Floor boards

G

Gerald cook

Member
I have a question about the hole in the floor board for the battery access. I’m guessing in the past it was to add water to the battery cells? It’s not as important as it use to be can I seal it up with no adverse affects? Jerry
 
I guess if you have a battery in your car that does not need service, you wouldn’t need the access. If your floorboard has the hole, do you have the metal cover that goes over it?

It takes some time to remove floorboard screws to get at battery. That’s why the battery service opening is there. Enjoy.
 
Depending upon where your battery terminal bolts are located with respect to the hole in floor board, it is nice to just flip back the carpet or mat then pull the metal cover and unhook one battery cable without removing the 10 or twelve screws in the lower floor board.

This is really nice if there is an electrical fire and you must unhook battery to stop it!

Every second counts in this situation!!

Do not ask how I know this!

Let me just say that the first thing I did to Coupe in 1962 was repair a small leak in the gas gauge with gas dripping down behind the panel.

The insulation on the wiring was all frayed with wiring exposed ... When I unhooked the speedo / instrument panel and moved it; the fire immediately started.

The gas fire was not too big but the electrical fire was big time bad news!

More smoke than a Huey with an electrical fire inside the cabin.

The second thing after replacing all the wiring was to install a fuse so it would not happen again.

I enlarged the hole in floorboard near the rear battery terminal for just this reason.

In addition sometimes the starter switch sticks and it is nice to turn off the spinning starter in a hurry.
 
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WHN said:
I guess if you have a battery in your car that does not need service, you wouldn’t need the access. If your floorboard has the hole, do you have the metal cover that goes over it?

It takes some time to remove floorboard screws to get at battery. That’s why the battery service opening is there. Enjoy.
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yup - batteries havent changed a whole heck of alot over the years, they still need the water checked and topped off occasionally.
 
Benson said:
Depending upon where your battery terminal bolts are located with respect to the hole in floor board, it is nice to just flip back the carpet or mat then pull the metal cover and unhook one battery cable without removing the 10 or twelve screws in the lower floor board.

This is really nice if there is an electrical fire and you must unhook battery to stop it!
Click to expand...
That's the main reason to install a shutoff switch in the battery ground cable.
 
SeaSlugs said:
yup - batteries havent changed a whole heck of alot over the years, they still need the water checked and topped off occasionally.
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Actually most batteries sold today are either sealed, AGM, or gel and require no maintenance. In fact there is no way you could add water if you wanted to.
 
Dick Steinkamp said:
Actually most batteries sold today are either sealed, AGM, or gel and require no maintenance. In fact there is no way you could add water if you wanted to.
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Are you talking about 6 volt Model A batteries?

I just bought one. Looked around at local auto and tractor supply houses. They all were selling ones needing distilled water and acid.

Got mine at a Tractor Supply.
 
Just leave the plate there and call it sealed.
 

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WHN said:
Are you talking about 6 volt Model A batteries?

I just bought one. Looked around at local auto and tractor supply houses. They all were selling ones needing distilled water and acid.

Got mine at a Tractor Supply.
Click to expand...

yup - i haven't seen a normal 6v battery yet that didnt have the water caps.

Even some batteries that looked sealed arent really - they just have big rectangular caps over the fill holes.
 
SeaSlugs said:
yup - batteries havent changed a whole heck of alot over the years, they still need the water checked and topped off occasionally.
Click to expand...

Slug, I don't want to beat this to death, but I was responding to your quote above.

If you were actually referring to batteries that look and fit like the original batteries in our Model As, you are absolutely correct. Although there are maintenance free battery alternatives for our As, most do not look original and may require a different hold down than stock.
 
6 volt tractor battery’s at tractor supply still twist on caps to add water or acid to top off just bought one 3 weeks ago, $79.00. I prefer this type of serviceable battery better fwiw....
 
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