Changing battery in Prowler 5th wheel

Lonnie W · 07-30-2015, 11:45 AM

I`m trying to change the two 6V batteries in my 2006 Prowler 5th wheel trailer.They are located in the side of the trailer in a locked compartment and there is no room to move the batteries.The batteries are side by side and behind the door frame.There is not enough room to move them to get them out the door.
The only way I can see that will work is to take door and frame out of trailer.This will give me enough room to slide the batteries out.I don`t want to do this because I will have to reseal the door frame every time.
I called the dealer that used to sell these trailers and he said there was a trick in how to do it.He wouldn`t tell me but wanted me to bring trailer in for him to do it.
Has anyone ever changed the batteries in a Prowler and how did you do it.

Stripit · 07-30-2015, 06:14 PM

Is there enough room to lift one up on top of the other to allow the lower one to slide out? Then once the lower one is out the top one would take the position of the removed one and that slides out too. There has to be a way to get them in and out without destruction of the container and door. You may need a thin piece of wood to lay on top of the one battery as it is holding up the other battery, or two people with one holding the one battery so the other gets slid out? Without seeing or having photos this is just a guess.

Lonnie W · 07-31-2015, 06:53 AM

There is only about 6 in above the batteries and then the bathroom floor.I looked again last night trying to find a way.The batteries cann`t come out the top,front or bottom of the battery compartment.I went in through the front storage compartment and it looks like I may be able to take them out there.The side of the battery box in the storage compartment is stapled on.It looks like I may be able to remove the trim and staples to take the side off the battery compartment to remove the batteries.If that works I will put hinges and a latch on for future battery removal.Will try that next week if I don`t find any other way.

**wingnut60** · 07-31-2015, 03:43 PM

Hope it works--have not seen one so tight the batts couldn't be wiggled out.
Joe

Lonnie W · 08-07-2015, 09:42 AM

I finally got the batteries out.I went inside the front storage container and was going to remove the side of the battery box.I noticed two screws on the bottom of the battery box.I removed the two screws and was able to push that side of the battery box back two inches.This allowed me to slide one battery out past the door frame on the side of trailer.Once the first battery came out,it was easy to slide second battery over and out.
This was not a very good design for a battery box.The battery box could have been bigger and easier to remove batteries.There is hardly any room to get in the storage container to remove screws if you are a big person.There is hardley any room to remove the battery cables in battery box and very easy to short out cables with wrench if not carefull.If you want to remove your batteries every winter,this is not a simple task.There were no instuctions in the owners manual on how to remove the batteries.

Stripit · 08-07-2015, 10:25 AM

Glad you not only figured it out but came back to report how you did it. Thanks for the follow up report.

**wingnut60** · 08-07-2015, 01:23 PM

How hard would it be to enlarge the door opening? I would consider this even if I could not match up with the exterior coloring/design, because you are going to have to do this again eventually.
Joe