battery relocation

[Dieter H. Marschall]

Hello everybody,

Every year in late autumn I get annoyed when I find it very hard work to remove the battery for dry and warm storage through the winter.

So I am thinking of relocating it. I know that some of you use the boot for that purpose. But then again you loose valuable space there and the cables to the front have to be very, very long.

Some of you use the soft top compartment. There is a lot of unused space - unless you use your Stag regularly for smuggling. And the way to the engine compartment is shorter.

What I need to know is: How does the soft top cope with the gases that escape the battery? I do not want to see my soft crumbling away.

I know that there are battery boxes on the market - especially for marine purposes. But do they solve the problemwith gases?

Any advice is highly appreciated - as always.

Kind regards, Dieter - from Germany.

[RogerP]

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Dieter H. Marschall wrote:

Hello everybody,

Every year in late autumn I get annoyed when I find it very hard work to remove the battery for dry and warm storage through the winter.

So I am thinking of relocating it. I know that some of you use the boot for that purpose. But then again you loose valuable space there and the cables to the front have to be very, very long.

Some of you use the soft top compartment. There is a lot of unused space - unless you use your Stag regularly for smuggling. And the way to the engine compartment is shorter.

What I need to know is: How does the soft top cope with the gases that escape the battery? I do not want to see my soft crumbling away.

I know that there are battery boxes on the market - especially for marine purposes. But do they solve the problemwith gases?

Any advice is highly appreciated - as always.

Kind regards, Dieter - from Germany.

Hi Dieter

I agree the battery is a pain, but do you keep the car in a garage ? and have you got electric ? if so why not just buy a battery conditioner and leave it connected. Alternatively if you have no electric handy you can get a solar operated charger.

Plus you wont loose valuable storage space.

Rogerp

[Jeff]

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Hi Dieter,

Get a sealed battery if you want to store it in the soft top compartment, so no gasses.

I bought a solar powered charger and it was absolutely useless, the charge being so low wasn't enough to keep the battery topped up so I bought a battery conditioner which discharges and charges keeping the battery in tip top condition, but as Roger says, it obviously needs power.

I was going to relocate the battery in the boot but as you say, it is a long run and an auto electrician advised against it.

Jeff.

[jbuckl]

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mx5 & late morgan use sealed jelly batteries....might be one source?

google for 'gel car battery 70ah'........~£150

[dasadrew]

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Battery in the boot sounds like the best alternative solution. Common modification on old Escorts and Opels for better weight distribution.

Long cable needed but again, no real problem. My 'other' V8 has the engine at the rear, and the battery in the front wheel well for weight distribution as it comes from the factory.

It also means that you are free to choose battery size and can take a much larger battery.

Recommend using a battery box in any case to avoid an unforeseen short circuit when you put metal framed picnic chairs in the boot! :shock:

Good source for relocation material is usually a shop doing rallye car equipment like Demon Tweeks in UK or Sandtler in Germany.

Regarding gases, I didn't even ealise that these old types of battery are still available - haven't seen a non-sealed battery for years!

Drew

[Jeff]

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My battery is over 10 years old and needs distilled water to top up and still going strong, even after a 7 year storage with no charge at all.

Another kiss of death now no doubt!

[singapore stag]

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Further to Drew's post,..If long Battery cables are available as standard for other cars, then we should be able to buy one "off the shelf" for the Stag mod. The question now is Which car has a long cable run?, i.e from front to back or vice versa. Anyone??.

Cheers,

Sukh.

[dasadrew]

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You DEFINITELY don't want to buy one like my Ferrari has - it's £177 + VAT !!

Try these instead...

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Motorsport/Electrical_Components/Battery_Cable_&_Connectors/1451

[Greenstag]

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singapore stag wrote:

The question now is Which car has a long cable run?, i.e from front to back or vice versa. Anyone??.

Cheers,

Sukh.

BMW 3 Series....I think:?

[singapore stag]

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Thanks for the link Drew, A Ferrari!, got a close up pic of it?.

Sukh.

[dasadrew]

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singapore stag wrote:

Thanks for the link Drew, A Ferrari!, got a close up pic of it?.

Sukh.

[singapore stag]

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Very nice, cheers.

Sukh.

[Andy Rundell]

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singapore stag wrote:

Further to Drew's post,..If long Battery cables are available as standard for other cars, then we should be able to buy one "off the shelf" for the Stag mod. The question now is Which car has a long cable run?, i.e from front to back or vice versa. Anyone??.

Cheers,

Sukh.

MGB's have always had long positive cables, with their battery cables being located behind the seats - but in the past i have simply bought the cable off the reel of the length i wanted at a regular motor factors -plus a couple of appropriate connectors for each end - job done.

............Andy

[NickA]

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singapore stag wrote:

Further to Drew's post,..If long Battery cables are available as standard for other cars, then we should be able to buy one "off the shelf" for the Stag mod. The question now is Which car has a long cable run?,  i.e from front to back or vice versa. Anyone??.

Cheers,

Sukh.

Rimmers do a kit for the TR7 to move the battery to the boot.

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-GRID006222

[mad cyclist]

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Hi

my jaguar xjs x300 has the battery in the boot and in a nice tray too, possibly a candiate for cable and tray donation,

Nick