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Projects Trunk mounted battery

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by jakespeed63, Jan 17, 2019.

  1. kabinenroller
    Joined: Jan 26, 2012
    Posts: 1,073

    kabinenroller
    Member

    I did the same thing for my Comet. The bottom of the box was removed and the back has an area where the cables come through a separate panel so the box can be removed without disturbing the cables.
    16CAABCC-74C1-4B85-A72A-438AAA5084AE.jpeg
     
  2. fleetside66
    Joined: Nov 20, 2006
    Posts: 3,003

    fleetside66
    Member

    I've got my battery in a Craftsman box, too. I bought that tool box for myself for a X-mas present in '72. Yes, it's sad & pathetic. It works just great...big enough for the battery & some spare parts, vented with an old louvered speaker grill. I'm not sure if the gases are rising or falling, but nothing's blown up in all the years I've been using it.
    P1013750.jpg
     
  3. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    On the venting on the Optima, from what I am reading on other sites is that if the sealed box is vented you should be good if it gasses from being overcharged.
    It seems that some of the larger Optimas have a blow out vent elbow while the smaller ones don't.
    I've got three vehicles with the battery either under the back seat or in the trunk from the factory and all are vented to the outside by a hose attached to fittings on the battery designed for that.
     
  4. GeezersP15
    Joined: Dec 4, 2011
    Posts: 555

    GeezersP15
    Member
    from N.E. PA

    I vented my Optima this way....some CPVC pipe, and flexible hose, and a vent thru the inner fender fashioned much like an engine "road draft tube". Haven't blown the trunk lid off yet.:D
     

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  5. ZZ Top Chop
    Joined: Aug 12, 2018
    Posts: 533

    ZZ Top Chop
    Member

    I freaking love this:mad:
     
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  6. You do know that now the price of old saw boxes on EPAY HAS quadrupled !
     
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  7. That old toolbox is a great idea. Way better than the typical black plastic box that seems to come std with the trunk mounted battery kits sold everywhere. I am going to file this idea for future use!
     
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  8. 31 Coupe
    Joined: Feb 25, 2008
    Posts: 383

    31 Coupe
    Member

    Love what you have done and it looks great too but a metal battery box always scares me should the battery come loose somehow. That's one of the reasons why the plastic ones are used in boats and caravans etc.
    You have insulated connectors which helps but maybe line the inside box surfaces with 1/16"+ rubber sheets and use a non metallic battery clamp too.
    Please don't take these comments as criticism but an old mans experienced advise.
     
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  9. Fitnessguy
    Joined: Sep 28, 2015
    Posts: 2,020

    Fitnessguy
    Member

    I have a sealed battery box in the trunk of my A. I drilled a hole at the top side of the box and installed a barbed outlet and vented the box out side the car with a hole in the bottom of the floor. An optima will gas off and does need to be vented outside the car like any battery. The kill switch should be in the cab as well for ease of access in case of an electrical fire at the very least.


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  10. oliver westlund
    Joined: Dec 19, 2018
    Posts: 2,353

    oliver westlund
    Member

    jeepers there were a lot of testy responses on this thread. are you guys getting enough fiber? love the toolbox idea! i was going to use this weird battery box thats vented and latches shut i found at goodwill, no idea what its from, gray with a handle. toolbox is very innovative though
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2019
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  11. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,288

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Not a tool box, though that is pretty cool, I needed something that fit the surrounding a bit more. I found the Samsonite make up case on some internet site. Stripped the innards, added some liner to make it look cool and a battery mat at the bottom. Left the mirror in the lid, just cuz. Odyssey battery, plumbed to insulated firewall connectors through the case, quick connector on the back for removal.
    upload_2019-1-22_9-48-35.png
    Battery hold down is an aluminum angle piece I had lying around. Later I actually drilled a hole through that bracket and added a nut-zert in the steel trunk floor and used an old valve cover wing-nut to secure the box once installed. There is enough room in the box for the trickle charger and the battery warranty info.
    upload_2019-1-22_9-51-7.png
    These posts move the power out of the box and make a convenient place to jump from.
    upload_2019-1-22_9-52-22.png
    Quick connector, like you would find on a fork lift. NAPA item.
    upload_2019-1-22_9-53-4.png
     
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  12. oliver westlund
    Joined: Dec 19, 2018
    Posts: 2,353

    oliver westlund
    Member

    That is really neat!! not ventilated though, grab your umbrella, here comes the shit storm
     
  13. JWL115C
    Joined: Jan 28, 2010
    Posts: 286

    JWL115C
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Neat idea using an old tool box to hide the battery. Good idea to have a cut-off switch too, but I would have switched the ground side. Thanks for sharing.
     
  14. CIMG1088.JPG I use an ammo box mounted in the bed of my truck for a battery box. I installed an Optima battery. It has worked just fine for years.
    CIMG1098.JPG
     
  15. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,288

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The vent is there, though not pictured. I put it in the lid above the hinge and vented to the outside. I copied the design for the vent from a taylor cable unit I installed in the trunk of my 442 with the vent at the top of the case.
     
  16. oliver westlund
    Joined: Dec 19, 2018
    Posts: 2,353

    oliver westlund
    Member

    whew! that was a close one! just kidding haha your box has me rethinking my approach, its is super clean
     
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  17. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,288

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks. For all the effort and engineering that went into it, it is almost invisible in the trunk and that is the object of this thread. Some things are better left unseen.
     
  18. Dino 64
    Joined: Jul 13, 2012
    Posts: 2,401

    Dino 64
    Member
    from Virginia

    Got a couple of stupid questions. What’s the wire coming out of the open box connected to ?
    Could you post a pic of the vent please ?
    Got a Napa part number on that connector ?
    Thanks , love that set up. Do you look at yourself when you check your battery?


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
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  19. low down A
    Joined: Feb 6, 2009
    Posts: 500

    low down A
    Member

    what is the thought on the battery disconnect switch the hot or the ground thru it?
     
  20. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,288

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I will try to remember to take a photo of the vent tube, it is a plastic barbed 90 degree vacuum fitting that I cut off, drilled a small hole in the box, added a grommet and shoved it in.
    The wire you see is the hard wired trickle charger connection, the charger is not installed when that picture was taken.
    I don't have the NAPA number but that battery cable barely fit in it.

    AS for the vanity mirror, but of course. :cool:
     
  21. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,288

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    As a simple disconnect either will do. But to both disconnect AND kill a running engine (NHRA rules for trunk mounted battery) you have to disrupt the power which includes the feed from the alternator. And the switch must be accessible from outside the car (NHRA trunk mount battery)
    This is the 4 pole kill switch I use
    upload_2019-1-22_13-29-39.png
     
  22. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,442

    Boneyard51
    Member

    I don’t know the NAPA number of those connectors, we used them for winches and jumper cables. Look in the Borg-Warner buyers guide, available at O ‘rielies for a listing. They come in three sizes the largest rated at 350 Amps. That’s the only one I used to use . You need two, they sell as one. They work great.




    Bones
     
  23. RmK57
    Joined: Dec 31, 2008
    Posts: 2,660

    RmK57
    Member

    NHRA says battery disconnect on the positive side. I also had to run a separate cable to the alternator to kill the engine. The tech official asked me to rev the engine up to 2000 rpm and then he would hit the switch to make sure it would kill the engine, which it did.
     
  24. oliver westlund
    Joined: Dec 19, 2018
    Posts: 2,353

    oliver westlund
    Member

    anybody recognize my battery box??
    20190122_155516.jpg 20190122_155500.jpg
     
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  25. .............Great set-up you have there and obviously the red and black cables look good, but it appears that the way you needed to configure the quick disconnect, the little stamped - and + are backwards. Still, a fine looking arrangement. Cool use of the vintage Samsonite bag Nice work. upload_2019-1-22_9-53-4.png
     
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  26. Dino 64
    Joined: Jul 13, 2012
    Posts: 2,401

    Dino 64
    Member
    from Virginia

    Don, what do you mean by stamped ? Backwards ?


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
    lothiandon1940 likes this.
  27. .....On the grey plastic disconnect the little + and - don't correspond with the leads going into it. Or my eyes are deceiving me.:confused: No big deal as they can only go together (the male and female connectors) one way.
     
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  28. The Black (ground) is going into the marked + and the Red (power) is going into the marked -.....
     
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  29. Dino 64
    Joined: Jul 13, 2012
    Posts: 2,401

    Dino 64
    Member
    from Virginia

    Got it, thanks


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
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  30. Dennis D
    Joined: May 2, 2009
    Posts: 851

    Dennis D
    Member

    Get them at any forklift dealer. D
     
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