Battery relocation..

Battery relocation..

Author
Discussion

tel595

Original Poster:

684 posts

171 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Wanting to move the battery on my S3c to the boot to give more room up front and get rid of the flimsy battery tray. Anybody got any tips? I've searched the forum but either I'm doing it wrong or nothing has been mentioned about it before.. Thinking about siting it behind the offside rear wheel.

Barry S1

1,709 posts

188 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Alan has done it, there's nothing under
his bonnet apart from the engine

v8s4me

7,234 posts

218 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
What ever method you decide on to mount the battery in your boot make sure it can't rub or vibrate against the inner surface of the GF or it will, at best, cause the paint to craze or worse, rub a hole in the body. thumbup

magpies

5,129 posts

181 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
I relocated mine to that location.

Make a wooden tray to fit it on - needs to have very large load spreading plates on the tray legs. Also the holding down strap. Decent cabling as long runs to the engine. I fitted a cut off (for motorsport) so also added a small fuse box for the 'always' live circuits needed = radio / central locking / speedo memory and a battery conditioner connection

Alan461

853 posts

130 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Hi Tel,
finding something structural to fix the battery tray to was interesting.
Fixed it to the grp behind the rubber bumper and the wheel arch



Needs better cables but works ok.

magpies

5,129 posts

181 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
weight distribution better if as Alans on the nearside.

Scoobimax

1,892 posts

200 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Alan's engine bay is very sparse by comparison to when it came out of Blackpool!!


magpies

5,129 posts

181 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
that is rather nice

tel595

Original Poster:

684 posts

171 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
What ever method you decide on to mount the battery in your boot make sure it can't rub or vibrate against the inner surface of the GF or it will, at best, cause the paint to craze or worse, rub a hole in the body. thumbup
Cheers Joe,
I'll make up a suitable tray I think.. I believe the V8S battery is originally in the boot? If so, is it the near or offside?

magpies

5,129 posts

181 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
not as tidy as I'd like but plenty of time to sort out

tel595

Original Poster:

684 posts

171 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Alan461 said:
Hi Tel,
finding something structural to fix the battery tray to was interesting.
Fixed it to the grp behind the rubber bumper and the wheel arch



Needs better cables but works ok.
That's neat Alan. Good call about fixing it under the rubber bumper moulding. I've not fitted mine yet so I'll do some measuring tomorrow.. smile

tel595

Original Poster:

684 posts

171 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
Scoobimax said:
Alan's engine bay is very sparse by comparison to when it came out of Blackpool!!

Remember looking under Alans bonnet and wondering what's missing?? The 2 main things I decided I would do to my S after looking at the cars on the Eurotour, was bonnet hinge and battery relocation.. Both these jobs have been done on Alans car, Mikes done the same as well I believe...

tel595

Original Poster:

684 posts

171 months

Thursday 1st October 2015
quotequote all
magpies said:
not as tidy as I'd like but plenty of time to sort out
Cheers Mick.. Did you take an earth lead back to the main earth point under bonnet too?

v8s4me

7,234 posts

218 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
tel595 said:
....I believe the V8S battery is originally in the boot? If so, is it the near or offside?
Originally fitted in the boot on the off side and covered by a carpeted trim panel. Alan's idea of hiding the upper fixing points in the bumper moulding is a good one but spread the load well on the bottom to avoid the issues mentioned above.

zombeh

693 posts

186 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Alan461 said:
finding something structural to fix the battery tray to was interesting.
Fixed it to the grp behind the rubber bumper and the wheel arch
What TVR did on the V8 was to have a vertical bit on the front edge of the tray about 5" high and 3" wide, this is pushed up against the wheel arch and then glassed over.
(yes, really)

magpies

5,129 posts

181 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
tel595 said:
Cheers Mick.. Did you take an earth lead back to the main earth point under bonnet too?
yep

phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all

Mine sits on a wooden plinth bolted into the o/s boot well. used a few cardboard templates to make, there's not a single straight edge anywhere in that area.

A ratchet strap built into the plinth secures it nicely.

I have an isolator switch and 250 amp fuse at the positive terminal.

Live cable runs across boot (P clips on targa hold down bolts) over n/s wheel arch and through the sill to front of the car.

Earth cable goes to a stud bolted into the bodywork with a short lead the other (out) side to the chassis.

This saves a. trying to seal a cable going through the boot, and
b. trying to get a single nut and bolt tight enough to get a good connection whilst tightening onto fibreglass.


Plinth and cover box (6mm ply) are covered in carpet to near as damn it match boot carpet.


Space saver and a 5 litre fuel can on the n/s balance out the weight, not that for one second, do I think it would be noticeable in the handling!


If I ever work out how to do photo's with "Windows 10" you may get a picture irked



mk1fan

10,507 posts

224 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
Scoobimax said:
Alan's engine bay is very sparse by comparison to when it came out of Blackpool!!

That is very neat.

Buzzlt

239 posts

164 months

Friday 2nd October 2015
quotequote all
I think L'iam did someting with a very small battery on the Chim. Might be worth checking checking what he did and if it's still working as was very heat. Make sure you run some nice thick double insulated cables back there if you do it. Buying a set of decent jump leads wouldn't put you far wrong and ideally connect the -ve straight to the block as the most current will be needed for the starter. (Assuming you are not fitting a heated rear screen).

tel595

Original Poster:

684 posts

171 months

Saturday 3rd October 2015
quotequote all
phillpot said:
Mine sits on a wooden plinth bolted into the o/s boot well. used a few cardboard templates to make, there's not a single straight edge anywhere in that area.

A ratchet strap built into the plinth secures it nicely.

I have an isolator switch and 250 amp fuse at the positive terminal.

Live cable runs across boot (P clips on targa hold down bolts) over n/s wheel arch and through the sill to front of the car.

Earth cable goes to a stud bolted into the bodywork with a short lead the other (out) side to the chassis.

This saves a. trying to seal a cable going through the boot, and
b. trying to get a single nut and bolt tight enough to get a good connection whilst tightening onto fibreglass.



Plinth and cover box (6mm ply) are covered in carpet to near as damn it match boot carpet.


Space saver and a 5 litre fuel can on the n/s balance out the weight, not that for one second, do I think it would be noticeable in the handling!


If I ever work out how to do photo's with "Windows 10" you may get a picture irked
Cheers Mike.. I took a more detailed look yesterday and you're right, there isn't a nice straight edge to work to.! I'm with you on the weight distribution, can't see that it will make any difference other than give me more grip on the offside rear wheel.. rolleyes
Thought about using welding type cable or similar duty so as not to lose too much current.
Good call about the earth cable bolt through the rear body, might have to poach that idea too.!
Where about does your live cable enter the engine bay, does it pass through a hole in the bulkhead?
I'm also going to tackle the bonnet hing modification too, so any detail on that would be appreciated (as long as any current copyright isn't breached).! wink