Replacing a battery box locker

[Dodger524]

Whilst manoeuvring our caravan recently on a sloping site with the motor-mover I managed to wipe off the open battery box lid breaking the hinges off the box in the process.

I have brought a new box and now face the task of fitting it, the first problem being removing the damaged box.

My concern is breaking the seal of the mastic sealing tape on the existing box which is doing an excellent but unwanted job of holding the box in place.

Suggestions of how best to go about this in a way that avoids damaging the side of the ‘van will be most welcome.

 

[Parksy]

You could try a plastic scraper, the sort used when defrosting a freezer
White spirit will soften and help to remove the excess followed by methylated spirits to clean the surface ready for new mastic

 

[Dodger524]

You could try a plastic scraper, the sort used when defrosting a freezer
White spirit will soften and help to remove the excess followed by methylated spirits to clean the surface ready for new mastic

Thanks for your reply. I had a half formed idea of using plastic wedges to gradually ease the box out and your suggestion firmed it up. I have ordered 2 packs of 3 cheap plastic scrapers sold be Draper to try.

 

[audiorob]

Follow Parksy's schema with the white spirit then meths - new mastic strip will not adhere to old so the surface needs to be thoroughly clean before fitting the new box.

 

[Dodger524]

Just a follow up for information.

In the event the old box came out quite easily just one gentle push needed from the inside of the caravan to persuade it to leave.
One of the plastic scrapers were used to remove the old mastic, which came off reasonable cleanly with just a couple of stubborn areas.
I used mastic tape to provide the sealing strip and left this overlapping the box flange by about 3mm. This was trimmed off after the box was screwed in place to leave a neat and hopefully waterproof edge.
I also took the opportunity to tidy the battery connection by taking just one pair of cables into the van instead of the original 4 pairs and using a couple of meter blocks to terminate them neatly within the van.
Overall some 5 hours work and an outlay of about £115 pounds. So I guess that's £115 worth of experience and a lesson learned.