Cspirit
Well-Known Member
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use the water resistant variety of MDF, suitably painted, to build some battery boxes to be located inside hecabin and engine bay?
MDF for a battey box?
- Thread starter Cspirit
- Start date
KenMcCulloch
Well-Known Member
Exterior grade plywood would be much more suitable.
Danny
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use the water resistant variety of MDF, suitably painted, to build some battery boxes to be located inside hecabin and engine bay?
[/ QUOTE ]Not that hot on chemistry but isn't Sulphuric acid (battery acid) a strong dehydrating agent which will react with wood? I know it's used in the wood pulping industry. Maybe battery acid's dilute enough for this not to be a problem. Any chemists out there?...
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use the water resistant variety of MDF, suitably painted, to build some battery boxes to be located inside hecabin and engine bay?
[/ QUOTE ]Not that hot on chemistry but isn't Sulphuric acid (battery acid) a strong dehydrating agent which will react with wood? I know it's used in the wood pulping industry. Maybe battery acid's dilute enough for this not to be a problem. Any chemists out there?...
Relax
Well-Known Member
FWIW I used MRMDF to make a sit-in cooker unit on my last boat (Hunter 19) - this worked fine for a couple of years without any significant deterioration. I glued and screwed the panels and painted just with polyurethane.
Might be an idea to glass the insides if using for a battery box.
I can'r see any particular advantage in using plywood - except perhaps weight. Its probably stronger - but does that matter?
Might be an idea to glass the insides if using for a battery box.
I can'r see any particular advantage in using plywood - except perhaps weight. Its probably stronger - but does that matter?
FullCircle
Well-Known Member
Make the box from the MDF, and then line it with chopped strand mat and resin. Easy to make, then lining it is no problem, then you have a leakproof box with minimal hassle.
captainslarty
N/A
or, use exterior ply and do the same - 300g chooped strand and a coat of plain gelcoat.. works great.
Spuddy
Well-Known Member
Just done exactly the same job. I dithered about marine ply but in the end concluded that exterior would be ok. Batten around the top to stiffen and glass tape up the corners and a coat of epoxy all over - cloth on the faces would be stronger still. Something to consider is that if boat is being thrown about the ply is stronger than mdf which is more reassuring.
VicS
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Any chemists out there?...
[/ QUOTE ] There was one around here somewhere /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Yep sulphuric acid, at least the concentrated stuff, is a strong dehydrating agent and will char all wood products to a greater or lesser extent. Battery acid as it dries will also tend to attack wood even if not at battery concentration.
I would expect a particle board to be particularly at risk so I agree that marine or WBP ply would be a slightly better choice. The secret is of course not to spill battery acid in the boxes!
GRP is acid resistant so boxes lined with GRP should be acid proof and acid tight, but that's been said already. If you don't gel coat them stand the batteries on some heavy polythene sheet to stop them sticking.
Any chemists out there?...
[/ QUOTE ] There was one around here somewhere /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Yep sulphuric acid, at least the concentrated stuff, is a strong dehydrating agent and will char all wood products to a greater or lesser extent. Battery acid as it dries will also tend to attack wood even if not at battery concentration.
I would expect a particle board to be particularly at risk so I agree that marine or WBP ply would be a slightly better choice. The secret is of course not to spill battery acid in the boxes!
GRP is acid resistant so boxes lined with GRP should be acid proof and acid tight, but that's been said already. If you don't gel coat them stand the batteries on some heavy polythene sheet to stop them sticking.
FulmarJeddo
Well-Known Member
I have just moved one of my batteries in an attempt to even out the weight in the boat. The batteries were not in a box, but a tray made from MDF. Although quite well painted, water had got on one corner and the MDF had started to swell up, a feature of mixing MDF and water. As the batteries would normally be mounted low in the boat there is a good chance any box could come in contact with water in the bilges and degrade quite quickly. It is unlikely that good quality ply would do this.
