The Blue Seas battery box (left) is made of thicker plastic.

Battery boxes are often overlooked yet are critcal to a vessel’s electrical system. A battery not held firmly in place cannot perform its intended function, does not comply with Coast Guard regulations, and in a worst-case scenario can be downright dangerous. One option for securing the powerful batteries commonly found in mid-size cruisers—like 4D, 8D, and (GC2) golf cart batteries—is a plastic battery box. We look at two here.

We ordered a couple of large boxes from local marine retailers. From West Marine, we purchased a 4021 built by Blue Seas Systems of Bellingham, WA. This unit holds two golf cart batteries; two other models are also available, the 4022 built…