Battery relocate

[Hemmer]

I’m playing with the idea of hiding my battery instead of putting it engine bay. Anyone do this? Have any ideas or pics?
Thanks guys.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[blubuckaroo]

Most old pickups in the early 50's had the battery mounted under the passenger side floorboard. I always thought is looked like a better place than in a hot engine bay. I think a Bronco would be a great candidate for this.
Brackets and covers are available.

 

[Steve83]

What are you trying to accomplish? Was your battery stolen?

The farther the battery is from the alternator & starter (the 2 highest-current devices on the truck), the more resistance the cables will have, and the more opportunity they'll have to short against grounded metal. That's why Ford generally puts the battery near both of those.

 

[Hemmer]

I’m sure that’s true but a lot of new cars have them in the trunk. I was just thinking of going for a cleaner look

 

[gnpenning]

Look were they put them on class 8 trucks. Cable sizing and routing is very important.

 

[rmk57]

If you had a pickup it could be mounted in behind the cab. If you have a regular U15 I wouldn't even think of mounting it inside, just for health reasons.

 

[Broncobowsher]

I've done under the passenger seat. Wouldn't do that with a flooded battery but not that bad with an SLA battery. Some batteries even have vents as they are intended to be mounted in the passenger compartment.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Passenger floorboard would have the shortest cables.

 

[Broncobowsher]

That's why I did it that way. Already had the starter solenoid on the starter. Ground cable attached to the transfer case adaptor, good since the starter is bolted to the transmission. So a really short ground cable as well.

 

[ntsqd]

Note that if your late model has the battery in the trunk there is probably a 'tumor' on the cable somewhere close with a separate wire running to the SRS system. In some cases that computer will blow the cable to prevent shorting to ground. If that late model happens to be a BMW the kit to fix such a blow is $350+
Just saying.....

Drag racers put the battery(ies) in the trunk all of the time. It's not rocket surgery, but any cable used that has anything other than a zero in it's size is already too small. Over the years I've learned that the key to avoiding hot-start issues is to NOT try to use the frame for the ground. Run a dedicated ground cable to the engine block or like Bowsher did.

 

[Steve83]

...a lot of new cars have them in the trunk.

They're engineered for it, though. It wasn't moved there as an afterthought, and it certainly wasn't done for looks. It probably wasn't done to lower the cost or complexity, either. It's usually for performance (weight distribution).

I was just thinking of going for a cleaner look

I don't understand how an ugly plastic box full of sulfuric acid putting off flammable Hydrogen inside the passenger compartment looks cleaner than having it under the hood with the rest of the ugly parts, but it's your Bronco. ;D

Wouldn't do that with a flooded battery but not that bad with an SLA battery.

An SLA is a flooded battery.

 

[ntsqd]

And as we all know only the OEM's are qualified to engineer anything on a ground vehicle.

 

[rmk57]

Yes, drag racers do put batteries in the trunk, I have the battery in the trunk
in my street / strip car. NHRA rules state there has to a metal bulkhead between the trunk and the passenger compartment, and a backseat doesn't cut it as a bulkhead.

I personally wouldnt have a potentially explosive battery or in the event of a collision have a 50 lbs. battery or battery acid flying at me.

 

[ntsqd]

Most of those that I've seen moved were put under the pass front seat and were Optima's or other AGM's.

Drag race rules require a .06" thick metal barrier/bulkhead between the trunk and the pass compartment if the battery is in the trunk.

 

[bronkenn]

They're engineered for it, though. It wasn't moved there as an afterthought, and it certainly wasn't done for looks. It probably wasn't done to lower the cost or complexity, either. It's usually for performance (weight distribution).I don't understand how an ugly plastic box full of sulfuric acid putting off flammable Hydrogen inside the passenger compartment looks cleaner than having it under the hood with the rest of the ugly parts, but it's your Bronco. ;DAn SLA is a flooded battery.

I worked at the GM Tech Center and dealt with a lot of engineers and if you think they don't engineer for cost savings, then let me tell you that that is their main goal. Everything they do is cost related. Some had good ideas but the price was too high. Batteries can be put anywhere you want them when done properly. I have seen some nice looking battery boxes that weren't ugly plastic. Battery boxes that are enclosed are vented to the outside so you don't have fumes inside. Ken

 

[Steve83]

I agree that, once a design or engineering decision is made, the cost is minimized. But the original decision to put the battery in the trunk wasn't based on cost because it's NOT cheaper than putting it in the engine bay. I also agree that there are many proper ways to put a battery in the passenger cabin. But they're all substantially more-expensive, more-complex, uglier, & less-safe than leaving it in the engine bay. And why would you want to take up passenger/cargo area with a battery? You don't need to access the battery while driving. And if you want to redistribute the weight, it's better to put that weight BELOW the floor than above it, which eliminates many of the problems mentioned so far. That's not an option in cars because there's no height between their floors & the road; either for the battery itself, or for access to inspect/maintain the battery. So theirs HAS to go above the floor if it's not in the engine bay. In a high-riding truck built on a full ladder frame...

 

[Boss Hugg]

I put shock hoops on yesterday...

Not really, but you see my battery box is hidden sort of.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Rustytruck]

New cars put the battery in other places because of mandatory crumple zones. Since Broncos don't have crumple zones and readily use other cars crumple zones the battery is in a pretty good place. But you really have to tie that sucker down and use the original top hoop battery hold down to keep sheet metal off the top of the battery in advent of a roll over.

 

[jim3326]

I pretty much have all the bases covered in Steves post.

 

[CraigS]

You must be one of them rocket surgeons. I would have never thought two batteries would fit there. Never measured either.