Battery in Boot ?

[straga]

Has anyone any experience of relocating the battery in the boot, Advantages would be more leg room, better access and wieght distribution, can't think of many cons.

[dlewis]

Battery and petrol vapours?

[PetrolTed]

S4/V8S batteries are in the boot.

[straga]

Jag XJ40 also has battery in boot

Opps no not XJ40 I meant XJS

>> Edited by straga on Friday 8th March 13:45

[richb]

The Alfa 164 also has the battery in the boot. R...

[ATG]

I've thought about doing this too ... purely to gain easier access. Getting more footwell space would involve a bit of jiggery pokery with the ECU and fuse panel and carpetting, but probably worth doing too. El grande mucho ampero cables to the boot ... and then trying to fix the battery in a suitable housing in the boot. The latter bit struck me as the only real challenge.

(1) Are there MOT rules for how a battery must be housed, and what it can/can't be attached to?

I would be happy with it in a reasonably well sealed enclosure attached to the rear bulkhead, but that would probably stop the roof panel dropping in. Alternative is to attach it to something more flimsy, which doesn't thrill me.

As a result I reconned that attaching permanent jump leads and housing them under the bonnet or whatever, might be a better solution for me (as I wasn't worried about the comfort of my passengers )

[plotloss]

The mini has always had the battery in the boot and the terminals are not too far from the tank itself so I cant think that regulations are too stringent as long as the tank itself is housed well.

Matt.

[jonrb]

True, but I think problems with stowing the roof panel would be the clincher for me.

I agree that the permanent jump-lead terminals is probably the better way to go.

[plotloss]

On the subject of battery terminals, I left my lights on a couple of weeks ago (DOH!) and the AA came out to sort my plight and the fella was convinced that there were external terminals to connect to the battery.

They werent there when he checked but are these on other TVR's? My only guess is that they used to be on the Chim and are now on the Cerb or something?

Matt.

[.mark]

He may have been to one before that had had the modification done? I'm told that for around 100GBP a dealer type will put some snazzy plug either on the bulkhead or the boot.

[trefor]

There is a special set of cables you can connect up, leaving a plug connector in the engine bay - for jump leads I think. From Leven I think. This is probably what your man has seen on another car. IMO, you are getting more for your money by making the AA crawl around ;-)

[plotloss]

Ahh yes!

Just had a look on the Leven site, what a damned handy bit of kit that is. I have had to poke around in the passenger footwell a couple of times and this would have made life a lot simpler!

Thanks chaps.

Matt.

[bazza2000]

Just FYI, my old Porsche 944 Turbo had the battery in the boot, and it was bloody handy for hooking up a stereo (no chunky power cable to route down the car) and the occasional jump start.

[trefor]

quote:
Ahh yes!

Just had a look on the Leven site, what a damned handy bit of kit that is. I have had to poke around in the passenger footwell a couple of times and this would have made life a lot simpler!

Thanks chaps.

Matt.

Not sure why you'd need this
if the battery is in good condition and the alternator is working correctly then you shouldn't need to worry about the battery. I'd pay the £60 odd for a new battery just to know that bit's OK. You'll still have to 'get in there' for fuse/ECU/relay problems whether you've got a jump connection in the engine bay/boot or not.

T/.

[plotloss]

The only reasons I have needed to access the battery was so the AA man could jump it (but I left getting the bits in there to him) and the other time was to jump 'er indoors bike.

It would just be for convenience sake if I should need to jump start anything again.

Matt.

[trefor]

Well there is the kudos of fixing someone's car with your TVR.

[shpub]

quote:Has anyone any experience of relocating the battery in the boot, Advantages would be more leg room, better access and wieght distribution, can't think of many cons.

How about cost? Voltage drop due to the long length of starter cable needed. Inability to stow roof in boot (I suspect)... Battery volts and fuel tanks in one place leading to the first exploding TVR?

Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[HarryW]

Don't forget the biggest draw back with the battery in the boot on the V8S is that the boot is opened via an electrical solenoid (amazing forethought don't you think)....not sure if the boot release is the same on the Chimaera. If it is then you've got to go through a different hassle to access the dead battery. IMHO go for the engine bay socket extension.

Harry

[straga]

Thanks Guys and I think the point Harry made is proberbly the one which turns me off the idea.

[mark]

I have moved my battery to the boot. Much happier passengers now. Still get the roof in. Engine starts fine (used very fat cable) much easiers to access battery.