This project creates a functional 12-volt portable battery case for camping or other outdoor activities.
The battery box provides a 12V cigarette lighter socket for running lights with an on/off switch for ease of use. There is also an Anderson plug for charging and a fuse for short circuit protection. The project neatly houses a 12V 7AH battery and provides a neat view of the components inside.
To create this project the following components were used:
- A4 3mm clear acrylic sheet
- Screws
- 65 x 12mm 2.4m Clear Pine (See hardware store)
- 12V 7AH Sealed Lead Acid battery (9AH can also be used and have the same external dimensions)
- Anderson plug
- Cigarette lighter socket
- Fuse holder and 5 amp fuse
- Spade connectors
- Switch
How I built this project:
Creating the enclosure
First, the centre of the acrylic sheet was marked and the sheet was placed symmetrically over the pine board. A heat gun was used to soften the acrylic which was bent 90 degrees at each size using the pine as a spacer. Holes were made at one end for the switch and plug socket. The pine was cut to the width of the acrylic sheet to form the bottom of the box. Each end was measured, matching sides were cut from pine and the top corners were rounded off, on one side a small notch was made to pass the cable for the Anderson plug through. Additionally, a small piece of pine was cut to hold the battery securely at one end of the box. The pine pieces were screwed together, and holes were drilled in the acrylic for the screws which would hold the acrylic in place.
Connecting the components
The components were connected as per the schematic below. A fuse connected to the positive terminal of the battery. The fuse holder I used had a led built in which would indicate if the fuse was blown. The switch was placed in series with the cigarette lighter socket and the Anderson plug was wired in parallel. The reason for connecting this way was so that the cigarette socket could be turned off and the battery could still be charged via the Anderson plug. In my case, I use the cigarette socket for lighting and the Anderson plug for connecting a folding solar panel. Care was taken to push the switch and cigarette sockets through the holes in the acrylic sheet before joining the wires.
Putting it all together
The battery was inserted into the case the wires routed to fit neatly. More screws were used to fix the acrylic to the pine base. The output of the cigarette lighter socket and switch functionality was tested as was charging via the Anderson plug. The box works well and is very convenient for portable 12V work lights. If I were to make another in the future, I would add a USB port (Currently I can use a separate cigarette USB adapter but am limited by the single socket), and I would also use a switch with led built in to indicate if the box was on/off. As it was, most of the parts were recycled from broken electronics so although this one is a bit of a Frankenstein's monster, it does the job.
