Battery Location

[LewisAV]

Hi All

While i am waiting for my engine to be built i am working on the cars electrics. Due to my OCD i have decided to move my ECU and battery to the passengers footwell. This is very simple and will only require one earth to be replaced for a longer version. A plate will be made to shorten/block off the passengers feet to to the ECU and battery. Does anyone know the rules on putting the battery there. I know some scrutineers always check the battery terminals but apart from that i cant see any other issues. I also checked with my MOT garage and they said the location is fine as long as its covered/blocked from hands or feet.

Cheers in advance

Lewis

Edited December 28, 2023 by LewisAV

[Tony Smith]

Hi Lewis,

would you want to add more weight to the drivers side or is this another type of ocd?

Obviously I have no idea technically!!!!! 

[LewisAV]

Edited post. My bad

[700newtons]

Are you trying to protect the battery/ecu from water/heat damage, or is there another reason?

[SM25T]

Our footwells can end up an inch deep in rainwater when driving in monsoon conditions. All sloshes to the front as you brake. Just be aware.

[Benton]

620 Models come with the Odyssey AGM battery mounted on its side in the footwell with appropriate plastic cover over it.  
I’m not sure given the “moisture” 😃 that can accumulate at time in the footwells I’d want to mount an ECU there unless it was in a waterproof casing or similar.

[Drumster]

Lewis, I know this means keeping the battery on top of the passenger footwell but have you considered mounting the ECU on the rear of the front bulkhead?

 

[LewisAV]

8 hours ago, 700newtons said:

Are you trying to protect the battery/ecu from water/heat damage, or is there another reason?

Not trying to protect. Want it out of the way. Never use on the road only for sprints and hill climbs. The cabling is a shambles on Caterham's and a really easy fix is moving to the passengers foot well. My 7 is a single seater. The aluminium tonneau cover only comes off for maintenance  

[LewisAV]

3 hours ago, Drumster said:

Lewis, I know this means keeping the battery on top of the passenger footwell but have you considered mounting the ECU on the rear of the front bulkhead?

 

Hi

Cant do that as the remote filter for the drysump will be going there.

[LewisAV]

5 hours ago, SM25T said:

Our footwells can end up an inch deep in rainwater when driving in monsoon conditions. All sloshes to the front as you brake. Just be aware.

Passenger foot well doesn't get wet. Tonneau cover and I don't drive on the road.

[LewisAV]

3 hours ago, Benton said:

620 Models come with the Odyssey AGM battery mounted on its side in the footwell with appropriate plastic cover over it.  
I’m not sure given the “moisture” 😃 that can accumulate at time in the footwells I’d want to mount an ECU there unless it was in a waterproof casing or similar.

Interesting. The reason for my questions was not for practical reasons but for motorsport rules. When we race we are scrutineered. Some are more thorough then others and if put in the footwell it will not be visible unless the protective foot panel is removed. But if 620 road legal cars are being produced this way and i race in a road legal class i cant see how they can disallow it. Have you got a picture of the 620 AGM battery and cover in its position? Many Thanks

[Benton]

Would have taken the cover off for a better picture but I put my back out putting up the Christmas lights! 🤣

The +ve and -ve cables exit via the transmission tunnel (grommet etc), cables on the left are just in case jump pack is ever required.  Beneath the two bolts holding the plastic cover down is a metal strap to stop the battery moving. The battery itself sits in a suitably sized tray which is riveted to the floor. See photos.

[LewisAV]

Thank you.

[Simon.Rogers]

£££££££

Just whispering Gixcer - Gixcer -Giixxxccceeerrr 

I have been taking lessons from Paul McKenna 🤣

[Tiddy7]

I cant believe that anyone paying £60+K for a car would accept that as an engineered solution, i know space is tight but seriously! Just imagine if a Porsche GT3 came with a battery bolted to the floor under the passengers feet , and bolted through the floor mat at that

[aerobod - near CYYC]

3 hours ago, Tiddy7 said:

I cant believe that anyone paying £60+K for a car would accept that as an engineered solution, i know space is tight but seriously! Just imagine if a Porsche GT3 came with a battery bolted to the floor under the passengers feet , and bolted through the floor mat at that

No, it would be an optional extra with the Porsche for £2000 to do it that way, £4000 if you opted for the fire extinguisher mounted on top of it, plus another £1000 for optional cloth door pulls to save 40 grams of weight 😉 

[Benton]

23 hours ago, Tiddy7 said:

I cant believe that anyone paying £60+K for a car would accept that as an engineered solution, i know space is tight but seriously! Just imagine if a Porsche GT3 came with a battery bolted to the floor under the passengers feet , and bolted through the floor mat at that

There’s no room under the bonnet so the only other option is sitting in the boot i.e. just above the fuel tank!  
All considered I think I’d rather opt for the passenger foot well 😂

BTW They do have a cutout in the floor mat 😀

[andy_harries]

Might be a bit late if you've already done it Lewis, but looking at the MSA 2024 Blue Book, section J (general vehicle regs), para 5.14.1, this is the statement for batteries in the driver / passenger compartment:

"Any wet Auxiliary batteries in driver/passenger compartment must be enclosed in a securely located leak-proof container. "

Section S which deals with Sprint & Hillclimb regs doesn't have anything specific about battery regulations that I can see (it deals with electrical isolators etc).