Battery to boot guide FC3S

[Koose]

Hi guys

I wanted to pay back all the help  and kindness by lending a guide ive just done on how to relocate your battery, to the boot.

I know it seems obvious for a few but we\'re all young modifiers once.

Pros:

Easy battery access
More space in the engine bay, which other than looking awesome, and making things easier to get to, can also help with intercooler pipe runs etc.
Can aid weight distribution.

Cons:
If you ever need to jump your car i guarentee youll still always pop the bonnet


Cost - About £80

Ease:  3 out of 10 on the hardness scale.

OK, first get yourself the materials. You will need:

4 to 4.5 metres of 0AWG cable
0.5 - 1 metre of 0awg earth cable
0AWG in ..distribution block
Optional - 0AWG fuseblock with 100amp fuse
Battery box
1 4awg earthing terminal/block
1 0awg earthing terminal/ block
+ and - Battery terminals, allowing 0awg in.

Why 0 gauge you might ask ? Well we all know about resistance, and a 4 awg over 4-5metres will sap alot of power. Even the rare 2awg is iffy. All OEM car manufacturers who put the battery in the boot use 0awg, so thats good enough for me.

OK first step, is to remove the battery and tray/box, its consists of 3 10mm bolts at the bottom of the tray.

Remove and clean up area.

Mount your distribution block somewhere to your choice:



Cut the terminals off the power and earth leads. Secure a 4awg earthing block to the end of the earth lead, bare some metal and secure :



Then insert the two power leads into the dissy block, and secure.

Now through the passenger door, remove the sill trims , kick plate, pull the carpet back and remove the glovebox:




Behind this youll see a semi cutout on the firwall padding, put this out:




Push the grommet out , go round and retrieve. Push through about a metere and a bit of cable. Now cut a hole in the grommet with a stanley knife, and slide the 4awg power cable through it, up to the bulkhead.



Now lay your power line in the bay (or, run it i should say) , i tried to be a stealth as possible, whilst making sure to not run it over any sharp edges. Mine goes along the passenger side chassis leg/ box section.


Run into the dissy block and secure:



Next is to run the power cable down the sill under the carpet, under the edge of the back seat and into the boot. Replace your sill trims, carpet etc so the interior now looks std.

Connect the power cable to the batter terminal and secure.

Oh and mount a battery box in the boot wherever you find convenient.

Now get the 1metre length of earth, secure an earthing block to one end, bare some metal and find a nice mounting area for it, and secure.



Connect a battery terminal to the other end , and connect to the battery.

Congratulations, you have in about 1 hr completed your battery to boot.

Boot looks like this:


Close up


Engine bay, like this:



Loads a space:



Things to think about

Gettiong electricuted is less than ideal, be wary when working near earth, if you have a tool touching power. Your battery tray, is essentially going to be an earth.

Be sure to do things to the best standard of quality you can. Cut corners, and it can cost you your car.

On the cheerier side, ive known hundreds of people do this over the years, many of them inherantly stupid, and none of them have had their car go up yet touch wood.

Enjoy.

[1990_fc3s_t2]

Sweet write up dude, i especially like the battery terminals. I\'ll have to do this soon as i have nothing holding my battery down at the mo:rolleyes: and might aswell relocate.
:cheers

[Koose]

Thanks buddy, i guess its the joys of being in a club, ive been helped out alot, and felt this might help some of you out.

Happy days, oh unusually, youll find the parts cheaper in an online store rather than egay, i use Car Audio Direct, if you tell them Mark who does a battery to boot conversion all the time sent you (i do one every car i have, im a fan of engine bay space), theyll give you a discount. But by all means shop around, they are the cheapest ive found though.