The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Battery box needed for trunk-mounted battery?
We've mounted our battery in the trunk to better protect it and I'm wondering if we need to protect it in a box or not. The fuel tank is also in the trunk, between the shock towers and the battery is mounted solidly to the trunk floor farther back. Don't want to get surprised at Thunderhill tech and learn we need a box.
boxes are cheap, dunno the official ruling but if I was putting my battery anywhere near the fuel I'd use a box
Is it legal to relocate a fuel tank to inside the trunk? I guess the rules don't forbid it, but I thought the intent of the fuel rules was stock or fuel cell.
Fuel needs to be seperated from the passenger compartment by a metal patrician.
The battery and fuel being in the trunk together may be an issue but I don't know anything official on it. I think it should be okay and a battery box would be good cheap insurance measure.
3.14: Battery: All batteries must be fully secured via proper, purpose-built battery brackets, battery frames, or sealed battery boxes. Zip ties, bungee cords, duct tape, macrame plant holders, and other lame workarounds won't cut it. Positive ("hot") terminals must be in a sealed battery box or covered with insulating material.
Note that "insulating material" includes duct tape if you run out of time/money. We tried to get one of our co-drivers to just lay comfortably in our capacious trunk and hold his hand over the positive terminal but the tech inspectors said our cage didn't extend far enough for that. Go figure. 
We've mounted our battery in the trunk to better protect it and I'm wondering if we need to protect it in a box or not. The fuel tank is also in the trunk, between the shock towers and the battery is mounted solidly to the trunk floor farther back. Don't want to get surprised at Thunderhill tech and learn we need a box.
You will be fine as long as the battery is securely mounted and the terminals are covered (duct tape).
I got shot down for using duct tape last month in Houston. They made me peel it off and replace it with regular black electrical tape. Don't ask me why one is better than the other.
Is it legal to relocate a fuel tank to inside the trunk? I guess the rules don't forbid it, but I thought the intent of the fuel rules was stock or fuel cell.
Sorry, didn't make it clear but the tank mounted between the shock towers is the factory location for the 505.
Fuel cell and battery box in the very rusty trunk of our '61 Cadillac at Nelson Ledges:
http://ronman.org/pics/Lemons/lamest_da … 61_std.jpg
Fuel cell and battery box in the very rusty trunk of our '61 Cadillac at Nelson Ledges:
http://ronman.org/pics/Lemons/lamest_da … 61_std.jpg
http://ronman.org/pics/Lemons/lamest_da … 61_std.jpg
lol, looks more like a deployable air-fuel bomb with that rusty of a trunk basin.
It's just surface rust... at least. most of it. 
Reading this thread it seems that a box is not required if the battery is in a trunk separated from the rest of the car. Would that be accurate?
I think the rule would be intended for batteries in the passenger compartment, or hatchbacks with an open area between the driver and the 'trunk'. We have the trunk separated from the passenger compartment by the factory sheet metal structure. So we don't need a sealed box, correct?
Sorry to drag up an old thread but it seemed better than starting a new one.
Thanks.
1. our battery is wide open, not in a box, and sits next to the driver. It's got a huge heavy piece of metal bolted over the top of it. The hold-down is overbuilt, it's not gonna let the battery move. This satisfies one part of the rule. it's a standard type car battery, not a fancy sealed gel thing
2. the positive terminal is covered with plastic and taped over. this satisfies the other part of the rule.
the car did several races last year and has passed john's inspection a few times.
if you box it with a lid, then you wouldn't have to specifically cover the positive terminal. it doesn't say you have to use a box.
The battery should be strapped secure - no movement - even then a 200 lb man grabs it and tries to move it.
Electric tape is never a conductor. Duct tape is sometime a conductor.
Put it in-cabin behind the driver centered. Why the need to put it near the cell?
best...
The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Tech → Battery box needed for trunk-mounted battery?