The Racetractor. The End.

[Niall]

Mot rules are secure battery and wiring. Nothing else.

Hm, MOT rule or not, if you get pulled by VOSA they will screw you for it, I have seen it happen

Legal or not, more to the point its just outright dangerous to some degree....Flying battery is heavy, and even if its not flying dripping battery acid isnt something you ideally want to be dealing with when your upside down in a ditch trying to get out the car...

Have to agree with this and mostly the point about the flying battery. A good friend at work rolled his 2 week old car into a field. He was knocked out and woke up to ford emergency assist speaking to him. Turns out a 2.8Ah battery had come flying forwards from the boot and clipped him on the head. It was embedded in the dash when they finally recovered the car and that was a baby battery.

[cully]

google search battery acid burns they are not pretty

[adam b]

I'm not piggy bashing, I'm just suggesting you sort out something potentially dangerous in your car.
As for the extra £50, doing things on a budget is fine, but some things should be done properly.

It took me 18 months to save up and do the electrics in mine. I did that before more power etc but I wanted a safe car first. Hence the extinguishers, lexan, cut offs, extra cage bits and really overly expensive cage padding (makes the battery look cheap lol)

[Piggy]

MSA rules for competition wouldn't allow your fuel lines

Fuel Systems
5.13.1. Have any fuel lines passing through the
driver/passenger compartment protected and, if
non-metallic, to be internally or externally metal braided
hydraulic pressure hose or fuel lines complying with
FIA specifications.
5.13.2. They may only be joined by screwed sealing
joints or vehicle manufacturers approved joint.
5.13.3. If fitted with fuel fillers in a closed boot, or under
closure, have collector/spill trays incorporated to drain
outside the vehicle.

and as for the battery!

Electrical Systems
5.14.1. Have any wet batteries in driver/passenger
compartment enclosed in a securely located leak-proof
container.
5.14.2. Have batteries duly protected to exclude
leakage of acid and to protect terminals from short
circuiting and producing sparks
5.14.5. Have the battery earth lead, if not readily
distinguishable, identified by a yellow marking.


and to be honest I am surprised at the likes of FCS and the likes letting cars onto track without going through a basic scrutineer excluding noise test
it will be only a matter of time before they do i believe

Thanks for copying and pasting...

Not sure why though?!

Where did I state I'm trying to meet MSA rules?!

---

Still not entirely sure how this is going to become a potential projectile when its bolted down either!?

I bet 9/10 guys on here have metal/hard/heavy loose items in their passenger compartments and open door pockets etc

---

I am going to regret this...

But to be pedantic how do you put a battery in a sealed container...but get power cables through to the battery?

[Stef205]

because msa rules are a good guide line to build to. Ive built my car going from most of the blue book.

[welshpug]

seal the damn f*cking cables.

[Piggy]

seal the damn f*cking cables.

With gland fittings!?

[darrenjlobb]

seal the damn f*cking cables.

With gland fittings!?

With anything so that you dont just short out your battery / explode / catch fire in your car by simply putting something conductive in your boot!

[Piggy]

No, I am saying if its in one of these battery boxes...how do I seal the cables going in/out of the box? Otherwise its not a sealed box is it!?

[Toms306]

Make the holes the right size and fit grommets round cables surely?

[Dum-Dum]

Guys piggys car isn't bad, there are far worse battery in cabin fitments on here for you to all go and find fault with first.

As for sealing batteries, have you ever seen a BMW E36 and that's factory fitment.

[darrenjlobb]

Most battery boxs of decent quality are designed in a way that which ever way they end up, they act as a tray / prevent acid from leaking out....

I have also seen FAR worse installs...But given the effort Piggy goes to with most of the car etc was just suprised to see a battery held in the middle of the boot floor, secured by a bit of tin, with no cover and bare terminals hanging out....

[Midnightclub]

BMW batteries are generally sealed into the boot by the bulkhead separating the rear seats from the boot compartment though. I don't doubt for a second there aren't worse ones about, however the advice is still just as valid.

[Piggy]

Most battery boxs of decent quality are designed in a way that which ever way they end up, they act as a tray / prevent acid from leaking out....

I have also seen FAR worse installs...But given the effort Piggy goes to with most of the car etc was just suprised to see a battery held in the middle of the boot  floor, secured by a bit of tin, with no cover and bare terminals hanging out....

Aye yeah ok
..so big enough lid to prevent spillage if upside down...makes sense.

Gotta remember...it was all under a false boot floor.
"bit of tin" temp too...main bracket too small with new battery. It isnt budging till I sort it though

[Piggy]

Make the holes the right size and fit grommets round cables surely?

Initially that sounds grand...

But I then can't see how you are going to take the lid on/off with thick cables running through the sides of the lid and cables bolted to the terminals?!

[Toms306]

I'd have put them through the main box tbf, will obviously have to remove terminals to fit them initially, but after that should be fine.

[Niall]

Or, cut a C shape out of the lid, Grommet on the cable which slots into the C shape on the lid. Jobs a goodun

[Stef205]

or buy a gel battery to begin with

[lolsteve]

No wonder this is the most popular thread. fitting a battery = 2 pages of arguing

[cully]

Make the holes the right size and fit grommets round cables surely?

Initially that sounds grand...

But I then can't see how you are going to take the lid on/off with thick cables running through the sides of the lid and cables bolted to the terminals?!

put the holes in the side of the box towards the top for the cable entrys
this then allows the lid to collect maximum fluid when inverted

[Piggy]

No wonder this is the most popular thread. fitting a battery = 2 pages of arguing

It's not my most popular thread I can tell you! 

I skirm everytime i see a new post on it

[Poodle]

It's like a soap opera in here tbh.

[zx_volcane]

No wonder this is the most popular thread. fitting a battery = 2 pages of arguing

True dat

[Iaitoo]

You can also get boxes with lids that has the terminals integrated. Like this one
Everyone is worrying about your safety Piggy. Thats nice!

[Piggy]

I like the above idea...

Surely there is still the issue of exposed terminals?!

And no...no one cares about Piggy...they just want fried bacon

[Matt-Rallye]

I like the above idea...

Surely there is still the issue of exposed terminals?!

And no...no one cares about Piggy...they just want fried bacon

  mmmm bacon!

[Iaitoo]

You'd have to tape up the terminals. But at least you wouldnt have to make any holes on the box Think they come with a plastic surrounding on the terminals. With just a hole to put the cable in. So not that much to tape.

[Magenta Sunset]

You can also get boxes with lids that has the terminals integrated. Like this one
Everyone is worrying about your safety Piggy. Thats nice!

is there one big enough for a leisure battery? i'd like one for my boat.

[Iaitoo]

The store where I found this one only have one size. 345 x 200 x 200 mm

[Magenta Sunset]

thanks - ebay here I come!