Battery relocation to trunk?

[rapieper@yahoo.com (Ron Pieper)]

--- Allyn <amalventano1@comcast.net> wrote:
> Ron,
>     If you use the full lencth of the chassis (i.e. ground at bumper
> bolt), you can get as much as a
> 3 volt drop across the chassis under starting current. This may still
> be enough to start it, but you
> know how even minimal bad grounds on a front battery setup can be
> enough to not get ignition during
> cranking (due to ground based voltage drop). Just wanted you to know.

Al you make a good point, to me anyway.  I originally took your stance
in a different NG - that running two wires to the front is more
electrically "sound"...after all, you should connect your main power
source to the device(s) it drives as securely as possible.  This means
to me that the alternator, starter, battery, and grounds should be tied
together with heavy gauge, well-lugged copper wire.  The vwautox guys
had a field day, slamming me...("hey, 20 million Beetles had the ground
connection at the body", "running two wires weighs too much", "It works
fine on my car" yada yada).  So I took their advice and mentally
prepared to run one wire.

I have to check how my wifes BMW (rear battery from factory) is done.

Mr. Meze says that running the wire is too heavy, that a better
solution is to use a smaller battery up front...but the point of this
execise is not weight reduction, it's weight redistribution.

I like the idea of running the 12V wire up the inside the car, through
the firewall, and directly to the starter.  From there, heavy red to
alternator and add med gauge red to reattach the cars lower-current
systems.  Ground (if I run it up front) to starter or tranny bolt, then
to body at normal places and one to alternator body for good measure.  

What I don't want to do is run a ground wire to the front after I find
the 12V alone wire is insufficient.  Argh.

Thoughts?



>     P.S. Even the new Lincoln LS that comes with battery in rear (car
> is near 50/50), has 2 1 gauge
> wires to the battery. Even they dont use the chassis for ground.
> Al
> 
> Allyn Malventano, ETC(SS), USN
> 87 Rieger GTO Scirocco 16v (daily driver, 170k, rocco #6)
> 86 Kamei Twin 16V Turbo Scirocco GTX ('it has begun', rocco #7)
> 87 Jetta 8v Wolfsburg 2dr (daily driver, 260k, 0 rattles, original
> clutch, driveshafts, wheels :)
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Pieper" <rapieper@yahoo.com>
> To: <jester@westfailure.net>; <scirocco-l@scirocco.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 5:01 AM
> Subject: Re: Battery relocation to trunk?
> 
> 
> > Steve:
> >
> > First, here's an SCCA rules link http://www.moutons.org/sccasolo/.
> >
> > SCCA doesn't care, as far as I can tell, that you do/don't use a
> vented
> > or sealed battery.
> >
> > I saw Shannon's page and it's got good info.
> >
> > FWIW, I'm sloooowly gathering bits to do this myself, including a
> cheap
> > (go figure) battery box, marine-style, about $8.00.  I'm merely
> going
> > to move my (new) stock-spec battery to the rear.  I figure that
> > immediately behind the seat, as far to the passenger side as
> possible
> > will work quite well, even though it impinges on spare tire space a
> bit
> > w/ the big box (the spare can still be removed easily). 
> Alternatively,
> > the spare tire well (nice and low, and no gas tank to worry about)
> is
> > a good choice; you just have to let the spare flop around in the
> trunk.
> >
> >
> > I also guess I'll run #1 or #0 AWG wire to the front, and attach
> ground
> > to the rear searbelt bolt o a bumper bolt, whichever is cleaner;
> I'll
> > decide at the time.  I figure to run this right to the alternator
> and
> > extend the other +12V connections (currently connected to the
> battery)
> > over there as well...once the battery is gone from the front, why
> keep
> > connections there?
> >
> > AFA sealed or vented...hell, Beetles ran non-vented lead-acid for
> > years, was there really any problems caused by this?  Serious
> > question...
> >
> > Ron
> > second-guessing everything
> >
> > --- jester@westfailure.net wrote:
> > > Hey all,
> > >
> > > I've been reading rules on NHRA web site, and they dont seem to
> > > differentiate between a gel-cel and lead acid... Does SCCA do the
> > > same?
> > >
> > > I wanted to buy an Optima & mount it in the trunk of my roc, but
> if i
> > > have
> > > to put it in a box & vent it outside the car anyway, why bother
> with
> > > the
> > > optima, the main reason i wanted it was its sealed & wont leak or
> > > require
> > > a battery box to be put in the car???
> > >
> > > thanks,
> > >
> > > Steve
> >
> >
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=====
Cheapass Ron
"Victor" '87 16V Scirocco
"Teufelhasen" '93 Cabby <-For sale

If it ain't foggy, TURN OFF YOUR FOG LIGHTS.

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