GUIDE: Battery relocation!

phillpotts92

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice! :D
Oct 2, 2010
3,480
6
Bristol.
www.seatcupra.net
Here's my guide to putting the battery in the boot in a mk4 Ibiza. PLEASE NOTE I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY IF YOUR CAR DOESN'T START OR SHORTS OUT/ANY FAULTS THAT OCCOUR!

Right straight into it:

Tools required:

Ratchet,
10mm socket,
13mm socket,
17mm or 19mm socket (I think),
T20 torx piece,
Stanley knife,
Side cutters,
Pozi-drive screwdriver,
Flathead screwdriver,
9mm metal drill bit,
Drill,
8mm socket,
Ratchet crimper.

Equipment required:

0 gauge distribution block (min 3 way),
5m 0 gauge power cable,
1m 2/4 gauge earth cable,
Quick release battery terminals,
2x M8 threaded bar,
3or4x M8 ny-lock nuts,
Penny washer with 8mm hole,
Washer for 8mm threaded bar,
Steel plate (min 5mm thick),
Ring crimp (get this from a local electrical wholesaler by taking cable and bolt from seatbelt buckle in).

1) Take the cage off the battery by unclipping it on the LHS, RHS and rear of the battery. Then you need to release the cables from the front of the cage by prying it open and sliding the cables out and unbolt terminals using 10mm socet so it looks like this:
0E84C60E-CCA5-40D5-AB7E-02B36B98F921-2281-0000008B7C48425D_zps745d42d5.jpg


2) Using the t20 torx bit unscrew this screw in the side of the casing to release the block on the RHS of the cage:
64664445-910A-4F4C-9576-A74C6C77AFB2-2281-0000008B83F74EDF_zpse31c54ac.jpg


3) Remove the fabric casing around the battery:
596B88B8-EC18-4A98-BD7E-91D81A61B949-2281-0000008B8BB8ED39_zpsb104c25b.jpg


4) Unbolt the battery clamp at the front of the battery using a 13mm socket and remove. This will release the battery so it will come out easily:
F649F474-D26D-4038-99BB-F5D3B54DE421-2281-0000008B93C19004_zpsbc61518b.jpg


5) Remove battery to reveal this annd where the three bolts run alongside each other at the top you need to unbolt the top left and middle one using a 10mm socket and the big 13mm one offset in the centre to remove the battery tray:
94772430-D64C-43CC-B01B-406D6254C0C0-2281-0000008B9C99EBC9_zps8424b14c.jpg


6) Now cut off the positive terminal and cut off the cable that was joined to that when on the battery (goes to fuse rail) like so:
5B204111-A0BD-4BFC-BAA2-F1C31D5F0D05-2281-0000008BA678AC75_zps05ec9c72.jpg
03AED5D6-7E43-42A7-B1DC-8F0B5DCE8E6E-2281-0000008BAEAD4D41_zps63e8b02d.jpg


7) Now strip the insulation off these two cables and put into a distribution block:
4DABA7D6-6D6A-4423-8AAE-73B7E815E06F-2281-0000008BB619B50E_zpsa7b66c40.jpg


8) Now run your power cable through the bulkhead and remove the side panel to the glovebox and pull back the firewall and feel for the cable:
B41BDD82-703E-4486-B03E-9DBBB3BFCC41-2281-0000008BDD7016FB_zps4b11d0a5.jpg
DD7D6CB0-C320-4A3B-A91E-4782872FFC4F-2281-0000008BF364C556_zpsb083addb.jpg


9) Run it down and behind the trim by footwell and run under door trim to the back seat like so:
6B4BACD5-980F-45B3-82D9-C5DF5709E6E8-2281-0000008BF9A5024B_zps1d2c2adc.jpg
C27BB7CE-7D54-44BD-8017-2FC8737A5558-2281-0000008BECEB04FC_zps4060de1e.jpg


10) Attach your crimp to the earth cable and crimp until tight and bolt to the seatbelt buckle. I think it's a 17mm socket but I can't remember as I already had this for the sub.
C37DDCCD-E4B7-4DFB-A348-0E0140D17F79-2281-0000008C0B3A56DA_zpse490e895.jpg


11) Strip the power cables insulation back and put into distribution block like so:
8B327D2B-E862-4F08-BB01-284027AD8164-2281-0000008BCD4A5DF1_zps632b90df.jpg


12) Using your quick release clamps (bought mine from napkin for £14.99 but can get from eBay or halfords for cheaper) and attach by stripping the insulation back on the cables to reveal the cores and unscrew the cable clamps on the quick release terminals and fasten the cable clamp down tight onto the cores.
46737E9F-3CB1-4721-ADC9-20248470A869-2281-0000008BE478D0EC_zps65bc3d88.jpg
546C618B-6707-4BF1-8890-DECA5828C9FC-2281-0000008C0F6910E5_zps92d2585f.jpg


Now comes the battery fastening.

13) Using a length of 8mm threaded bar which I got from b&q for £2.49 I cut a length off after screwing it into the spare wheel well fastener using a bit of tape to indicate the length needed so I could mount a piece of metal over the battery so I went an extra 3-4cm taller than the battery like so:
0AFB2DC6-FAA5-4FED-87E5-7C4B818811E1-3918-000001AF436E6BF4_zps5d422184.jpg


14) I then drilled a 9mm hole the other side of the battery into the wheel well like so:
2ADCADBB-D2CA-4764-8AD2-B61ED641D96F-3918-000001AF4AEE6C3B_zps56b96fc9.jpg


15) I then put the offcut of the threaded bar through the hole and again indicated how big I wanted it by using tape:
69AA77B6-E7B5-4CE4-8A9B-96672A9D4098-3918-000001AF51016A0A_zpsce84283d.jpg


16) I cut that to length and had a spare bit of metal hanging around the garage so used this but you can buy a piece of metal to use instead from b&q or similar. You need this metal bar to go across the top of the battery to clamp it into position. To do this you need to drill another two 9mm holes in the bar at the distance your rods are apart like so (leave loose so you can tighten the bolt up under the car first in next step)
ECC365E3-EF0D-47CF-A650-95171D61423D-3918-000001AF57982E46_zpsdfedbfbd.jpg
4FB31DBE-E5D2-4337-810D-AED21A6475CD-3918-000001AF5E596ACC_zps4c080b5e.jpg


17) Using a penny washer put silicon on one side to make it water tight and put it onto the threaded bar and silicon side against the body and bolt down leaving only a few mm of thread out the end of lock nut like so:
AF1C9E88-A6DA-4E8E-ABFB-62251C5C6882-3918-000001AF63E6C58E_zpsb0d8a466.jpg


18) Now tighten the top bar down ising lock nuts and washers but DO NOT OVER TIGHTEN AS YOU MAY CRACK THE BATTERY!! Only enough do it clamps down on the battery! I am going to put a rubber mat under the battery too to help prevent any movement.

This is my guide I hope it helps people understand it better. (yes I used 4gauge cable but this was a trial as it was already there for the sub so I just attached it to it but it's being replaced by 0 gauge as soon as it gets here for all you observant people that will notice it haha).
 
Last edited:

phillpotts92

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice! :D
Oct 2, 2010
3,480
6
Bristol.
www.seatcupra.net
Yep thought of that mate but when you think about it, is the battery fused? Via the fuse rail yes and by doing this I kept fuse rail in. And also if you fuse it and one cold morning your car struggles to start it will pull more current this blowing a fuse, if your battery struggles to turn it pulls more current so even if you sit listening to your radio for a bit then turn it over this using power whilst it's not running your drawing charge from battery and when turning over pulls lots of current thus blowing a fuse. Many reason it can pull more current and this is why i didn't fuse it :) (information from knowledge of being in the electrical industry and a little common sense) lol
 
Aug 1, 2011
500
0
Cheers for the snotty message after finding my project thread.

It was more a point on using penny washers especially when the wheel well is as thin as it is on an ibiza, it would probably be a good idea to weld some thicker metal to the underneath to act as a load bearer so it doesn't just rip through the floor in a crash.
 

phillpotts92

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice! :D
Oct 2, 2010
3,480
6
Bristol.
www.seatcupra.net
Phil it was a joke mate. Get on the banter bus will you lol. Yea that was the original idea but that meant drilling more holes and I didn't want to do that. So reused the original wheel clamp thing.
 

abbotsmike

Active Member
Dec 17, 2011
418
1
Uxbridge
Yep thought of that mate but when you think about it, is the battery fused? Via the fuse rail yes and by doing this I kept fuse rail in. And also if you fuse it and one cold morning your car struggles to start it will pull more current this blowing a fuse, if your battery struggles to turn it pulls more current so even if you sit listening to your radio for a bit then turn it over this using power whilst it's not running your drawing charge from battery and when turning over pulls lots of current thus blowing a fuse. Many reason it can pull more current and this is why i didn't fuse it :) (information from knowledge of being in the electrical industry and a little common sense) lol

The battery is fused, because of the fuse rail as you say. The reason this is ok, is the cable run between there and the battery is very short and fixed, with practically no chance of mechanical damage and a short to earth.

As you have a long cable, running through the cabin, alongside (earthed) metalwork, I'd be fusing it personally. Or use a circuit breaker. I don't know what the norm is for this sort of set up, but i wouldn't be comfortable leaving it unfused.

Has it made a notceable difference? I'd have the the lump of pig iron over the front axle still makes it front heavy!

Like Phil, I'd probably also look into reinforcing the mounting point. Even if the spare wheel mount holds, if one side pulls through it could still make a bid for freedom.
 

phillpotts92

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice! :D
Oct 2, 2010
3,480
6
Bristol.
www.seatcupra.net
You can reinforce the mount if you like but I have a wooden floor I made and stuck the carpet to. Only thin but it will stop a battery lol if not the seats certainly will lol. Yea there is no need to fuse it but you can. I initially did but it blew upon startup. You would need a 150-200A fuse to prevent unintentional popping. I don't know how it effects it as I haven't driven it yet and cant drive spiritually yet as I'm running a new clutch in lol
 
great guide mr potts :thumbup: .
i cannot see the battery making a break for freedom and if it does chances are the crash would be so serious your be dead anyway the spare wheel would never fly out so chances are the battery wouldnt neither.
even though im not likely to be relocating my battery im sure others will so this thread needs to be made a sticky might be worth talking to a mod.
 

phillpotts92

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice! :D
Oct 2, 2010
3,480
6
Bristol.
www.seatcupra.net
Cheers mate :D finally a compliment on my hard work!

I put a rubber mat under the battery to stop any unwanted sliding today and got the 0 gauge wire in. Much better. I also put a bag around the distribution block seeing as its now exposed to the elements and insulation taped it up! Fire extinguisher is in the car now too for show more than anything haha
 

S7UYJ

Active Member
Sep 7, 2010
320
0
Manchester
Good guide, gives the essential information and decent pics which makes a change!

The only thing I would add is...

Although you put silicone sealant around the washer, its probably worth (either before or undo the nut) getting some corrosion treatment in there. Yea its pretty sealed now but metal as thin as the boot floor will start to eat itsself in not much time! and you wont know until its too late!! You also have to take into account the type of metals that are now touching, different metals can react more with water and salt etc and speed up corrosion massivley. eg Magnesium and carbon together makes the magnesium destroy itself!

Sorry if thats teaching you to suck eggs, didnt want your battery to end up on your drive!!

I an aircraft engineer by the way so this stuff is brainwashed into us!!
 

phillpotts92

Buy Cheap, Buy Twice! :D
Oct 2, 2010
3,480
6
Bristol.
www.seatcupra.net
Haha yea I dont think ally and steel react tho? Like you said its a walk through of the steps but people can alter them as they like :) I'd love for it to be a sticky like my other guides but don't think it will happen haha
 
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