the battery as follows;
E-10.7.4.1 vertically for a duration of one minute, and
E-10.7.4.2 horizontally and parallel to the boat's centerline, for a duration of one minute fore and one minute aft, and
E-10.7.4.3 horizontally and perpendicular to the boat's centerline for a duration of one minute to starboard and one minute to port.
Etc.

[sailinglegend]

Originally Posted by GordMay

....E-10.7.2 Provision shall be made to contain leakage and spillage of electrolyte....

This means that AGMs and GELs don't need to be in a battery box because there is no free flowing electrolyte to escape.

[bletso]

Originally Posted by sailinglegend

This means that AGMs and GELs don't need to be in a battery box because there is no free flowing electrolyte to escape.

Yes, IMO, but they still need lashed/bolt securely. I have gels and they are that bit larger not to fit in the existing boxes.