Battery placement...

psychoSEAL · #1 (**permalink**) 08-11-2006, 12:05 PM

Want to put battery in trunk. Where is the best place to run the cable from under the dash? Next to trans tunnel in seat compartment? Or under the car and fasten with clips to the frame?

jarendall · #2 (**permalink**) 08-11-2006, 03:09 PM

in the event that you have a cable short out and catch on fire, where do you think a fire would do the least damage

psychoSEAL · #3 (**permalink**) 08-11-2006, 06:50 PM

In the event of a fire with these cars there would be no safe place to run cables. Maybe I should have asked, where do most people run there battery cables?

jarendall · #4 (**permalink**) 08-11-2006, 07:56 PM

my battery is under the hood, I have seen them in the trunk, with the cables run both inside the car and outside the car, that is why I asked you the question about if they catch fire, if they are under the carpet, then it would be hard to put them out, then again, like you said there is no good place to have a fire in a cobra

psychoSEAL · #5 (**permalink**) 08-11-2006, 08:23 PM

Thanks for the reply, with the trunk mounted battery it takes a lot of power to get things started. How do you have your battery mounted in the engine compartment? Thanks

Tim Brewer · #6 (**permalink**) 08-11-2006, 10:22 PM

It dosn't take any more power to start your car with the battery in the trunk. Most Cobras don't have room in the engine bay for a battery. You just need to do two things to make it work out well. 1) Put a battery cutoff switch where you can reach it. 2) Use a sealed battery like an Optima red or yellow top. If you use a vented lead/acid type in the trunk, everything metal will corrode because there isn't sufficient venting in your trunk.

MFE III · #7 (**permalink**) 08-11-2006, 11:31 PM

I like it along the inside of the frame rails. Seems to me that you get stronger more durable attachment points and a straighter pull in most cases. I have my battery mounted in the center, forward (of car) portion of my trunk, short leads to a battery cut-off switch mounted directly in front of the battery between the seats, then down in front of my rear suspension and follows the frame rail all the way up.

jarendall · #8 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 03:29 AM

my kit came with a battery box built in to the footwell on the passenger side, just above the headers, see my photos

psychoSEAL · #9 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 05:39 AM

I just bought this car and it has not been run for a while. Having the battery mounted in the trunk, installed 2 gauge cable. Should I be using a different gauge? i.e. "00" or 1.0 gauge. Engine is trying to turn over but with no success. Thought that I was loosing a lot of power from the trunk mount versus the engine location for the battery. Thanks for your feedback and ideas.

DonC · #10 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 07:40 AM

If the battery is in good shape and of a proper Cold Cranking Amps value having it in the trunk should not effect the engines ability to start.
My ERA has the battery in the trunk with the cables routed along the frame members and has never experienced a problem. ERA offers the trunk mounted battery as a regular option and I'm quite pleased with it.
Using an Optima or other sealed battery is very good advice since venting is an issue with conventional batteries.
DonC

vettestr · #11 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 08:20 AM

It has been mentioned that a considerable amp loss can be induced by mounting battery in trunk. Larger diameter or more wire per diameter will overcome any possible issues. If you have very poor quality cables this may be an issue but not a common problem as most cables are OK to fair but better is easy to install.
We build all of our own battery cables in-house with welding lead cable. The welding cables insulation is very good and has twice the amount of wires per diameter yet is very flexible even when the OD being used is 1/2 inch. More individual wires per diameter inch reduces voltage drop and resistance allowing longer cable length to be used. In the end this is a little overkill but it will last forever, easy to run and great performance so use of welding lead cable is a no brainer given the cost is reasonable for benefits (welding supply stores I think retail it at about $3 bucks per foot and 17 feet is more than enough, 12 feet min. is needed). We also use multiple ground cables for best results. (battery to chassis- chassis to engine- ground lug to chassis for dash area)
Home propane torches will allow soldering of ends to cable but it will take a little longer. Use heat shrink (home depot) on these ends and use acid free solder with paste on all electrical connections. Heat shrink on ends should be color coded for extra touch of style and I often double it up to seal from moisture best I can.

psychoSEAL · #12 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 12:45 PM

I brought this E-M car home on a trailer last week from Myrtle Beach. The individual that owned the car said it had not been started in a few months. The battery that was in when I looked at the car was completely gone (dead). I changed the battery cables using 2 gauge wire running it to the trunk. When attempting to start the car the engine turned but not enough to get it started. Thinking the I was loosing amps with a longer battery cable I decided to try mounting temporarily in the engine compartment utilizing shorter cables. Engine still had a slow cranking. This is starting to wear on me. Now I wonder if this is the reason the guy sold the car. If anyone has ideas please pass them along. I will get this car starting and finished if it is the last thing I do. Thanks again

jarendall · #13 (**permalink**) 08-12-2006, 07:09 PM

do you have a starter solenoid mounted off the starter or is the cable hooked to the starter solenoid on the starter, if you have an off starter solenoid check the short cable from it it the starter, may be bad, if the cable hooks straight to the starter then the solenoid on the starter maybe bad, and last, the starter itself maybe dragging, a bad solenoid can cause the problem you are having

mike knight · #14 (**permalink**) 08-13-2006, 03:41 PM

start with the basics. are you getting spark at the plugs? will the engine fire on a prime? if it fires on the prime then maybe you aren't getting fuel into the engine. i think you are correct that an engine that is cranking real slow may cause too much load on the battery and present as hard to start. i would still recommend checking that the plugs are firing.
my car has the battery in the trunk. i am running an engine management system, weldon electric fuel pump, electric water pump and an electric fan. i say all that to let you know i have above average electrical needs. my engine cranks and starts fine. even though it is fuel injected i have to allow the system to pressurize then it will turn over until the fuel gets to the engine.
good luck and keep in touch with the folks on this board, they will help you get it sorted out. huge amount of knowledge here.......and the guys who know these cars are really helpful!

mike

Carnut427 · #15 (**permalink**) 08-14-2006, 12:15 AM

I've got to agree with jarendall at this point; either solenoid or starter. You can take the starter in to a parts store & they will test it for free. You can also buy an inexpensive amp guage you merely hold over the cable going to the starter that measures the amps the starter is using while trying to start the car. Normal is around 200 amps on a stock starter if I recall.

Dan