moving battery

[dpsubaru]

Re: How to: Relocate a Battery.

what do you mean by externally vented. does that mean cutting any holes in to the body work or floor? i can make my own battery case. what size wiring do i need?

if running the main cable along one side of the floor is it wise to shift the other cables (if any) to the other side or centre of the car so they arent running alongside or doesnt it matter?

 

[turbonutter69]

Re: How to: Relocate a Battery.

It shouldn't make a difference unless you run an RCA cable near it.

 

[Country Bumpkin]

Re: How to: Relocate a Battery.

I hope you don't mind if i add a few things, i'm going to anyway. Any cables that run through a bulkhead or any metal area, must have a grommet in the hole to provide insulation between the positive cable and the body of the car. The reason is simple, if it wears through the cable insulation you will short to earth and set fire to the car.
Using a standard lead acid battery inside a car is a disaster waiting to happen, even in the boot but if you do use one the battery needs to be boxed and vented to atmosphere and well secured. The boot does not vent in the way an engine bay does, obviously, it's a sealed compartment and will store fumes from a charging battery, this is very dangerous, even more so on a hatchback type of vehicle.The fumes from Sulphuric acid are both toxic and highly flammable.The terminals need covering and isolating from any possibility of anything stored in the boot from contacting them and shorting to earth or the negative terminal, which again is a potential disaster in the terms of fire risk.
I would also advise you to fit an in-line circuit breaker into the system, as near to the positive terminal as feasable, this will protect you in the event of a short circuit or overload.
If you really want to relocate a battery, use a dry cell option.
The picture below is of my own install, we have done many variations and there are obviously many options. This install does have an aluminium cover. The battery is secured via a large central stainless steel clamp which uses a bolt lock at the rear and the base of the clamp is bolted into the body of the car. This is a Yellow Top dry cell battery, there is no possibility of acid leakage in the event of an accident.
I'm not trying to preach here or say that this is the only way but if you have ever seen the downside of an acid spill inside a car as the result of an accident, you will know what i am referring to.
Do modifications thoroughly and correctly and always think through safety options.

 

[Country Bumpkin]

Re: How to: Relocate a Battery.

With all due respect, i'm not too concerned whether you personally use grommets or correct safety features or not. I am concerned that others will read your technique, see it as the way ahead and copy it. Not using grommets isn't just dangerous, it's plain bloody stupid, regardless of how good the insulation is on the '0 gauge cable. You should also have a correct amperage in-line fuse, sorry if you have but i don't see one. This too should be nearest the battery, even more so in the case of not using correct insulators [grommets].
A circuit breaker should be in the ignition line if running a positive from the battery on that circuit.

 

[speedy]

i would like to move my battery in to the boot to help with wieght distrubution. and to free up space in my engine bay. id like to know how i would go about it? thanks:bigsmile:

 

[coupe]

longer cables and a battery box fixed to the floor.

 

[obi_waynne]

The battery must be a sealed unit. You will also need a power breaker near to the battery. Put a rubber grommit anywhere the new power line goes through the bulkhead.

I'd also recommend you enclose the battery in a box which is externally vented.

 

[speedy]

what do you mean by externally vented. does that mean cutting any holes in to the body work or floor? i can make my own battery case. what size wiring do i need?

 

[pgarner]

they hydrogen gas thats given off when charging needs to be vented to the outside.
0AWG or welding wire is normally recommended

 

[speedy]

would i need to cut any holes in the body work or take 1 of the drainge plugs out of the boot

 

[Country Bumpkin]

We had a post on this not so long ago, is it still around or was it deleted ? Just asking so i/we don't write things out again. Maybe we can sort a post out and keep it.

 

[obi_waynne]

CB - I've now found and copied the old posts you were referring to. (Trouble is they were posted before the question so are at the top of this thread!)

Has anyone else got any battery relocation tips to add?

 

[RobBentley]

lol - this thread got me thinking, then I went outside and found my battery is already in the boot!! - Amazing the things you don't notice. I'd have been confused as hell had I come to jump it (or someone else).

 

[BAD63R]

There is a bit of simple way to this. If you find where the main part of the loom comes through the bulkhead, just run the new battery cable through that which will give you the grommit. The live wire going through this hole on somecars already has this wire going through the bulkhead, so all you are doing is making in go off in a different direction in the bulkhead, then just run it where there isn't any other cables as suggested above incase on interference etc. Then just bolt the Battery to the floor using an older battery plate. As for the gas venting, some boots have breather holes to stop moisture, you could use that or make your own vent.

This is what I eventually did on the Veccy Turbo just before I got rid of it and worked perfectly. The grommit already the right size as the all I did was pull the live wire back throguh and redirected it down the middle of the car to the boot. No interference on my stereo from the alternator and also the venting wasn't a problem as I just cut out a bit of card board to make a vent that met the edge of the battery and bobs ya uncle.

 

[speedy]

do i earth the battery to the boot floor. or run anouther cable back to the exzisting 1 in the engine bay or not?

cheers

 

[pgarner]

earth somewhere close to the battery as possible