|
When I attempted to install a new battery, I discovered that one battery holder weld had broken. Since there was redundancy, this was not a problem, but it started me to thinking about how to build a simpler, lighter and a more vibration proof holder.
It consists of four preformed stainless hose clamps and two wood spacers. |
To resist torsion loads, the wood spacers where fixed to the root tube with JB Weld. Next the clamps were placed over the root tube and the bottom sections joined. Then the battery was slid into place. The clamp screws were tightened on each side of the battery so that the bottom clamp surface snugged up to the bottom corner of the battery and compressed the battery up against the bottom of the wood spacers. The photo was taken before the clamping screws had been safetied.
Battery orientation was picked to reduce the amount of material required to hold the battery and to enable use of the existing battery connector cables. This modification cost less than ten dollars. Battery holder parts weighed 3.6 ounces, a saving of 8.4 ounces.
|
When I designed the holder, I did not take into account where the hose clamp serrations would be relative to the battery corners. I received a response about the possibility of cracks forming through the serrations that cross corners. I purchased some new clamps and formed them so that no serrations cross a corner. The root tube does not vibrate at the same intensity as the engine, but why take the chance when there is no weight penalty.
|