Matt Muelver wrote: > I believe that a properly bolted box can be just as strong as a welded > one, maybe even stronger as long as you use the correct materials and > mounting points.
That's certainly true. Just be sure to use lots of smaller bolts; not a few large ones. Or, attach your bolts where the unibody already has reinforcement plates and gussets to handle concentrated loads, like they do around suspension and motor attachment points. >> Plexi glass tends to be pretty brittle. > They won't actually be sitting on the plexiglass. The seat pads will > be mounted above the battery window. Plexiglass (acrylic plastic) is the wrong material for the job. It cracks and breaks easily, the pieces are sharp, and it burns. The lid of a battery box is structural. It provides the 6th side of a box, which greatly affects its stiffness and strength. It contains the batteries during an accident. Polypropylene would be a much better choice. If you feel it has to be transparent for some reason, use Lexan (polycarbonate); the stuff they make breakproof storm windows and crash helmets out of. > I haven't seen any DC/DCs that are larger than 40 amps, can I install > two of them to get 80? Yes. Although, they don't share the load equally. > should I use an Optima (YT?) for the 12V battery too or would a > standard starter type be better (red top)? If you use your accessory battery like an ICE starting battery, then use a starting battery. This means it is always on charge when driving, and you never discharge it except very briefly. If you routinely discharge it and then recharge it later, then use a deep-cycle battery. For instance, if you have no DC/DC and so recharge it when you recharge the rest of the pack. Or, if you have a small DC/DC which only delivers the average load current, and depend on the battery to supply peak demands. -- Lee A. Hart Ring the bells that still can ring 814 8th Ave. N. Forget your perfect offering Sartell, MN 56377 USA There is a crack in everything leeahart_at_earthlink.net That's how the light gets in - Leonard Cohen
