Removing the Battery from the Engine Bay

Been thinking about removing the battery from the engine bay and installing it in the tub. Where they have the battery if it leaks acid as mine has its messy shall we say. Am thinking about installing 1 or maybe 2 optima batteries in the tub. 1 large or 2 small type deal. Heavy leads from there to the engine bay to connect to existing wiring so less dramas there.
Can anyone see any issues with running 2 smaller batteries in the tub and having them in parrallel to get the required cranking power. In the tub means I can keep it out of harms way and secured and will be easier to manage extra connections etc for lighting power outlets etc etc etc

Someone was telling me that on cold days - down around freezing or below - these engines can draw 700-800 amps to turn them over.

There's just no way I'd want 700Amps flowing under the cabin from the tub into the engine bay. Not only that there's that much current flowing, but a small amount of damage to the insulator can see that much current arcing against the chassis as it runs past, and that could easily start a fire.

I would think that an acid resistant/proof tray with a drip tube that directs the acid straight to the road surface would be not only less expensive, but far less dangerous.

The problem with current that high: you can't put a fuse in it. That means it's bare wire from battery to starter solenoid etc. If you were just running a second battery back there, you can whack a fuse in near both batteries and not be concerned about it. But that's just not possible with cables the size that you'd need. Plus, I think even if you COULD fuse it, the fuses would still hold on while the cable was catching alight in any case.

Not sure I'd want to run it from the tub but the VE Dunnydore (I think it was the VE) runs it's battery from the rear quarter panel. There no doubt a difference in required power between a Dunnydore and a Nav but it can still be done, although there has been quite a few issues reported in the Holden but I've never taken enough notice of them since they don't effect me.

hi Tony
All valid points but i have done the remote battery deal before without issues as long as you do it right. I was more thinking bout the 2 smaller instead of the 1 bigger batteries deal.
I ran my old race car with the battery in the boot. Basically there wasnt anything to mount it on under the front clip. I ran 400Amp ( cant remember the exact size but it was huge welding type wire ) from the battery in the boot to the control wiring in front. I am not sure how much a diesel starter would draw to be honest but I didnt have any issues with the race car and a 510 Cu In big block had no issues with cabling.
I have however worked on many other remote battery setups and most issues were all down to bad earth wiring.
Totally understand all your concerns Tony and they are all real and have seen some setups that definately were a real worry
You can actually but high current fuses but they definately arent cheap thats for sure.I used to get mine from APC in the US that were designed for use in UPS equipment.

Krafty your evil lol
I didnt even think of the Dunny Dore and I have a VE on the driveway that has the battery in the boot.

There is a discharge issue or something that Holden don't like to admit to with the rear battery models isn't there?

Holy crap I found me a pic of the beasty but hey I was a little younger lol



TD Cortina
510 Cu In River rat Big Block
C6 Auto Stage 3 full manaul trans
9 " diff full floater with spool

How tall are you ?

I had one of those, 4cyl 2litre. Went okay, nothing to rave about but it got me from A to B.

How the hell did you change tyres on that thing, looks like you'd have to drop the rear axle to pop the wheels off!

Dave - it looks lowered, so at a guess I'd say he's around my height, maybe a little taller.

ive got an optima battery under the bonnet,there gel and apparently wont leak and they claim you can mount sideways an still wont leek,

The car was a full chassis car
Im 6ft 6 and the car sat exactly 3" off the ground
Changing the rear wheels was easy
jack up the chassis and undo the shocks off the diff and just drop the rear all the way down and then you could wiggle them out lol
Easy when ya knew how lol
Car was originally built by Mick Kent ( Micky Duck ) and sponsored by the Gatt bros at Superflow Heads.
Painted in all porsche colours
at over 500HP it was a handful to drive especially with no front brakes lol. When it did hook up properly would carry the front for the first maybe 20 feet
porsche 6 spot calipers on f100 rotors and it stopped on a dime
Centelines all round ,15x10 on the rear and 15x4 in front
At idle it used a mower can of fuel every 60 seconds ( ran a smidge fat down low lol )
Fuel supplied by 2 Holley Blue pumps through 1/2" braided stainless lines, one pump per bowl. All aircraft fuel fittings and lines
Rear slicks were 32x12 and the body shell sat 3" off the ground
Coilover shocks on all 4 corners
Custom made headers
Front suspension rebuilt here in Canberra by a guy who crew chiefed on a funny car in the US.His wife was with the US embassy and when she was transferred here he came and built custom rods and did suspension on race cars