Battery Tray Foam?

[BrianG]

When I started building my BL Revo, I looked high and low for foam for my metal battery trays and all I could come up with was 1/16" craft foam shoe-goo'd to the trays. It worked OK, but I wasn't comfortable about the amount of padding between the batteries and the metal.

Then it hit me: what about weather stripping? So, today I went to Menard's and picked up a roll of "extra firm" 1/4" thick x 3/4" wide stripping. My trays are a bit wider/taller than 3/4", but I just used two strips and cut off any excess. There are wider versions, but those are too squishy. It seems to work really well; the thick foam conforms to the batteries holding them in well, while maintaining a comfortable layer between the batts and the trays. The adhesive says put, yet is relatively easy to remove. And it's CHEAP ($3.15 a roll)!

What do you guys use?

[MetalMan]

On my flat chassis in my 1/8 buggy I use a piece of 1/4" thick packaging foam (came inside one of my sister's boxes) to go below the battery. So far it hasn't really lost its shape, and provides a lot of protection.

Would you be able to find a link on-line of weather stripping? It seems like an interesting idea.

[BrianG]

I got mine at Menards and they unfortunately do not have an online product catalog to browse in. Maybe Lowe's and/or Home Depot have something comparable, but they didn't have the exact thing I used listed on their pages. However, the packaging lists a website (www.wjdennis-rcr.com) and after browsing around, found this PDF: www.wjdennis-rcr.com/pdf/weatherstripping/foam_tapes.pdf. In the section labeled "C" (under "Self-Adhesive Super Firm Sponge Rubber"), it's product number 263; which is the widest version for the 1/4" thick super-firm stuff. This type is black even though the picture looks gray. The other types were too squishy IMO and compress too easily.

[coolhandcountry]

Sounds like a good idea. I don't have a menads near me. I have a home depot and lowes. I have few other local hard ware to. I may have to walk in and look. Thanks brian.

[BrianG]

I'm sure Lowe's or Home Depot will have something comparable. I've been to my LHS and they look at me like I'm high when I ask for 1/8"-1/4" thick foam for battery trays. And what they did have was not suitable because it was too thin, not wide enough, and too expensive for what you get.

Plus, this weatherstripping is rubbery so it has even more grip to help keep the batteries in place during crashes and stuff. I've heard too many stories of flying batteries and shorts to take chances. Plus, the rubber makes ideal electrical insulation.

The super firm stuff I used has a very different feel than the typical weatherstripping. Using my forefinger and thumb, I can compress the standard stripping to about 1/3 the rolls' diameter. The stuff I used only compresses to about 2/3 and requires more force to do so. And it seems to spring back into the original shape quicker, but time will tell if it will return its shape after prolonged compression.

Anyway, it was an idea and was really wondering what everyone else uses since I had so much of a hard time finding something suitable.

[JThiessen]

If you want to buy online, I found thishttp://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg...592139&ccitem=

THere is a wider one, but its also 7/16" thick...

[BrianG]

Originally Posted by JThiessen

If you want to buy online, I found thishttp://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg...592139&ccitem=

THere is a wider one, but its also 7/16" thick...

That might work, but you gotta be careful; some of that stuff isn't as firm as you really want. Nothing beats going to a store in person and feeling if it will work for you...

[JThiessen]

Very true about the firmness. How 'bout this......find some generic single color mouse pads and double back tape them in? Cheap alternative....