Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: DrCharles]
#1236639
05/20/12 11:04 PM
05/20/12 11:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 299 East Brunswick, NJ
finadk
enthusiast
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enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 299
East Brunswick, NJ
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I would run it inside the car. Just be sure to use a good fuse back at the battery and you wont have a fire hazard.
Scott
1956 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer (408 Stroker, 4 Wheel Disc Brakes, Rack & Pinion, 6 speed)
2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab
1976 Corvette
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: DrCharles]
#1236640
05/20/12 11:28 PM
05/20/12 11:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,836 Detroit boy in Saugerties, NY
BrianShaughnessy
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,836
Detroit boy in Saugerties, NY
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Quote:
I've relocated the battery to the trunk in my 451 Dart. I have the appropriate heavy cable. Should I run it under the car, where it could be damaged by rocks or other debris, or through the passenger compartment where it's protected but could be more of a fire hazard in the event of a short... thoughts?
thanks -Charles
I had a fire in Sinnamon back around 1980 when a couple big friends sat in the back leaving some club one night. Back seat shorted the + cable. Had to kick out the back seat bottom and put the carpet fire out. Not fun.
I leave batteries up front anymore. Less drama.
Black Betty: '69 Charger RT: 440 6 pack, TKO600 5 speed, 3.73 Dana. Sinnamon: '69 Charger RT: 440, 727, 4.30 8.75. High School Sweetheart. El Grande: '98 Grand Cherokee 5.9 Limited.
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: DrCharles]
#1236645
05/21/12 01:47 PM
05/21/12 01:47 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,285 West Coast, USA
jbc426
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2007
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West Coast, USA
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I think a properly fused cable will always be safer than an unfused cable that's triggered by a relay/solonoid.
Modern large amperage fusing solutions are compact, easy to install and very reliable, they protect the cable 100% of the time and you don't have to run a redundant second wire for power/charging.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: jbc426]
#1236647
05/21/12 03:18 PM
05/21/12 03:18 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 12,271 Overpriced Housing Central
RobX4406
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 12,271
Overpriced Housing Central
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Quote:
I think a properly fused cable will always be safer than an unfused cable that's triggered by a relay/solonoid.
Modern large amperage fusing solutions are compact, easy to install and very reliable, they protect the cable 100% of the time and you don't have to run a redundant second wire for power/charging.
Safer is a loose term.
My reason for using a relay in both starter and alt lines is when you throw the master, EVERYTHING outside about a 2' cube around the battery is dead. No live alt wire to the front. If you've never seen a car burn because of a live alt wire, even with a fusable link, you just haven't lived...
I don't like running the starter amperage through the master cutoff.
Fuse a 1 gauge cable with a fuse large enough to handle starter load and it can and will smolder for a long time before that fuse pops, if that's what you are using it for. At what cost as well.
I'll take the 2-4 extra pounds that I might have over the other methods that I've seen, like the minimum std. Just personal preference.
Pick your preferred method and run with it.
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: Todd]
#1236648
05/21/12 03:35 PM
05/21/12 03:35 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,168 Vancouver, WA
MoparMarq
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,168
Vancouver, WA
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Quote:
I did it the same way except I added a fuse between the solenoid and the alternator wire.
https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/upload2/7215086-DSC00788%28Large%29.JPG
Don't mean to hijack, but are those two terminals through the sheet metal by the license plate inset meant for a battery tender or power takeoff or something?
I'd like to do something similar to mine so I don't have to open the trunk to put on the battery tender in the off-season.
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: MoparMarq]
#1236649
05/21/12 03:48 PM
05/21/12 03:48 PM
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,377 Ohio
Todd
pro stock
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pro stock
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Posts: 1,377
Ohio
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Quote:
Quote:
I did it the same way except I added a fuse between the solenoid and the alternator wire.
https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/upload2/7215086-DSC00788%28Large%29.JPG
Don't mean to hijack, but are those two terminals through the sheet metal by the license plate inset meant for a battery tender or power takeoff or something?
I'd like to do something similar to mine so I don't have to open the trunk to put on the battery tender in the off-season.
Yes, its terminals for a battery charger.
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: RobX4406]
#1236650
05/21/12 09:41 PM
05/21/12 09:41 PM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,220 West Plains, MO
DrCharles
OP
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OP
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Posts: 4,220
West Plains, MO
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Quote:
My reason for using a relay in both starter and alt lines is when you throw the master, EVERYTHING outside about a 2' cube around the battery is dead. No live alt wire to the front. If you've never seen a car burn because of a live alt wire, even with a fusable link, you just haven't lived...
I don't like running the starter amperage through the master cutoff.
Fuse a 1 gauge cable with a fuse large enough to handle starter load and it can and will smolder for a long time before that fuse pops
I concur, and as overweight as I am, an extra couple lbs for another wire and relay is immaterial
An intermittent duty starter solenoid (for the starter line) is easily found. But I'm getting nowhere with Internet searches for "S605" or other continuous duty relay... the local chain stores probably won't help much since they are conditioned to parrot "year, make, model". Would they actually know what that part number is??
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: DrCharles]
#1236653
05/22/12 12:04 AM
05/22/12 12:04 AM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 730 Nampa, ID
MadMatt
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 730
Nampa, ID
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I have a 70 Dart and I was able to squeeze the battery cable into the wire trough that runs along side the seat and under the sill plate. It then goes behind the kick panel and comes out under the dash. Since I have an automatic I put a bulkhead terminal in the hole for the clutch push rod and then ran the same diameter wire on the other side down to the starter. Then a wire from the starter up to the solenoid.
Some see the glass as half empty, some see the glass as half full. I just drink straight out of the bottle.
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: MadMatt]
#1236654
05/22/12 01:28 AM
05/22/12 01:28 AM
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,220 West Plains, MO
DrCharles
OP
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OP
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Joined: Apr 2006
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West Plains, MO
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Thanks for the link, RobX... they're on the way from ASE Supply, one intermittent and one continuous-duty I am also planning to run the heavy starter cable (hot only on start) in the left hand wiring trough. Probably will use a #4 for the alternator to minimize drop (since it's a CS-130) back to the trunk, but it'll be shorter to run it on the right since the battery and alt are both on that side. Then I need to run one more feed back to the dash and underhood area to power everything... HHR fan, MSD, headlights, instruments, heater fan, accessories... if it weren't for the need of a master cutoff switch I could just power everything off the alternator hot stud without all the extra copper... Bulkhead terminals are neat but they add two more points to corrode or come loose... thinking of holesaw + grommets instead
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: DrCharles]
#1236657
05/22/12 05:09 PM
05/22/12 05:09 PM
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,285 West Coast, USA
jbc426
master
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master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,285
West Coast, USA
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Quote:
Thanks for the link, RobX... they're on the way from ASE Supply, one intermittent and one continuous-duty
I am also planning to run the heavy starter cable (hot only on start) in the left hand wiring trough. Probably will use a #4 for the alternator to minimize drop (since it's a CS-130) back to the trunk, but it'll be shorter to run it on the right since the battery and alt are both on that side.
Then I need to run one more feed back to the dash and underhood area to power everything... HHR fan, MSD, headlights, instruments, heater fan, accessories... if it weren't for the need of a master cutoff switch I could just power everything off the alternator hot stud without all the extra copper...
Bulkhead terminals are neat but they add two more points to corrode or come loose... thinking of holesaw + grommets instead
3 cables from front to back? Are you going to fuse the second and third cables or are you going to use the solonoids to turn them off like your doing with starter cable?
Inexpensive modern fuses can easily handle loads as heavy as a cranking starter and still blow almost instantly before you smoulder a cable.
If you are burning up wires before your fuses blow, you're either using the wrong gear, or don't have your set-up wired right.
1970 Plymouth 'Cuda #'s 440-6(block in storage)currently 493" 6 pack, Shaker, 5 speed Passon, 4.10's 1968 Plymouth Barracuda Convertible 408 Magnum EFI with 4 speed automatic overdrive, 3800 stall lock-up converter and 4.30's (closest thing to an automatic 5 speed going)
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: jbc426]
#1236658
05/22/12 05:40 PM
05/22/12 05:40 PM
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 12,271 Overpriced Housing Central
RobX4406
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 12,271
Overpriced Housing Central
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Quote:
Quote:
Thanks for the link, RobX... they're on the way from ASE Supply, one intermittent and one continuous-duty
I am also planning to run the heavy starter cable (hot only on start) in the left hand wiring trough. Probably will use a #4 for the alternator to minimize drop (since it's a CS-130) back to the trunk, but it'll be shorter to run it on the right since the battery and alt are both on that side.
Then I need to run one more feed back to the dash and underhood area to power everything... HHR fan, MSD, headlights, instruments, heater fan, accessories... if it weren't for the need of a master cutoff switch I could just power everything off the alternator hot stud without all the extra copper...
Bulkhead terminals are neat but they add two more points to corrode or come loose... thinking of holesaw + grommets instead
3 cables from front to back? Are you going to fuse the second and third cables or are you going to use the solonoids to turn them off like your doing with starter cable?
Inexpensive modern fuses can easily handle loads as heavy as a cranking starter and still blow almost instantly before you smoulder a cable.
If you are burning up wires before your fuses blow, you're either using the wrong gear, or don't have your set-up wired right.
Pony up an alternative with the inexpensive solution with part numbers etc. you are suggestion. I'm all for seeing different ways of doing this.
You have basically 3 load carrying wires in my setup.
Alt - only hot when relay is switched. Accessory to front power distribution - only hot when master is turned on. Starter cable - only hot when relay engaged.
Mine vs some of the others with a constant hot starter cable, through the master (ugh), is I have to run a couple more feet for the accessory wire supply. I'll take that.
My bottom line is I don't want any hot wires in the front of the car/engine compartment when your master is thrown, fused or not.
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Re: Trunk battery cable - inside or under the car?
[Re: kielbasa]
#1236659
05/23/12 02:31 PM
05/23/12 02:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,421 Balt. Md
383man
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 27,421
Balt. Md
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Quote:
about running a jumper wire on the starter (instead of switched +12V to just the small terminal on starter), are you guys experiencing starter run-on and/or starter crank without the pinion engaging by doing this? I ran into this situation when doing the same on a permanent magnet starter on v-twin lawn garden engine. I think the starter begins to act as a generator and keeps itself energized for a few seconds after engine starts.
No problems what so ever as I use a small jumper from the starter stud to the solenoid terminal. Ford actually did this back in the late 60's and early 70's on some of the bigblock T-birds and Lincolns with 429's and 460's. They use the started solenoid mounted on the fenderwell and also had a solenoid style starter on the car with a metal link they used from the starter stud to the solenoid. Most Fords used the starter without a solenoid mounted on it as it used one of the electric magnetic poles to engauge the starter. But I have had no run on or any problem like that. Ron
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