FMIC + Battery question

Trance101 · Post by **Trance101** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:46 pm

Hi guys,

I'm planning on getting myself a FMIC later this month and the kit I've been looking at will require me to move the battery. Now I know a lot of you guys have done a FMIC install so I was wondering what everyone did with their battery. Relocate to boot or get a smaller battery?

Does anyone know the round about price of those smaller batteries and do they give any problems?

veecee · Post by **veecee** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:06 pm

get a smaller battery and stick it in the boot!

poll closed!

Ero_sennin · Post by **Ero_sennin** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 10:56 pm

My FMIC did not come in kit form, was built for my car, so nothing had to be moved, dont think anything was cut either.

The only thing that bothers my about moving the battery to the boot is, wont the increased distance in cable add resistance or something, affecting the power going to the engine aswell as alternator to battery?

Trance101 · Post by **Trance101** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:23 pm

Ero_sennin wrote:The only thing that bothers my about moving the battery to the boot is, wont the increased distance in cable add resistance or something, affecting the power going to the engine as well as alternator to battery?

Ya, that is what i am worried about. i don't know if it has any adverse effects.

I see on the nissansilvia.com forums a lot of people go with a smaller battery but then they also have problems coz of the smaller battery.

If relocating the battery doesn't really affect anything it may be the simplest (read cheapest

) option for me.

Ero_sennin · Post by **Ero_sennin** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:34 pm

yea if it doesn't affect anything really I would say move it then.

Doctor G · Post by **Doctor G** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 5:37 pm

I say move it to the boot. Make sure the cable you buy is thick enough. I think it's 12 gauge or something. Not sure.

If you do it properly it could even let your engine bay look cleaner.

ps: Any details on the kit you're buying? I've also been toying with the idea of a FMIC kit lately.

Trance101 · Post by **Trance101** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:54 pm

Doctor G wrote:I say move it to the boot. Make sure the cable you buy is thick enough. I think it's 12 gauge or something. Not sure.

Ya, it looks like my best bet is to move it. From what I've read the cable that should be used is 4 gauge (the lower the gauge the thicker the cable, kinda anti intuitive)

Doctor G wrote:ps: Any details on the kit you're buying? I've also been toying with the idea of a FMIC kit lately.

The one I've been looking at is an ebay kit. It should be suitable for my purposes and it seems not many people have had problems with it.

Here is the link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/89-94-ni ... enameZWDVW

The guy always has a few of these on sale and he's got good feedback. Its a 600x300x76 intercooler with 2.5" piping made to fit and all the clamps you need and stuff.

Cost is $199 and then shipping to SA is another $150. So it works out to be R2393.68 in total. Not to bad if you ask me.

Doctor G · Post by **Doctor G** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:55 pm

Cool. Just remember to add 20% import duty and 14% VAT on the price of the item you're buying.
Then add the shipping. Total price you would be looking at is around R2,860 to your local post office.

If you can, get the seller to email you the original invoice for $199 and then ask him to send a reduced invoice with the package. One for say $90. That way you only pay 20% import duties and VAT on the lower amount.

Trance101 · Post by **Trance101** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:18 pm

Doctor G wrote:Cool. Just remember to add 20% import duty and 14% VAT on the price of the item you're buying.
Then add the shipping. Total price you would be looking at is around R2,860 to your local post office.

If you can, get the seller to email you the original invoice for $199 and then ask him to send a reduced invoice with the package. One for say $90. That way you only pay 20% import duties and VAT on the lower amount.

Ya, import duties are a bugger.

hadn't really thought about that until now. Thanks for the tip tho.

What do you guys think of the kit? Think its decent enough for a budget cooler?

Vlade · Post by **Vlade** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:41 am

Yeah the most I've paid for duty+vat was 30% all together, but that was computer goods, on the car parts the most was 14%

I also ask all the importers to mark items as gifts, although this only works for < 4 packages per year.

Phinx · Post by **Phinx** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:30 am

Relocate the battery to the boot.
I have done it with no problem it really is a bit of work but not that

Speed breeder · Post by **Speed breeder** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:33 pm

My battery has been relocated to the boot. 12 gauge cable sounds right (if memory serves).

I haven't experienced problems with charging or battery power/loss.

Startups are also not a problem.

My car is a weekend vehicle, so it only gets used every second weekend maybe, and the past 5 weeks it hasn't really moved, and it still starts every time first time.

I am sure that if you do the install properly and ensure you earth your cables properly you won't have hassles.

veecee · Post by **veecee** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 7:20 pm

12 gauge breeder??? sounds more like your shotgun ammo???

like trance said the lower the number the thicker the cable.

i have a battery that is half the size of the normal sx battery in my sx. havent had an issue for the last 3 years!!!

except that it really does move around quite a bit in that huge battery tray in the engine bay, especially when i'm on the track...

so i reckon the best would be a small little battery, relocated to the boot. no problems.

and if you were worried about the increase in resistance as the length of the cable increases, why dont you follow the flow of electrons from the battery to the alternator, to the supermulitplejunction, to the computer box, and then back to the engine. all in all, if you put all of the harnesses together, i guesstimate its probably about 10 or more meters long.

the increase in resistance should be negligable!

Trance101 · Post by **Trance101** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 10:30 pm

Cool thx for the info guys. Sounds like relocating would be the cheapest option.

veecee wrote:i have a battery that is half the size of the normal sx battery in my sx. haven't had an issue for the last 3 years!!!

Do u know how much one of those would cost new? It would be the neater option IMO.

Vlade wrote:I also ask all the importers to mark items as gifts, although this only works for < 4 packages per year.

Well it the start of a new year so i should be good

I should be ordering my FMIC in 4 days time! Can't w8!

GoldenEagle · Post by **GoldenEagle** » Tue Jan 08, 2008 8:01 am

I am using a smaller batter, despite not having a FMIC. For the time being I will wait to relocate my battery after I drop in an SR.

I am not sure what the equivalent of a Honda Civic or Mazda Miata is there in SA, but people here in the states typically go for one of those batteries. Others have used lawn mower batteries.

*Nissan 200SX Club - South Africa

FMIC + Battery question

What do you think is the better option?

FMIC + Battery question