MGB MGB Battery Size

[kyreb1862]

What size Battery besides group 24 can I fit in my B's battery well?

 

[R6MGS]

I was able to fit a standard TR6 battery in a B well once when I was in a jam.....so if anyone knows the size of a 6 battery? That should work.

 

[R6MGS]

Just measured a TR6 battery: 10 inches long x 7 high x 6.5 wide.

 

[gcan]

you need the group 26 battery

 

[Rob_Edwards]

[ QUOTE ]
you need the group 26 battery

[/ QUOTE ]

Not for a '77 -- rubber bumper cars were built for one 12V battery instead of twin 6Vs and use a Group 24. Chrome bumper cars can have their twin 6Vs replaced by one Group 26.

The group sizes are standardised and you can find a chart of how they measure here:
https://www.rtpnet.org/teaa/bcigroup.html

HTH!

 

[Rob_Edwards]

[ QUOTE ]
I was able to fit a standard TR6 battery in a B well once when I was in a jam.....so if anyone knows the size of a 6 battery? That should work.

[/ QUOTE ]

According to advanceautoparts.com, a '75 TR6 takes a Group 24. I didn't look at any other years....

 

[R6MGS]

I've never looked at the group things....I do know that both the TR6's I've had in the last year(75 and 76) had batteries alot bigger than what I've been running in the B's. And one day when I was in a jam I was able to wrestle a large TR6 battery into an 80 MGB. Whenever I buy a battery for an MGB I just get the smallest 12V they have.

 

[Nunyas]

hmmm... I on the other hand have the biggest "Energizer" that was available at PepBoys. This thing is literally so big that I couldn't just 'drop it in'; I had to drop it in at an angle to get the top of the battery through the hole. It completely fills the battery compartment. Finding room to get my fingers down in there to attach the battery cables was a bit of a challenge.

I'm gonna have to snap a pic of it in there one of these days. I swear it almost looks like it was installed from underneath the car. heh

 

[Scott_Hower]

Hint...

https://www.britishcarforum.com/ubbthread...part=1&vc=1

 

[Rob_Edwards]

For any battery -- especially an undersized one like the Mazda battery in the other thread -- you NEED to have some kind of hold-down. The correct-sized (Grp 26 in cb cars, Grp 24 in rb cars) is a tight fit but could still fall and short out and cause a fire if you were unfortunate enough to roll the car. An undersized battery could rattle and jostle around in the battery well as you hit bump, shortening its life or potentially getting plates knocked loose, killing it or worse..... A hold-down could be as simple as a great big zip-tie, but something involving metal would be better! ;-)

 

[R6MGS]

With the smaller batteries I usually block it in with some blocks of wood, and have a bungee cord holding it down....I've seen one fall right out of an MGA once.

 

[Scott_Hower]

[ QUOTE ]
For any battery -- especially an undersized one like the Mazda battery in the other thread -- you NEED to have some kind of hold-down. The correct-sized (Grp 26 in cb cars, Grp 24 in rb cars) is a tight fit but could still fall and short out and cause a fire if you were unfortunate enough to roll the car. An undersized battery could rattle and jostle around in the battery well as you hit bump, shortening its life or potentially getting plates knocked loose, killing it or worse..... A hold-down could be as simple as a great big zip-tie, but something involving metal would be better! ;-)

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks; I have three great big zipties (3ft long, 3/8in wide) securing it. The factory metal holddown was too close to the terminals for my taste.

 

[DrEntropy]

Yup... a point to ponder: A side impact of minor consequence (in the scheme of things) could potentially short the battery terminals with personally catastrophic result.

ANCHOR your batteries, kiddies!

...or put your ultimate faith in the Lucas Smoke Recharge System...

I'll take the "Anchor Method" for my choice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[eschneider]

>great big zipties (3ft long, 3/8in wide)

OMG!!!!! 3-foot zip-ties ????!!!!!!

Crap. And to think of the money I've spent on ritalin!!!!!

 

[Scott_Hower]

This is where I get mine... $.29 ea.

https://cgi.ebay.com/100-PCS-36-Black-Cab...oQQcmdZViewItem

 

[Guest]

Hey Fellas,
I got tired of my batteries leaking onto my battery shelf and even had the plastic battery box crack and allowing the battery to leak. I finally went with an Optima gel battery, for which I welded a custom hold-down bar, and don't even use a plastic box anymore. I do know that Moss sells a fake battery cover for the TR6 to fit an Optima, giving the concours crowd a little help. Surprised more in the MG community haven't made the switch. Switch, that is, to gel batteries, not to Triumphs.

 

[Rob_Edwards]

The problem with Optimas is that there isn't one that fits chrome-bumpered Bs (or at least fits well....)