I am leaning toward locating a light-weight battery in the passenger-side footwell area. I want a proven battery first for safety reasons. The car has a 88amp 12V alternator which CAN be converted to 16V. Looking for recommendations e.g.-brand/type/size. Also does it seem tech inspection is becoming more accepting of this practice? HELP

Don't think that a battery is acceptable in the drivers compartment.

Rule book says (8.1) Batteries may not be located in driver or passenger compartment.

If I were going to try to get away with it or your tech guys don't care, I would at least put it in a sealed, vented container like Moroso sells and make sure it is properly restrained so it doesn't come lose in the event of an accident.

The battery should be vented to outside the body. If overcharged the standard lead-acid battery can produce hydrogen with explosive results.

A lithium ion battery contains no water, AFAIK, and cannot produce hydrogen. Now, in certain cases the Li-ion battery itself blows or burns up. Will the NHRA start approving these batteries for in-cab use?

R.

Yeah, just ask Boeing.

I doubt it. Grays about burnt a Pro Stocker to the ground earlier this year because of one.

Somebody posted a thread/info recently that monte smith did about battery/cable related starting issues. I think he had a small lithium battery on passenger side floorboard, maybe in a buick ? Real clean install with short cables.
At the time I was thinking how could it be nhra legal.

When I was meeting with Jim Bongard, the NHRA Tech inspector for our area to get my cage recertified, I asked him if I could mount a lithium ion battery in the cab. He said no. so I mounted it on the in side frame rail, is close to the starter as I could get it.

Thank you all for your input. I did further read the current series of THREADS here regarding Lithium batteries and am leaning toward these antigravity AND yes installing it below the floor boards. these appear to be 12v...Joel, could you physically measure LxWxH of your street rod batt please? ALSO someone posted a good LINK in WhteDarts Thread about new developing battery technology...in this they explain the worse cause of lithium battery degradation to be a rapid recharging rate...in the meantime before these 'tolerant' batteries are produced...HOW does a bracket racer with an alternator and pit charger replenish a battery at an acceptable rate?

I charge my 12 volt Diehard platinum battery at home with a trickle charger MAYBE 1-2 times a month. 60 amp one wire alternator used at all times while racing.

Best thing to do is buy the battery and charger from the manufacturer. Lithium batteries require less voltage to charge at typically .7-1.1 volts less than their lead acid/AGM counterparts. Most all lithium manufactures list the max charge voltage and rate for their batteries. For instance my AGM 16V charger like we use in the Dragster charges at almost 19 volts, my Lithium one maxes out at 18.2

Before alternators came into fashion on race cars, it was common to run 2 batteries to avoid problems in late rounds after a long day. A lot of Stockers still do since they have to run a battery in the stock location anyway,

What I'm looking at doing is dropping in a very small metal battery box next to the frame rail on the passenger side floor.. with a Zeus fastened cover.. my lithium battery is only about the size of a quart of oil. technically the battery would not be in the passenger compartment.. but it would be accessed through the passenger compartment

OK so you are NOT using an alternator? I would like to use my alt but there should be a way to regulate the recharging amperage?

I measured last night and it appears I have room in the area outside the frame below the floor between the firewall and orig t-bar crossmember...based on what I have READ, if I were you I'd save yourself ANY potential grief and TRY to mount it there. My floor over there is non-factory 'tin'...essentially tube chassis from firewall back.

When putting this sort of thing in the trunk there is a spec for bulkhead material. When I put the fuel cell in place of the spare tire in my '68
barracuda I wanted to keep the trap door functional so I just made a cover for the cell that attaches to the floor. There's an access door for filling right in the top. Never had a complaint from a tech inspector. When it came time to put the battery in the trunk I just made a cover that's held to the floor with wing nuts. The battery hangs through the floor about half-way so venting isn't an issue. If you cover it in the proper bulkhead material and have the bottom open it should pass tech but I won't guarantee it. Tech inspectors are a crapshoot and usually not technically literate.