Mounting battery in the front?????

[69MyWay]

Attachment 436462

I built a hotfoot/deadpedal/battery mount for my 16' Hydrostream, looks like it's going to work out fine

That's a cool all in one combo

[Will hedrick]

Attachment 436462

I built a hotfoot/deadpedal/battery mount for my 16' Hydrostream, looks like it's going to work out fine

I was running my 3rd battery in the front of my xb02, u will def. Notice a big difference as far as driveability ( especially at higher speeds)and the front will (porpoise) quite a bit more. I now have all 3 in the back and it performs way better. Run it and see how it does, just some food for.thought

[Will hedrick]

This is what I built

[69MyWay]

This is what I built

That's some good looking work there.

[69MyWay]

So, my local Autozone had a coupon and discount on a Blue Top Optima. I found a nice base for it on Amazon. I already had the 12' extension cables and also ordered a set of jump/battery junction lugs. the plan is to use the junction lugs in the left rear area to set the connection of the stock cable point to the new cable point and have an insulated cover area that I can jump it off as needed from the rear. The cables will then go to the front. I will screw (has six points) the plate and epoxy it to the floor on the kick up area in the center under the nose. I plan on mounting it long ways. The cables will be secured to the battery and then along the front lip of the floor kick-up and then down the side rails to the back.

My thinking on the battery is they gave me a good deal, and it is through a local vendor so if (when) it fails I can swap it out here instead of fighting some sort of mail order. It is lighter than the 27 series lead acid monster I currently have. Hopefully gluing and screwing the plate to the floor does the trick.

[DEN]

I just yesterday install my new battery in my DIY build. Its about as far forward as you can get.
When I made my cowling, I intentionally built a bulkhead inside just to mount a battery against it.
1" board, same size as bottom of battery box. Mix up some peanut butter and glued it to the floor and against the bulkhead.
The strap that came with the box, screwed it to the wood. Worked out great.

[idvette]

I was running my 3rd battery in the front of my xb02, u will def. Notice a big difference as far as driveability ( especially at higher speeds)and the front will (porpoise) quite a bit more. I now have all 3 in the back and it performs way better. Run it and see how it does, just some food for.thought

Since you're quoting me I'm assuming your advice is for me. I have spent a lot of time in setting this boat up, and it's currently nearing the end of a total rebuild.



That's how it sat with everything in the back, you pretty much needed 2 people in the boat to plane off or keep the rub rail above water. It was difficult to drive most of the time. Since that picture, it has had new stringers and floor, got rid of the original interior and went with tandem Allison buckets, centre steer and battery relocation (my above picture). Engine has also been rebuilt. I expect it to be a much better boat to drive now

[Will hedrick]

Wow, I see ur point with the pics. Not questioning ur judgement. It all looks great.i bet it is a fun boat to drive. Def. Post the results after you have had it out.

[69MyWay]

This ended up more of a project than I expected. The floor in the Viper just ahead of where your feet go is raised up with a minor bulkhead between your feet and the rest of the nose. The floor in the raised area is just thin - single layer glass. Not enough to support a battery.

So, I cut 1/2" plywood in a triangular shape - cleaned and roughed up the glass floor - then screwed and bonded it down with liquid nails. After it set, I then took the optima battery base mount (cool looking piece, and wrapped it in masking tape...and with a heavy layer of glass mat I fiberglassed the new wood to the floor and set the battery mount in and screwed it in place while the glass was wet. After it started to set I peeled the tape off and kept all the mounting threads clean. This made a rigid panel and it is glassed to the bulkhead and to the sides of the hull.

The Optima weighs less than the old led acid. I noticed it doesn't spin the engine as hard on starting as the 27 series led acid flooded battery.

I also put jumping lugs where I spliced the stock battery cable to the new cable on the driver side inner rail just forward of the rear seat. I figure this will be handy if I need to jump start since climbing under the nose is not easy to access the battery.

I'll snap some pics and post. Overall I was pretty frustrated because I had only set aside a few hours last Saturday to knock this out - and it turned into half the day with the fiberglass work.

[XstreamVking]

This is why I suggested what I did......

[Whaaaaat]

This ended up more of a project than I expected. The floor in the Viper just ahead of where your feet go is raised up with a minor bulkhead between your feet and the rest of the nose. The floor in the raised area is just thin - single layer glass. Not enough to support a battery.

So, I cut 1/2" plywood in a triangular shape - cleaned and roughed up the glass floor - then screwed and bonded it down with liquid nails. After it set, I then took the optima battery base mount (cool looking piece, and wrapped it in masking tape...and with a heavy layer of glass mat I fiberglassed the new wood to the floor and set the battery mount in and screwed it in place while the glass was wet. After it started to set I peeled the tape off and kept all the mounting threads clean. This made a rigid panel and it is glassed to the bulkhead and to the sides of the hull.

The Optima weighs less than the old led acid. I noticed it doesn't spin the engine as hard on starting as the 27 series led acid flooded battery.

I also put jumping lugs where I spliced the stock battery cable to the new cable on the driver side inner rail just forward of the rear seat. I figure this will be handy if I need to jump start since climbing under the nose is not easy to access the battery.

I'll snap some pics and post. Overall I was pretty frustrated because I had only set aside a few hours last Saturday to knock this out - and it turned into half the day with the fiberglass work.

Splicing battery cables is just making a place for future failure. I cringe reading that. Put in full length pieces. You shouldn't need to jump start your boat don't use that as an excuse.

[69MyWay]

Splicing battery cables is just making a place for future failure. I cringe reading that. Put in full length pieces. You shouldn't need to jump start your boat don't use that as an excuse.

I used the term splice - but to be more technical is I used a proper junction block - didn't splice cables in the literal meaning. The junction block allows for the other direct to battery connections that were already in the back of the boat and the new cable extension.

[69MyWay]

This is why I suggested what I did......

I read what you had said, but it didn't sink in until I was up under there. I essentially did what you did, but didn't add the other wood strips since this Optima mount did that for me. I was hoping when I first read that it was more specific to other mods for your battery box - but word to the wise is...there is NOTHING of substance in that spot to mount something heavy without beefing it up!

[69MyWay]

I don't know if this will pull over from Amazon - but this is the style base I mounted.

https://www.amazon.com/Optima-Billet...-2-spons&psc=1

Instead of the bolts in the counter sunk holes, I switched to #14 stainless counter sunk screws and of course glassed them and everything in place.

[XstreamVking]

Thats a nice mount for an optima. I didn't know they existed. Very nice. Every place you have a wire connection is a restriction to current flow. There's a lot of ways to do the job. As long as the batt stays put and cranks the engine, job well done....That's what I like about custom stuff, everyone's got a different way of doing it.