Chita: No problem w/alternator or regulator. A battery is a battery and is not interested in anything other than its resident voltage, correct polarity, distilled water, and breathing space. I've had excellent results using 30H series batteries, normally intended for diesel service. Though not advertised as such, the 30H is a deep-cycle industrial, no nonsense unit with more capacity than you'd ever need. The plates are similar in thickness and bulk to those used in the 4D & 8D series used in large commercial main power stations like tugs, fishboats, semi-tractors, yard engines (trains) earth movers, etc. The 30H however, is a smaller version of these giants - just a bit larger, over-all, than an ordinary group 24 automotive type.

Regarding fabrication w/epoxy resin & cloth. Be sure to get a tube of "Glove-Coat" or something comparable. This stuff is what is known as a "barrier cream" to isolate your skin from the guck! Nothing particularly dagerous here. It's just more convenient at clean-up time. I don't like surgical gloves. Too unmanly :)!

Sand blast to reach bare metal??? Naw... Just get some good paint stripper, blue masking tape, and chip brushes. 1" & 2" should do it. Use straight MEK to wash, thin, & de-grease. Also save your yogurt or icecream tubs for disposable mixing containers. If you want gray coloring, get a couple of ounces of black and white (separate tubes) to mix in w/the top coat of resin when the whole job is in place. Cured resin is acid proof & stays looking good.

Because the cloth offers no support when wetted out w/resin, it is common to "lay-up" some "flat stock" from which you may cut pieces for tray, braces, etc. Get a 3' x 3' piece of Mylar at any fiberglass supply house. Tape it down on a piece of CLEAN, FLAT, particle board. Polish the surface w/any good grade of car wax. (mold release wax not needed) Tape 2 or 3 layers of cloth right down on the Mylar. Make sure it's FLAT & reasonably tight. Mix resin and brush/squegee into the cloth-ONLY ENOUGH TO SATURATE the combined matrix. The resin will soak into the cloth. Do not attempt at this time to "gloss out" the surface. Just make sure you have an even wet penetration. Once cured (24hrs), simply lift it off the board. You may cut this new piece of material w/acft shears and fabricate your tray or whatever else you need. If you are only going to repair the area and then use an off the shelf tray, I just wasted a lot of time. Personally, I'd go ahead & fabricate just exactly what I needed. Don't know if you can find a tray to fit a 30H bat should you decide to go with one.

At least by now you shouldn't feel all alone w/this project. My wife just reminded me that I've a company to run. She's so much fun.... Good luck. Holler if you need more help - JIM