[modenaplz]

in preparation for my turbo kit, i had to move my battery to the trunk because the air filter comes up where the battery is.

i bought:
764-40100 Painless Battery Cable Kit $59.99 and
555-10240 Jeg's Battery Box for Group 24 Batteries, Satin Finish $119.99

both from jegs.com

i didn't think it would make a difference, but my car
feels much more agile and eager in corners. electrically--my car behaves the same as before (though it should be noted that i have no aftermarket stereo equipment).

here are pics:

i hope my ventilation point works well :gap:

any questions? just fire away

PS thanks to blue bomber for getting this project started and answering some questions i had.

 

[Blue Bomber]

Nice! :thumbup: I'm still trying to figure out the best spot to put the battery. So many conficting opinions.

As for the ventilation hose's location, I'm not sure how well that would work out. The tail light has a gasket around it, making ventilation in the immediate area impossible. The only real vent out of the car is on the opposite side of the trunk, down low by the bumper. It only opens when you have the vent select switch set to fresh air, meaning the only time the battery gasses are vented is when the vent it on fresh air. I'd suggest poking a hole through one of the rubber drain plugs in the spare tire well and routing the vent hose through there. That way the gasses from the battery bypass the cabin completely.

BTW, where do you have the battery grounded at?

 

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by Stan
Sears and other places sell a black plastic battery box with a lid that works well.

Are they NHRA approved, though? Without that, you can't legally race the car at most tracks. BTW, modenaplz, you'll need to install a battery disconnect switch on the trunk if you ever plan to race your car on the track. You can pretty much just get a flip down license plate holder and put the switch hole behind it so it won't affect the car's appearance.

 

[modenaplz]

I'd suggest poking a hole through one of the rubber drain plugs in the spare tire well and routing the vent hose through there. That way the gasses from the battery bypass the cabin completely.

BTW, where do you have the battery grounded at?

thanks for the suggestion, i'll try to find a better place for the vent tomorrow. breathing battery gases can't be that fun :gap:.

right behind that cover is a screw in plain sight. i undid the screw, scraped off the paint a bit and mounted the wire there. i was uneasy about this but it seems to work fine--as i said before my car seems uneffected electrically.

 

[modenaplz]

Are they NHRA approved, though? Without that, you can't legally race the car at most tracks. BTW, modenaplz, you'll need to install a battery disconnect switch on the trunk if you ever plan to race your car on the track. You can pretty much just get a flip down license plate holder and put the switch hole behind it so it won't affect the car's appearance.

yea i got the jeg's box for that exact reason. but i didn't know about the disconnect switch :wtc:. i'll have to look into that soon. thanks. does this switch have to be mounted outside of the trunk or can it be mounted anywhere inside the trunk? also, would u mind explaining how it works? (it's function and how it operates etc).

 

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by modenaplz
yea i got the jeg's box for that exact reason. but i didn't know about the disconnect switch :wtc:. i'll have to look into that soon. thanks. does this switch have to be mounted outside of the trunk or can it be mounted anywhere inside the trunk? also, would u mind explaining how it works? (it's function and how it operates etc).

Yes, it needs to be mounted on the outside of the car so anyone from the track can get to it in an emergency. It's just your average switch that cuts off power from the battery in case you get into an accident, preventing short circuiting and fires. Here are pics of a few different types:

Flaming River Battery Kill Switch - $79


Flaming River Battery Disconnect Switch - $59


Jeg's Master Disconnect Switch - $19


Moroso Battery Disconnect Switch - $39


Should be very easy to do a semi-permanent install, since you have the positive wire running across the trunk. Just drill a hole in the middle of the license plate area and you can pass the switch through on race day, and remove it for daily driviing.

 

[S|Lv3rBu||et]

Originally posted by Blue Bomber
I'm still trying to figure out the best spot to put the battery. So many conficting opinions.

Where he put it seems to be the best to me. That location somewhat offsets the drivers' weight.

 

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by S|Lv3rBu||et
Where he put it seems to be the best to me. That location somewhat offsets the drivers' weight.

True, but some people say its best to keep the battery's weight in as low a spot as possible. Others say it's good to put it close to the rear passenger strut, which would totally ruin the previous idea. Then there are those who say it's best to put the weight inside the wheelbase...

Originally posted by Stan
>>>Are they NHRA approved, though? Without that, you can't legally race the car at most tracks. <<<

I race autocross and open track (road courses). Dragging is not my thing. The plastic box is fine when properly mounted - the battery is not attached to the box, the box acts more like a cover. Never a problem with teching the car.

Do they require a cutoff switch?

 

[mrtomcat]

somebody explain this to me because I never quite understood this:
Why do you have to have a kill switch if the battery is in the back but not if it's under the hood?

 

[King Torq]

Why Kill switch- if you crash, you can ground the power line which now runs the length of your car, those sparks alone can ingnite something (fuel, batt. vapor, etc)- and you no longer have a fire wall between you and that.

FWIW, i have the el cheapo breaker in my stang ($20 one) and it works great, and flows pleanty enough power no problem.

 

[Blue Bomber]

It's also a good idea to put a fuse on the positive cable inside the engine bay. Shutting off the battery will help prevent most problems, but the alternator may still be producing power, so the cable may still spark or catch fire if it's shorted out. I've heard ANL fuses are good for this, since they can handle the high load required by the starter without blowing.

 

[SpeedNStylez]

Nice! :thumbup: I'm still trying to figure out the best spot to put the battery. So many conficting opinions.

As for the ventilation hose's location, I'm not sure how well that would work out. The tail light has a gasket around it, making ventilation in the immediate area impossible. The only real vent out of the car is on the opposite side of the trunk, down low by the bumper. It only opens when you have the vent select switch set to fresh air, meaning the only time the battery gasses are vented is when the vent it on fresh air. I'd suggest poking a hole through one of the rubber drain plugs in the spare tire well and routing the vent hose through there. That way the gasses from the battery bypass the cabin completely...

How about under the spare tire? Theres two rubber plugs that you can take off and maybe use as a outlet for the ventilation? I don't know if it would work but its just a suggestion...

 

[Blue Bomber]

Originally posted by SpeedNStylez
How about under the spare tire? Theres two rubber plugs that you can take off and maybe use as a outlet for the ventilation? I don't know if it would work but its just a suggestion...

That's exactly what I said in the quote you posted.

 

[SpeedNStylez]

sorry I missed that part of your post.... Ok I feel like a dumba$$ now... Could someone :ban2: me..