Adding or relocating a battery? Here are a few handy hints that worked for others

Joel Smith, #646, Sonar

I had a hole cut in the starboard cockpit seat, forward of the fuel tank and outboard of the throttle/choke/instruments, and fitted it with a small hatch, just large enough for a battery. Then built a level shelf of fiberglass, and mounted a plastic battery case on the shelf. There's extra room for lines, fenders, and other things, and I also used this area to install two valves which allow me to switch from sea water cooling to bilge water cooling (for easy winterizing and/or emergency bilge pumping). The hatch is fiberglass, and I bought it at Defender.

Chris, #704, Gull

Gull is an EC Boat, and the current (monster) battery is in a box between the galley and port berth, forward of the A4---and under the ladder., Maybe there'd be room for two smaller ones if I cutout the back of the box. Will measure next time I'm up north. Unhappily, Gull is 270 miles from house.

Al, #26, Esprit

Esprit is an EC. The front of the battery box is no more than a piece of plywood screwed to cleats in the settee faces. I moved Esprits forward about 4 inches and made the step/cover larger to accommodate. Esprit can carry 2 group 27 batteries in front of the A-4 flywheel. The trade off is

the loss of toe room at the galley sink. Worth it on my account but I can't say I have never thought I would put it back like it was.

Mickey Feldman, #644

I turned the original 90 degrees and was able to fit the second alongside it. The vertical wall that goes from the floor to underneath the step which hides the batteries had to be moved forward a couple of inches.

Skip Baker, #3, White Cap

I used the area at the bottom of the companionway steps.....my steps are not the same as most Tritons....there used to be a step on the engine compartment hatch and another step that ran across the span between berths. I built a front wall underneath the step and was able to put a battery for a Ford diesel farm tractor in there....a group 31 I think. I also cut a hole with a hole saw about 1/2 inch smaller in diameter than the face of a Perko battery switch. I was able to mount it from behind ...and by building the back of the battery housing wall up to about 1&1/8 thick, I was able to mount it so that the turn switch is flush with the outside of the case. That way no one hits it or accidentally turns it.

There are pictures of the face of it on the MIR/Improvements/Saloon section if this sounds promising....

Steve, #184, Black Dog

My batteries were originally stored under my port bunk in the v-berth. This is fine for the house battery but to far away for the starting battery. There is a lot of empty space just aft and below the sink so I cut out a section of the engine box wall and have my starting battery there--I put some cleats around it and secured with webbing. I put the cut out section back in with backing cleats and toggles. The battery is close to the engine and centerline and elevated sufficiently from the bilge.

Ray Alsup, #256, Pegasus

I relocated my battery to the aft most area under the port settee. However, when I add a 25 pound block of ice to the ice box for a week or longer cruise, I have to locate extra stores to starboard to offset the port list.

Rob Squire, #96, Head-Over-Heels

I mounted an extra battery, an engine start gel cel on a bracket in the port lazerette. I attached it to the aft wall of the ice box. It's up and out of the way from the junk I stow in the hole.