[Urban Customs]

i dont see why i need to buy a kit because i have like 100 ft of 0 through 8 gauge wire for my system left over. which size wire should i use and what exactly should i do.

I was just going to attach the positive wire with like 4 gauge system wire and run it to the inside of the car. Do i need to run ground inside too or can i just run postive and ground the engine bay terminal right where it is.


and also do i need to vent an optima battery. i dont think it lets off any fumes does it?


thanks

 

[blackbird]

No look again at your OPTIMA battery see the 2 black circles in the top those are vents. Its a lead acid battery and it will and needs to breath, but should not leak. Do it right and get a battery box and vent it outside.

 

[Urban Customs]

No look again at your OPTIMA battery see the 2 black circles in the top those are vents. Its a lead acid battery and it will and needs to breath, but should not leak. Do it right and get a battery box and vent it outside.

so would i drill through my frame and vent underneath

 

[puma]

i don't think the optima needs to be vented as it is a dry cell battery, meaning there is no acid in it.

get a ground close to the battery, don't run a ground all the way to the front.

personnally, i like to use 2 gauge wire for the positive and you MUST use a fuse or a circuit breaker close to the battery. I use a 80 or 100 amp breaker close to the battery for two reasons. If the posivite wire get to touch the body from an accident or just from rubbing, you need some kind of protection so you won't set the car in fire and second reason, when you need to unplug the battery to work on the car, you just need to push the button on the breaker, no more playing with the pole connectors.

 

[98mkiv]

I like the circuit braker idea..... nice.

 

[SV650s]

yea, the optima is a dry cell battery. But I still would use some kind of box or post to securely bolt the battery in your hatch.
The grounding: you can just run that negative terminal right onto the chasis, bare chasis to ground it off.
Use in-line fuse and try to protect your wire, ex: don't have sharp edges on your firewall where you run the hot wire back in engine bay.
As far as fuse goes...I don't know where you could get one, maybe Puma can help you.

and 4 gauge isn't thick enough.

 

[blackbird]

No, it has acid see the link and click on the picture of the battery.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/publish/optima/americas0/en/config/product_info/automotive/starter.html

 

[puma]

hmm you are right but they also say it is non-spillable

"Acid can't leak or spill, making them clean, user-friendly and environmentally sound"

 

[supradupaflyguy]

the problem is not spilling the acid, it is the hydrogen gas that i vented when the battery is charging that causes a problem.

 

[blackbird]

hmm you are right but they also say it is non-spillable

"Acid can't leak or spill, making them clean, user-friendly and environmentally sound"

ok here is some better info, I can admin when im wrong. Under normal usage it should not let off fumes they say.

Antique Autos

Optima 12 volt and 6 volt absorbed glass mat (AGM) batteries and antique/classic autos are a match made in heaven. Optima's low self-discharge rate holds a charge during long periods of nonuse during storage. The Optima's sealed AGM design prevents acid leakage, and the fact that the Optima does not off-gas in normal use means your valuable auto won't suffer the effects of corrosive fumes. The Optima model 6V is the battery of choice for six volt systems. Whether you need a 12 volt battery or a six volt battery, check the dimensions available in your battery space and choose an Optima deep cycle battery or Optima starting battery.

 

[sngledsupe]

i would just avoid all the hassle and buy a kit, they arent too much $$$ to be honest with ya and if u drag race everything will be legal and ready to go.