How to Build a Custom Battery Box for your OPTIMA Battery

We know a lot of our batteries end up in the hands of enthusiasts, many of whom are building some very trick rides. As a result, our batteries end up mounted in all kinds of places in all kinds of positions. That's one of the great features of an OPTIMA battery- you can mount it just about anywhere in just about any orientation (although we don't recommend mounting it upside down).

The following are some safety tips we recommend to folks who are mounting our batteries in custom applications:

• Find out what size of battery you need. You can find our YELLOWTOP specifications here and our REDTOP specifications here.
• Hood Clearance- There should be at least 3/4" clearance between the top of the battery terminals and the underside of the hood. When we do our fitment studies, we put a ball of clay on top of the post and VERY carefully close the hood to make sure that nothing makes contact. By measuring how much the clay is squeezed down when the hood is closed, we can know how much hood clearance we have.
• Trunk/Interior Mounting- If your battery is mounted inside the passenger compartment, the battery must be vented to the outside of the vehicle. OPTIMA group DS46B24R, 27, 51, 78, 34C, 31, DH5, DH6 & DH7 batteries all have ports for connecting a vent hose.
• Side Terminals- OPTIMA 34/78, D34/78, 75/25 and D75/25 batteries have both top and side terminals. If you are using one of these batteries in a vehicle that uses top terminals, it is important to ensure that the side terminals cannot come into contact with anything metallic (for example, the firewall or fender wall), thereby causing a short. We suggest keeping the post protectors on the terminals you are not using.
• Battery Modifications- Cutting, drilling, trimming or otherwise modifying your OPTIMA battery may present a safety hazard and will void the warranty
• Mounting- Your OPTIMA battery must be securely-mounted. The terminals are not intended to be used to secure the battery. Using the terminals in this way will damage the battery and void your warranty.
• Heat- Protect your battery from high heat, such as turbochargers and exhaust manifolds

With those tips in mind, check out this great article from our friends at My Ride Is Me on fabricating a custom battery box for an OPTIMA battery.