Help! Wiring from under car to battery

[amad1972]

I also posted this is General Discussion. Didn't know where would get a better response, but anyway, I'm wanting to add some neon lights under the car. Does anybody know if there is any hole, or access, to get a wire from under the car up into the battery area? It seems that the whole underbody of the car is covered with a plastic covering. Is this easy to get off to get to an access hole (if there is one)? I did find out that the battery itself is not the easiest thing to get access to. Hope I never have to jump it off.

[The Silver Pellet]

Last weekend, I installed a powered sub, and ran power from the battery.

While I was in the battery compartment, I noticed that the battery is vented via a plastic tube through the bottom of the battery compartment. Plenty of floor space around it, so you might explore that area for the possibility of drilling.

Another choice is to locate where the wiring harness pierces the front bulkhead, and run your cable through the same opening.

[amad1972]

Good ideas. I'll take a look at both of those options. Do you have to take the battery out to get to the vent tube?

[JPaul]

Originally Posted by amad1972

Good ideas. I'll take a look at both of those options. Do you have to take the battery out to get to the vent tube?

See pic at:
http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/for...186-post6.html

[The Silver Pellet]

Originally Posted by amad1972

Good ideas. I'll take a look at both of those options. Do you have to take the battery out to get to the vent tube?

You can clearly see the vent tube and area around it, without removing the battery.

If you do decide to drill, you may want to remove the battery to gain enough room -- or use a really long bit if you have one.

And the photo referred to above reminded me that the AC drip tube also runs there -- yet another option. In fact, the AC drip tube is sizable enough that you may be able to pass your wiring through between it and the body.

[The Silver Pellet]

On a related note -- see this thread on the AC drain tube:

Evaporator Drain Hose Connection

[Evilution]

The battery tray has a few rubber grommets that you can pass wires through.
There is also a large grommet in the bulkhead designed for wires to be passed through it.

[amad1972]

Thanks, everyone, for the advice. I drilled the hole that the battery vent tube goes through out just a tad bigger, so some wire will be in there snug with the vent tube. I put an illuminated switch on the driver's side of the cup holders. I was able to push and snake the wire through the battery vent hole until I saw it through some holes in the under plastic. Then I just pulled it through. I now have 4 24" strips of LED lights (blue to match the car) under the car. They make the whole underside of the car glow blue. In my garage, they are very bright. Can't wait to see them at night. I didn't seem to have any problems with the carpet messing up. It did just fine. Hope it's legal (or at least tolerated) here in Tennessee. I've never had any legal issues with LED lights on my motorcycles, and I have one bike with red LEDs and one with blue LEDs.