Battery Boxes...What One Company Designed

["Too_Many_Tools" <too_many_tools@xxxxxxxxx>]

Since I am starting the homepower/automated house journey, I have been
collecting surplus commercial equipment that might prove useful. One of
those items was a surplus Best battery box for a large UPS. Some
comments on the construction and design follows.

The box is designed for sealed 6v batteries (two banks or four) with
the second bank located above the first. The cabinet is metal with
galvenized trays for the batteries to sit in. The box was wired for 12v
at 200 amp with commercial welding cable. There are two in line fuses,
one per bank. The cabinet is on wheels. The cabinet has two vents
located on the back of the cabinet, one lower and one higher. The
cabinet is NOT actively ventilated but relies on natural convection. On
the front it has a single heavy duty switch to switch the direct
current. The switch has a ceramic resistor on it (to quench arcs when
switching?).

Several things caught my attention. The use of metal throughout the
box...I would have expected fiberglass or plastic for corrosion
resistance. Next was the absense of an active ventilation system.
Third, the lack of an integrated charger for the battery box. I assume
the batteries are charged through the UPS.

I plan on making some mods to this box for my home system.

One is to make plastic tray inserts to keep acid at bay.

Next is an active ventilation system.

Third is to consider doing some type of a sliding tray on the bottom
level to allow one to access the batteries easier during maintainance.

Fourth is to incorporate a charging system.

Fifth is to place meters on the front to monitor voltage and amperage
and add the option for remote sensing.

Sixth rewire it for a different voltage (it was 12v at 200a)...any
suggestions?

I would be interested in any suggestions or comments as to what you
have added to or wish you had designed into your system.

Thanks for any and all suggestions.

TMT