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moving battery to boot

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hayesey:
Has anyone done this?  Going to do it to my G40 soon and just wondered if anyone had any tips or the best way of wiring things up?  

So far I'm thinking that I should run a single thick cable from the battery +'ve to a connector block where the battery used to be.  Then crimp big rings onto where the original battery terminals were, the old +'ve goes to the connector block to the cable to the boot, the old earth goes to the stud on the shell where the original strap used to connect to.  Then run a strap from the battery -'ve in the boot to a decent point to the shell nearby it.  I'm also thinking that an in-line fuse in the long +'ve cable as close as possible to the battery terminal is essential.  

What size cable should I use?  Should it be thicker than the current starter cable due to it's length?  

What have people used to mount the battery?  I was thinking of buying either this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Battery-tray_W0QQitemZ270223945094QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item270223945094

or a gucci one like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Alloy-Battery-Tray-Escort-Rally-Kit-Car-Mini-Subaru_W0QQitemZ280211727059QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item280211727059

Andy:
Sounds like the right way to do it. Have you got a Vehicle Wiring Products catalogue? They have all you need...

I'd use their PJ1 junction box for joining the positive battery cables in the stock battery location. Either that or join them through a battery isolator switch? The junction box seems preferable though, as you're protecting positive connectors that may otherwise be exposed.

Fusing at the battery terminal is a good idea in my eyes as you're running a lengthy cable through the cabin in a non-OEM location and can't be sure what might happen in a crash situation. At least VW crash-tested the car with the OEM setup. I'd go for a Littelfuse Mega fuseholder, and probably a 150A fuse - I know from experience that they blow sufficiently quickly from a dead-short, and I think should carry the cranking currents okay.

Make sure that wherever you pass cables through the bulkhead that they're suitably protected by a cable grommet or similar.

As for cable size, I'd go for 25mm² or larger - though 40mm² might be overkill!

hayesey:
cheers dude, yeah I do have a VWP catalog and it's what I was looking at for getting the bits for this.  

I'll look for 25-30mm2 cable.

Not bothered about having a cut-off switch, don't want to look too much like some kind of "race-spec" spas.

giorgio:
I just won 11m of battery cable from a BMW Mini to do this. If I end up using half then you can have the other half.

You shouldn't add weight behind the axel as this will increase the pendulum effect. The ideal place to have the CoG is dead centre with the wheels being the end of mass. I am putting my battery passenger side just infront of the rear axel.

As for wiring - Andy has pretty much got it spot on.

Try to find a BMW in a breakers yard as they have been running the battery in the rear for a while. The wire off that is plenty good enough.

As for battery trays - I read that you cant have a battery open inside a car as they give off a gas and they should really be vented to outside. And we actually need a battery box.


Will try and dig up a thread of Club GTi

hayesey:
it depends what type of battery you have, mine is a sealed one so I think I'm right in saying there should be no fumes coming out of it?  Definitely a good point though and I'll make sure before I buy a tray/box etc...

If you do have enough cable left over let me know and I'll send you some beer tokens for it.

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