how do i relocate the battery???

N

noslow5_0

New Member

Nov 7, 2003

422

0

0

dallas tx.

Mar 21, 2004

#1

• Mar 21, 2004

• #1

im about to put my battery in the trunk, and i was wondering about how to ground out the battery??? i know stock its grounded to the motor..... Do i just scrap some paint clean in the hatch, and ground it out there??? also how does the battery maintain charging??? im a little confussed....

 

stangbear427

Active Member

Nov 11, 2002

2,401

1

49

New England

Mar 21, 2004

#2

• Mar 21, 2004

• #2

There is a ground point on the hatch floor to screw to, already threaded. almost dead center if I remember correctly, maybe a little on the driver's side. Otherwise, you want to go to the frame which is a little more complicated. If you get a relocation kit it should come with all you need, the + cable goes to the starter solenoid, and so does the alternator so it works out. In a particularly beefy application, you can run an alternator feed from the alt right to the + post on the battery.

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

6

79

Charlotte, NC

Mar 21, 2004

#3

• Mar 21, 2004

• #3

Most kits come with cable that is a little undersized - I'd use the biggest stuff I could get my hands on for the long + run. In addition to the ground in the back that Stangbear described (don't use anymore cable than you have to), I'd run 2 or 3 10gauge wires from the neg. terminal up to the engine compartment. I'd run one to the point where the block is grounded to the chassis, I'd run one to the computer ground point, and I'd run the other one to the point on the firewall where the head is grounded. If it don't move - ground it just to be sure.

If you really want to do it correctly, two hot cables to the front is the best approach. One to the starter (assuming you have the two wire mini-starter that needs a hot-all-the-time feed), and one to the positive side of the fenderwell mounted starter switch - where the + terminal of the battery connected before. When the starter is engaged (a BIG amperage load) and then drops off (as the engine starts) at the end of a long run of cable, there's a voltage spike/drop induced in the system for a few milliseconds. On some cars, this simply isn't a problem. On mine, however, my hot cable was long enough that the induction spike/drop reduced system voltages just enough and for just long enough to clear my stereo's presets and memory each time I started the car. I solved it by running a separate power lead from the battery to the stereo, but next time, I'll run two separate cables to supply the starter separate from the rest of the power supply needs.

 

blown1989saleen

Founding Member

Aug 8, 2001

1,397

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37

oxford,pa

Mar 21, 2004

#4

• Mar 21, 2004

• #4

to do it legally (track wise) youll need a sealed box (i recommend the moroso) a heavy duty cutoff switch (again i recommend a moroso) and i also recommend using welding cable as opposed to automotive grade cable. get yourself 20ft of 2ga welding cable, this will run from the alternator to the battery side of the cutoff switch (remove the original charge wires) youll also need 25ft of 1/0 welding cable now make a run of the 1/0 from the other side of the cutoff switch up to the solenoid, now use some of the remaining 1/0 and go from the battery POS+ to the side of the switch where you put the alternator 2ga wire, now use another piece of the 1/0 and go from the battery NEG- to the quad shock mount, now take a piece of the 2ga wire you have left over and replace the ground wire from the timing cover to the sway bar mount, then youll need a 10ga wire to replace the ECU (computer) ground. ill go out and snap some pics for you and post them up.


Scott

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

6

79

Charlotte, NC

Mar 21, 2004

#5

• Mar 21, 2004

• #5

Track regs aside - if you've got a hatchback, the sealed box is a good idea anyway due to the fumes the battery gives off when being charged. And if it's going in a trunk that is sealed from the passenger compartment, be sure that the trunk is vented.

 

stangbear427

Active Member

Nov 11, 2002

2,401

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49

New England

Mar 21, 2004

#6

• Mar 21, 2004

• #6

Unless you have an Optima deep cycle like mine

Hey Mr.Yount

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

6

79

Charlotte, NC

Mar 21, 2004

#7

• Mar 21, 2004

• #7

....unless you have an Optima deep cycle like his.....

 

blown1989saleen

Founding Member

Aug 8, 2001

1,397

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37

oxford,pa

Mar 21, 2004

#8

• Mar 21, 2004

• #8

a few more, what ever you dont skimp here.

 

stangbear427

Active Member

Nov 11, 2002

2,401

1

49

New England

Mar 21, 2004

#9

• Mar 21, 2004

• #9

I used the Taylor kit, came with 1 gauge + & -; and I ran a 4 gauge alt. feed from the (3G) alt. Just to get on the photo bandwagon, let me show that if ever an electrical system was going to be put to the test, I have definately put this relocation kit through it's paces and found it worthy:

 

IndyBlk5.0

New Member

Nov 24, 2003

1,122

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0

New Whiteland, IN

Mar 21, 2004

#10

• Mar 21, 2004

• #10

my lord stangbear, i didnt know someone would have multi amps in a mustang like me, awesome!!!

 

blown1989saleen

Founding Member

Aug 8, 2001

1,397

0

37

oxford,pa

Mar 21, 2004

#11

• Mar 21, 2004

• #11

stangbear, nice setup there but not legal at the track.


Scott

 

raininfire

Founding Member

Mar 21, 2002

96

0

17

Northern VA

Mar 21, 2004

#12

• Mar 21, 2004

• #12

Subscribing...

 

stangbear427

Active Member

Nov 11, 2002

2,401

1

49

New England

Mar 21, 2004

#13

• Mar 21, 2004

• #13

blown1989saleen said:

stangbear, nice setup there but not legal at the track.


Scott

Click to expand...

Thanks! As for track legal- nothing I do is legal, so tracking the car doesn't interest me much; couldn't care less. If a car can't put out on the street, I'm not real concerned about what it will do at the track- hence, I haven't built it with going to the track in mind. Most times I've done anything organised racing, they couldn't find the battery at all. It usually looks like this:

 

BlownStangGT

REPEAT

Founding Member

Jan 22, 2002

3,860

6

58

Lancaster, PA

Mar 21, 2004

#14

• Mar 21, 2004

• #14

hopefully ill be doing this soon as well

 

raininfire

Founding Member

Mar 21, 2002

96

0

17

Northern VA

Mar 21, 2004

#15

• Mar 21, 2004

• #15

Hey guys if you could do me a favor and snap some shots of these things or explain a little more in depth.
1. Quad shock mount for the negative
2. 2ga wire replace the ground wire from the timing cover to the sway bar mount
3. 10ga wire to replace the ECU (computer) ground.

Question do you have to do #2 and #3? I was just going to run a 2ga wire up to the starter solineod, and negative to wherever. I dont want it track legal. And I dont want to run a ton of wiring. Thanks-J

 

blown1989saleen

Founding Member

Aug 8, 2001

1,397

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37

oxford,pa

Mar 21, 2004

#16

• Mar 21, 2004

• #16

raininfire said:

Hey guys if you could do me a favor and snap some shots of these things or explain a little more in depth.
1. Quad shock mount for the negative
2. 2ga wire replace the ground wire from the timing cover to the sway bar mount
3. 10ga wire to replace the ECU (computer) ground.

Question do you have to do #2 and #3? I was just going to run a 2ga wire up to the starter solineod, and negative to wherever. I dont want it track legal. And I dont want to run a ton of wiring. Thanks-J

Click to expand...

its dark out now, ill snap some tomorrow.

 

K

kndyblucapri

New Member

Feb 17, 2004

22

0

0

NY

Mar 21, 2004

#17

• Mar 21, 2004

• #17

Alright buy a batter relocation kit from summit or jegs it's like 40 bucks and u can do it real easy it's got the directions it's nice i got it .

 

TrophyHead

15 Year Member

Mar 18, 2003

1,195

11

49

PA

Mar 22, 2004

#18

• Mar 22, 2004

• #18

Are you guys running your hot wires under the carpet or under the car?

 

Michael Yount

Mustang Master

Apr 10, 2002

9,039

6

79

Charlotte, NC

Mar 22, 2004

#19

• Mar 22, 2004

• #19

I put mine under the car; the cable was too large for me to put it under the carpet without it being noticeable (my carpet's very form fitting), and I decided I'd rather cut holes back in the trunk area than in the firewall area (didn't have any existing firewall opening big enough to go through).

 

BADPONYsc

Founding Member

Sep 4, 2001

884

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17

Florence, SC

Mar 22, 2004

#20

• Mar 22, 2004

• #20

raininfire said:

Question do you have to do #2 and #3?

Click to expand...

I didn't do #2 or #3 and it works fine and has for about two years now. I grounded mine behind the battery box, also drilled a hole for the vent tube there. (see top right frame of first pic below)
Here's some pics of mine. If you want, do a search on my name BADPONYsc and scroll through the threads for the battery relocation threads. I've posted very detailed descriptions of my install in several of them.
Hope this helps!