# Moving the battery to the trunk?



## Hotshotnissan (May 10, 2003)

hey i was wanting to move the battery to my trunk what do i need to do so? thanks for the replys


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## zeno (Sep 17, 2002)

There are numerous companies that make kits for this. Search any of the well known distributors. If you do it yourself, make sure you use heavy gauge quality wires since the voltage will drop across the longer distance. Also, make sure you have a good working battery, you don't want battery acid in your trunk or hydrogen spitting out into the drivers compartment.


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## 1CLNB14 (Apr 30, 2002)

I think Summit sells a kit for around $50.00 or so.


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## Katana200sx (May 13, 2002)

just remember that at some drag strips if you have your battery in the trunk you have to have a battery shut off switch on the outside of the car


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I would do it with a Ford style starter solenoid in the trunk so that you don't have that heavy gauge positive wire always hot. Run the solenoid with a Bosch DIN relay(cut one from a Pontiac Grand Am)to switch it on and off.Run the alternator off of a seperate 10 gauge wire with fuseable links at either end so that if it shorts out it doesn't start a fire. Painless Performance has a nice kit for this and also has wiring diagrams for many different setups on their website.I also prefer the plastic Moroso battery box since it is sealed(and comes with a supplied vent tube kit)and if the car is in a collision, is less likely to short both terminals together than a metal box.


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## Hotshotnissan (May 10, 2003)

shit sounds like alot of work.... is there another way to do this? thanks for the replys


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## zeno (Sep 17, 2002)

Put the work into it and do it right. Car batteries are dangerous things and you don't want to cut corners. Personally, I would recommend a kit, more expensive but you know you will get all the parts needed and the company already did all the research for you.


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## Hotshotnissan (May 10, 2003)

i'll do it right..... where can i get this kit ? And how long will take to do something like this....?


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Summit or Painless Wiring have good kits.To do it right, you should budget $100-120.Also remember to use adel clamps to secure the heavy gauge positive cable to the body of the car or else it could abrade the insulation and ground all the battery current through the body,possibly starting a fire.Don't ask me how I know...
.


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## UpChuck (Jul 20, 2002)

Hotshotnissan said:


> *i'll do it right..... where can i get this kit ? And how long will take to do something like this....? *



Battery Relocation Kit


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## UofLsentra (May 25, 2003)

J/C ...Why are you wanting to put the battery in the trunk? Sound system, more air flow for an intake, airbag suspension????


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Only real reason to do it in a FWD is better weight distribution for better handling.


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## TheVodKA (Sep 19, 2002)

Also, you get a lot more room to run intercooler piping through, so you can get a more ideal path with less piping. That was the reason I was gonna do it before my untimely tragedy


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

ok, I've done mine completely custom, If the relocation sounds like a job, I suggest you don't do it. Do it right or don't do it at all.

The Advantages include: better weight distribution, more airflow through the engine bay, cleaner look in the engine bay, and more room for turbo piping.

If you do it yourself, I would get about 15 feet of low resistance 2AWG audio cable for the positive lead and about 5 feet of 4AWG for the grounding wires.

I ran the cable through the front fender and it comes out right behind the driver's kick panel. The wire is run to a 150A fuse in the trunk, then to the battery. I have the negative grounded 3 times in the trunk so there will be no trouble with power. From the front, I tied the positive wire to the starter and accessory lines with a Stinger 1/0AWG coupler and a wide piece of heat shrink. Here's a pic of my trunk:
http://1997ga16de.nissanpower.com/cgi-bin/i/images/DSC02964.jpg


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## sfhellwig (Feb 4, 2003)

This is not the exact same rules of car audio but an important concern is NEVER have a smaller ground than your positive lead. Note that 1997 GA16DE used 3 grounds with his smaller cable. If you are only using one ground point and it is smaller than your pos., you are wasting the money on a bigger cable except maybe heat disapation. Bigger cable will not make a better circuit without a better ground.


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

Uh...
Is it safe to leave the terminals exposed like that?

Seth

P.S. Once you got the wire through the firewall, how does it get through the cabin and into the trunk.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

sethwas said:


> *Uh...
> Is it safe to leave the terminals exposed like that?
> 
> Seth
> ...


from the fender, I ran it into the cabin. I wouldn't exactly say I ran it through the firewall, I just drilled a hole trough the wheel well, into the cabin (just behind the driver's kick panel) and put a rubber gromet and silicone to seal it off (don't want to cut the wire with the sharp edges). The wire ran along the side (under the door step area) and then right into the trunk. The cabin and the trunk aren't really THAT seperated. Take off the bottom of the rear seat and fold down the backs. Remove the plastic panels behind the seat and you can run the cable along side the seatbelt strap into the trunk (it'll end up right over the rear shock tower).


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Instead of audio cable, I would suggest using 1/0 gauge welding cable.It is much thicker and better at transferring current than the audio stuff.I used it for part of the install in my AMC Spirit and would have used it for the whole thing had I not already bought 2 gauge.


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## javierb14 (Jul 9, 2002)

IMHO use 1/0 gauge. ive used both 4gauge and 1/0 for relocations, and 1/0 is better. if u have a sealed battery...then u can mount the battery in the trunk and not worry about any gases/fumes. if u have a reg batt... then u should use a sealed batt box with a vent to the outside of the car.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

IMO, get an Optima sealed battery. End of story.

I plan to upgrade my car very soon BTW. In all honesty, I'm really using 4AWG wire for the positive lead, currently. The car starts up just fine, but My idle is bad and I think it is the 4AWG.

I'm debating on 2AWG or go for the 1/0....BTW, where can I get the copper eyeloops for the 1/0AWG? I'm sick of going from autozone to autozone picking up like one package per store. I also think the biggest they have is 2AWG.


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## Hotshotnissan (May 10, 2003)

well for me im doing it for the air,and like someone post "alot cleaner"in the engine bay....so what about the battery acids?what should i use to cover the battery?


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## javierb14 (Jul 9, 2002)

1997 GA16DE said:


> *IMO, get an Optima sealed battery. End of story.
> 
> I plan to upgrade my car very soon BTW. In all honesty, I'm really using 4AWG wire for the positive lead, currently. The car starts up just fine, but My idle is bad and I think it is the 4AWG.
> 
> I'm debating on 2AWG or go for the 1/0....BTW, where can I get the copper eyeloops for the 1/0AWG? I'm sick of going from autozone to autozone picking up like one package per store. I also think the biggest they have is 2AWG. *


a hawker energy battery is far superior to an optima battery and * a lot * more expensive.
hawker energy batteries

u can pick up those eyeloops at a hardware store such as homedepot/lowes or ace harware.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

javierb14 said:


> *a hawker energy battery is far superior to an optima battery and  a lot  more expensive.
> hawker energy batteries*


 Once again saying that the optima battery is all you need. It's sealed, and it's not too bad pricewise.



javierb14 said:


> *u can pick up those eyeloops at a hardware store such as homedepot/lowes or ace harware. *


 I've tried Lowes and Home Depot. Unless I overlooked them many times, I don't see the big eyeloops. Just the small ones for 12-24AWG. Autozone tends to have about 1 box in stock at all times. I had to drive from autozone to autozone finding them and forget about discount auto and pep-boys, I haven't seen any there.


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## dono200sx (May 2, 2002)

Have you tried O'Reilly Auto Parts? Or maybe a Radio Shack? I'm sure either one could atleast order the eyloops. O'Reailly is usually pretty good about orders getting there that day (if you go early enough) or the next morning.


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## javierb14 (Jul 9, 2002)

1997 GA16DE said:


> *Once again saying that the optima battery is all you need. It's sealed, and it's not too bad pricewise.
> 
> I've tried Lowes and Home Depot. Unless I overlooked them many times, I don't see the big eyeloops. Just the small ones for 12-24AWG. Autozone tends to have about 1 box in stock at all times. I had to drive from autozone to autozone finding them and forget about discount auto and pep-boys, I haven't seen any there. *


true, but i always over engineer/build everything thats why im using a Genesis battery 










i bought the 1/0 eyeloops at the homedepot near the shop in mesa, AZ for ~$1.00 for a pack of two.


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## Hotshotnissan (May 10, 2003)

javierb14

how $ was your battery and how did u do your intake like that i see the piping but weres it comming form...


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

1997 GA16DE said:


> *IMO, get an Optima sealed battery. End of story.
> 
> I plan to upgrade my car very soon BTW. In all honesty, I'm really using 4AWG wire for the positive lead, currently. The car starts up just fine, but My idle is bad and I think it is the 4AWG.
> 
> I'm debating on 2AWG or go for the 1/0....BTW, where can I get the copper eyeloops for the 1/0AWG? I'm sick of going from autozone to autozone picking up like one package per store. I also think the biggest they have is 2AWG. *


Try Gulf Coast welding Supply.I got all my 1/0 gauge wire and connectors there.I think they have one in Clearwater,but I got mine in Holiday.They are located(in Holiday) on Bartelt rd which is off US 19 right after the Winn Dixie but before the plaza with the NAPA auto parts.If you go past Mile Stretch rd,you've gone too far(Hess,Amoco and Mobil gas stations are at that intersection)Otheriwse, any welding supply store should have what you need.Don't buy your wire at Home Depot.It has a low strand count and can't flex like automotive wire needs to since it is house wire and uses thick strands.It will eventually work-harden and break.One more thing,when attaching the connectors, do not just crimp them,rather use a propane torch and solder to make a good connection.Sweat the solder in until the connector and wire are filled,like doing a home plumbing job.


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## wolf (Jun 23, 2003)

i was always told that if you relocate the battery to inside the car you have to use a sealed gel battery like the optima (yellow or red top) to prevent possible explosion from acid fumes building in the trunk. even if you use a vented box the trunk still is not vented. if it were me i would upgrade to the yellow top.


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

Well,
I looked into Optima and Hawker. All are large sized. The optimas are yellow top and the hawkers are the red case not the grey case. Is there a specific model or line that I should be looking at?
Also I found that the hawker was cheaper by like $20.

Seth

P.S. Why are these batteries better than my Sears Die Hard Gold. I looked as the stats and my battery sometimes shows up higher numbers but only cost like $70?


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

wolf said:


> *i was always told that if you relocate the battery to inside the car you have to use a sealed gel battery like the optima (yellow or red top) to prevent possible explosion from acid fumes building in the trunk. even if you use a vented box the trunk still is not vented. if it were me i would upgrade to the yellow top. *


 well, if the box is vented, you should run a hose or something to the outside of the car. I believe there actually IS a vent in the trunk (at least that's what I think it is).

you can't see it from the outside of the car b/c it's under the body metal, but the vent is released on the underside of the car. If you want to look for it, it is on the driver's side under the wall-carpet, very far towards the back of the car. I would assume it's for keeping the cabin from building up harmful fumes and keeping the O2 level normal when there are many occupants in the car.


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## javierb14 (Jul 9, 2002)

hotshotnissan,
the battery was given to me as a gift by one of my friends....the intake is a ghetto WAI i made with a piece of 2.5 in stainless steel 90deg pipe.

im using a Genesis series batt (sealed)...
more info here

 and here

and here too


and a lot of race cars use these batt's due to their small size and high power output


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## Hotshotnissan (May 10, 2003)

o i see about the intake..nice lol..... umm the hawker batt's y so $ for one anyways ? form having that small of batt: and not having such a big ass batt: in the way did you notice any air flow difference?


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## javierb14 (Jul 9, 2002)

newer better technology usually costs more. a smaller batt is usually advantageous if it can supply the same power and weigh less at the same time. i'll notice a big flow difference when i put the turbo on, its not a NA engine


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## Hotshotnissan (May 10, 2003)

cool....any web site that i can get any of thoes batteries?


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## sethwas (Apr 30, 2002)

just google for the name of the battery and you'll get a ton of re-sellers.

Seth


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## pearsont74 (Oct 1, 2002)

ok....for anyone that has moved the battery to the trunk can you still use a ground kit that has multiple grounding points??


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

pearsont74 said:


> *ok....for anyone that has moved the battery to the trunk can you still use a ground kit that has multiple grounding points?? *


 you can do a grounding kit or whatever you want, but you should definately use multiple grounding points.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

btw, I used a dremel to shave the paint off where the ground points go so I can make a better connection.


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