Re: Battery education

[Robert Silas <robert.silas@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The VW Beatle's battery was also located behind the seat but the engine was
at the back so the battery cable to the starter was as short as possible to
minimize power loss.  In general, at least on cars I worked on for the last
40 years, the battery is always located on the same side where the starter
is, as close to it as possible.  On my 1968 Dodge Van the battery was behind
the passenger seat, because the engine was between the driver and the
passenger.
Bob Silas


- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James H. Nazarian, Ph.D." <microdoc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <oilheads@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2003 10:23 PM
Subject: Re: Battery education


> Tpcutter@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > In a message dated 12/17/03 6:22:11 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> > ABSDoug2@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> >   Ok, all this battery talk has me still wondering; why is there a 6A/V
> > option on my charger?
> > Because some vehicles, notably a few garden tractors and off-road
> > motorcycles, use 6 Volt systems.
>
> A number of older cars including many British cars like MGA's and MGB's
> were equipped with a pair of 6-volt batteries connected in series. For
that
> reason, some car collectors still utilize the 6 volt setting found on some
> battery chargers. The most widely accepted rationale for this dual battery
> setup was to distribute weight more evenly on the chassis. One battery was
> located behind the driver seat, the other behind the passenger seat in a
> compartment just forward of the rear axle. In reality what this all
> accomplished was to double the number of cable connections between the
> starter and the batteries, thus increasing the opportunities for voltage
> losses and bad connections between the rear mounted batteries and the
front
> mounted engine. Most MG owners who actually expect to be able to start and
> drive their cars have converted them to a single 12 volt battery.
>
> I have heard that the engineer who designed this clever configuration
later
> went to work for BMW after MG production ceased in 1979. His initial
> assignment included choosing the locations for the oilhead's battery.
=8^O
>
> Yep. That's what I heard!!!  ;^))
>
> Jim
> microdoc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> '99 R1100RT '98 R1200C
> BMW MOA, RA, ABC

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