What should I get as 2nd battery

**drivesafe** · 3rd March 2013, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by Eevo

not legal in SA.
must be a sealed battery

Hi Eevo and I’ll lay money that none of the later model VE commodores had a special battery fitted to them just so they could be registered in SA.

Furthermore, there is no such thing as a “SEALED” lead acid battery.

Quite a few battery manufacturers labelled their AGMs as SEALED but they are not and there never has been a “SEALED” lead acid battery for automotive and/or RV use.

I might also add that a number of battery manufacturers are now labelling their AGMs as “SPILL PROOF” instead of calling them a sealed battery.

All lead acid batteries have some form of vent or valve set up to allow them to spew electrolyte in the event of overcharging occurring.

Without a vent, any lead acid battery in such a situation would simply go “BANG”

Folks, there are a lot of myths and half truths posted up in all sorts of places, including Government documentation, as Warren posted the link to. You would think these organisations could get it right, so when people go looking for safety advice, they get accurate info supplied to them.

The reality is that conventional flooded ( wet ) cell batteries have been located in the cabs of vehicles ever since they started fitting batteries to vehicles and there has never been a problem and just to give you another example, there were 25,000,000 VW Beetles made and every one of them had a 6v or 12v flooded ( wet ) cell cranking battery fitted in the cab under the rear seat, and no venting what so ever.

Here is a word of caution if you are considering fitting a battery in the rear of your 4x4.

If the battery is going to be surrounded by a cupboard or shelving, then you MUST make sure that air will naturally and easily circulate around the battery.

A battery can not build up enough hydrogen when simply fitted inside the cab of a vehicle, even in something as small as a VW Beetle, but put the battery in an enclosure, and you have real the potential for a gas build-up to the point where you could have an explosion and unfortunately this does occur.

**drivesafe** · 3rd March 2013, 05:53 PM

Originally Posted by walker

Thanks. I had a look at the Remco battery and it seems to be about $300 for 100ah. I can get the 55ah yellow top for $245 so maybe I should just go that way.
I still have my SC-80 so it will all be connected to that.

Hi Adam and with the way the SC80 works, with your 55Ah Optima, you will still have at least 90Ah avilable for your 12v accessories.

**Eevo** · 3rd March 2013, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by drivesafe

Hi Eevo and I’ll lay money that none of the later model VE commodores had a special battery fitted to them just so they could be registered in SA.

Furthermore, there is no such thing as a “SEALED” lead acid battery.

Vehicle inspections, in SA, commonly known as "Regency", will only accept a battery in the boot if its sealed. like a optima yellow top.
i know this as my s14 went thought regency 18 months ago with a yellowtop in the boot.

the police officer who defected me for it, was wrong in his knowledge of the rules.

when it comes to vehicle standards and inspection, regency is the ultimate authority.

**walker** · 3rd March 2013, 06:27 PM

I think people are getting their terms mixed up!!! What you mean is that the police will accept a battery in the boot if it is a "non maintenance" type battery. As has been pointed out, there is no such thing as a sealed battery.

**Eevo** · 3rd March 2013, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by walker

I think people are getting their terms mixed up!!! What you mean is that the police will accept a battery in the boot if it is a "non maintenance" type battery. As has been pointed out, there is no such thing as a sealed battery.

the yellowtop is a non-maintenance/maintenance-free battery.
im sorry to say but dont rely on police for accurate information.

regardless of if you call it non maintenance or sealed, vehicle inspections will accept a yellowtop battery in the boot without a breather unit.

**Eevo** · 3rd March 2013, 06:36 PM

Frequently asked questions - Government of South Australia

Can I put a battery in the boot of my vehicle?

You may fit a battery in the boot of your vehicle provided that it is securely mounted in a battery box. If it is a battery that emits fumes it must be vented externally to the atmosphere. If the battery is a sealed type there is no requirement to have it vented to the atmosphere.

**drivesafe** · 3rd March 2013, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Eevo

Frequently asked questions - Government of South Australia

Can I put a battery in the boot of my vehicle?

You may fit a battery in the boot of your vehicle provided that it is securely mounted in a battery box. If it is a battery that emits fumes it must be vented externally to the atmosphere. If the battery is a sealed type there is no requirement to have it vented to the atmosphere.

This simply displays the ignorance of the person writing the rules.

**Eevo** · 3rd March 2013, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by drivesafe

This simply displays the ignorance of the person writing the rules.

that is a possibility, however as it is currently written they will accept what they believed to be a sealed unit.

**brenno** · 3rd March 2013, 07:08 PM

I guess it depends on the definition of 'boot'.

The cargo area of Disco's is not what I'd call a 'boot' by any means. To me a boot is the area in the back of a sedan, that nobody sits in, and is separate to the cabin.

Our Disco's are wagons. We don't have a boot.

**Eevo** · 4th March 2013, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by brenno

I guess it depends on the definition of 'boot'.

The cargo area of Disco's is not what I'd call a 'boot' by any means. To me a boot is the area in the back of a sedan, that nobody sits in, and is separate to the cabin.

Our Disco's are wagons. We don't have a boot.

in a sedan you can fold down the back seats and there is airflow between boot and cabin, like in a disco

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