Battery and floor pan protection.

[Clackety Clack]

Hi folks. Type 1 and just did pans. What is the best way to protect the new floor pans. I was told by the VW restoration shop that the newer batteries do not leak like the old ones. They do a lot of restorations. Just don't want it to happen again. Thanks.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Although you can still get batteries with maintenence caps over the indiidual cells, now days most of the battrty's cells are sealed so both battery acid leakage and outgassing is pretty much a thing of the past. You still have to keep the battery posts and other electrical connections to the pan and running gear clean and bright for the best connections possible.

Make sure that the battery cables are of the proper size and length and... if you are planning to use the braided ground cable do keep an eye on it as they do break down in time due to the individual strands breaking down and fraying due to both age and the flexing so tthat the strap can do reducing the amount of work they are supposed to be able to do.

[Bruce2]

..... newer batteries do not leak like the old ones.

Don't kid yourself. Nothing has changed in battery technology in the past 40+ years with the exception of a slightly better vent cap design, and the integral carrying strap. All of the batteries I see on the rack at Costco and other auto parts stores are all vented and NOT sealed, so I don't know what batteries Lee is referring to.

If you want a truly sealed battery, get an Optima battery. It is not vented like all traditional batteries, so it can't leak. For anyone that doesn't understand the way they are made, the Optima has a safety valve that is 100% sealed shut during normal use for the life of the battery. Optima tells you that you can mount their battery any way you want, on it's side or even up-side-down. It does not leak, so it won't eat your new floor pans. The Optima will cost you more than a traditional leaker battery, but when you're considering the price, think about what it cost to put a new pan half in. Pay an extra $$ now to avoid paying $$$ in the future.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

Hmmm, I must have had quite a few unsealed batteries over the last few years that are advertized as sealed. I sold batteries back in the late 50's so I do have an idea what they are and the dangers of them. Seen a couple of them blow up over time myself also. Very loud, definening explostion.

The Optima is one of the sealed batteries I was talking about.

[Clackety Clack]

You said most batteries don't leak or offgas..so what to do?

[Ol'fogasaurus]

In the 1970s the "valve regulated lead acid" (VRLA) batteries aka "sealed" batteries came into use. You can still get the type of battery that has fill holes and breaths; I have two of the old style 6V golf car batteres, hooked in series to give a deep draw 12V, in my motorhome for the house battery and one of the VRLA batteries for the vehicle's battery. In my case the batteries are mounted under the stairs and bottom of the battery housing is open directly to the underside of the motorhome to allow fresh air to flow around the batteries.

I still hear pros and cons on the Optima batteries but there is always going to be opinions no matter what.

The VRLA batteries have been around for a long time and are good (my opinion). If you were bouncing around a lot then I would recommend the Optima style of battery but it is not wrong to use (again, in my opinion) in either case.

You just want to keep an eye on the battery area and make sure your door and window rubber is in good condition so leaks don't get into the inside and exaserbate the rust problem.

Lee

[Clackety Clack]

My car is basically restored at this point. Its garaged and used on weekends. I just don't want battery acid eating it away. I have a duralast in there now.

[cbeck]

Can you fit it into a battery box?

[Clackety Clack]

Don't know. I think the problem is fitting the battery box into the floor pan.

[SCOTTRODS]

Buy a battery box and cut it down so it makes a half deep tray if it will fit. Keeping an eye on things has no substitute. Checking it once a month or so can save you a lot of work down the road.

[Ol'fogasaurus]

CC, if you have ever seen a vented cell battery charged with the cap off the cells the outgassing is obvious. When I was a youngster and doing what was called TBA (tires, batteries, accessories) sales we got the batteries in either filled with battery acid then we topped off the charge or we put the battery acid in and did a full charge. At one time we were instructed to do the deep charge in a well vented area with the vent caps off. As the charge went on bubbles would come to the top of the cell and burst... outgassing.

Vented batteries have to be checked on a regular basis especally if they are sitting with a charger attached. On my motorhome about every couple of mounts I have to top off the cells as the outgassing has caused the liquid to vent away. The liquid in each cell has to be over the "plates" and preferrably to the top ring of the cell (below the threaded part of the opening to the cell) or the plates can dry out and warp. The "plates" over time will sluff off their coating and it drops to the bottom of the cell and eventully, when enough gets on the bottom to contact the plates, the battery cell shorts out.

The idea of the battery tray from a cut down battery box is a good idea as the outgassing from the battery is, as I remember, a heavy gas so it will settle on the floor (one of the reasons the bottom of the battery area on my motorhome is open).

I use a fairly small funnel with a handle on it to top off the battery. You don't want the funnel to touch the battery or the plates so the handle will help you keep and direct the liquids directed to where you want it. The battery tray should help keep any splashing off the floor area's (where the battery is) painted metal.

When every you play with the battery always start by taking off the ground cable first. This is to eliminate any chance of sparking especially if there is any outgassing around. It also helps to avoid any chance sparks when the positive battery cable is removed which can also damage the electronics we have now days. Always wash you hands... doctor style as the battery acid can do damage to skin and eyes (and yes, wear safety glasses). As I said before I have been around when batteries have exploded in cars or sitting on the ground when being charged. There was one instance when the guy went over to check on a battery being charge and had a cigerette stuck in his kisser. The boss yelled: get the damn cigerette out of ther ...BANG! The guy was wearing glasses so no eye damage but he did get face and skin damage from the flying battery acid so a word to the wise.

I think the Optima and sealed batteries would have less of a problem with this but to be safe...

This was a good question and if you already knew this maybe it will help someone who is reading this that doesn't.

Lee

[Dupe]

I just replaced my floorpans as well, and i applied 5 coats of spray on bedliner to the battery area and 3 coats everywhere else. It insulates, dampens sound (a little) and protects.

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[Ol'fogasaurus]

I did pretty much the same thing but I did take lacquer thinner to the whole area, put good quality zinc primer and a couple of paint coats down before the bed liner. The bed liner I used, and it was supposed to be a good product, does chip and takes the paint with it. Using the bed liner is still a pretty good idea but needs to be watched at least for a while. I'm not sure if it has a longer cure time or just what.

Lee

My opinion is worth considerably less than you paid for it.