Battery Relocation

[RdHuggr68]

i am moving my battery in my 68 Camaro to the trunk and was wondering about wire size, grounding, and cable routing. Also is it better to install the battery on one side of the trunk compared to the other, or install it under the rear package tray?Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks, Kevin:lateral:

[ROBS6T8]

Most will relocate the battery to the rear passenger side.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m610/ROBS6T8/057.jpg

As for the wire size, the bigger the better! I used 2 gauge which I had lying around from a battery relocation kit I bought from Summit years ago. Most will say no smaller than "0" gauge.
I routed mine through the interior only because I installed the MAD Electrical solenoid. The cable is only hot during cranking.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m610/ROBS6T8/madsolenoid.jpg

Up the channel and through the passenger side toe kick area.
http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m610/ROBS6T8/intbat.jpg

http://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m610/ROBS6T8/extbat.jpg

I used the rubber grommets through the floor. Others have used studs when going through the floor.
Being a unibody car, I grounded the battery to the body. Having subframe connectors I could have done it to the frame also. I will have grounding straps engine to frame, frame to body, engine to body. Do not overlook the importance of proper grounding!
Most of all have fun! lol :unibrow:

[carkrazy1987]

Most will relocate the battery to the rear passenger side.


As for the wire size, the bigger the better! I used 2 gauge which I had lying around from a battery relocation kit I bought from Summit years ago. Most will say no smaller than "0" gauge.
I routed mine through the interior only because I installed the MAD Electrical solenoid. The cable is only hot during cranking.


Up the channel and through the passenger side toe kick area.


I used the rubber grommets through the floor. Others have used studs when going through the floor.
Being a unibody car, I grounded the battery to the body. Having subframe connectors I could have done it to the frame also. I will have grounding straps engine to frame, frame to body, engine to body. Do not overlook the importance of proper grounding!
Most of all have fun! lol :unibrow:

errr is it just me or did u just say ur cable only works when cranking? how will u charge the battery? do u have a different circuit going from the alternator to battery? and another circuit to all other vehicles power needs? u will need a hot when ignition is on to power acc and even engine.

[ROBS6T8]

errr is it just me or did u just say ur cable only works when cranking? how will u charge the battery? do u have a different circuit going from the alternator to battery? and another circuit to all other vehicles power needs? u will need a hot when ignition is on to power acc and even engine.

I didn't mention it but yes I do have all that you mentioned above! :) It was all part of the Mad Electrical "Trunk Mount Battery kit" along with one of his junction blocks. Sorry. His site www.madelectrical.com has a lot of great info dealing with elctrical and the issues form the 60's and how to fix them. Check it out!

[TheJDMan]

My battery is located in the same basic location as Robs but I routed my cable more like this.

http://www.pro-touring.com/showthread.php?88191-Best-cable-routing-for-trunk-mounted-battery

[GregWeld]

I see this mistake time and again -- and it really just shows a lack of electrical knowledge...

There is NO REASON to run a GROUND cable "forward". Just run the ground cable to the nearest convenient point on the chassis or body. Then be sure to run a separate ground strap from the body/chassis to the engine block (the largest amp draw when cranking).

GOOD solid grounding is just as critical to the electrical system as the Positive side. Remember electric is a CIRCUIT...

If you ground thru paint - on your smaller connections... be sure to use a STAR WASHER UNDER the connection. These are designed to cut through the paint and dig into the metal. Don't use a split washer which was designed for a completely different use.

Running the positive through body cavities --- is just a fire waiting to happen... if you do this -- be double triple sure you've protected the cable from chafe (remember you can no longer see it and check it!)... and that you've put some kind of retention every 6". You'd be surprised how much vibration is in a car going down the road!

[RdHuggr68]

I have the factory ground from the block to the frame, it seems kind of small, what size would you recommend?:willy:

[GregWeld]

Something that is capable of carrying 200 amps!

Like battery cable... only don't use some cheap junk from Target... I prefer welding cable -- super fine strands of copper... 1/0 or 2/0 would do the job.

[ErikLS2]

Current (amps) is the same throughout the entire circuit, meaning both the ground and positive cables need to be the same size (if they're the same length) for it to be right.

[MaxHarvard]

I see this mistake time and again -- and it really just shows a lack of electrical knowledge...

There is NO REASON to run a GROUND cable "forward". Just run the ground cable to the nearest convenient point on the chassis or body. Then be sure to run a separate ground strap from the body/chassis to the engine block (the largest amp draw when cranking).

GOOD solid grounding is just as critical to the electrical system as the Positive side. Remember electric is a CIRCUIT...

If you ground thru paint - on your smaller connections... be sure to use a STAR WASHER UNDER the connection. These are designed to cut through the paint and dig into the metal. Don't use a split washer which was designed for a completely different use.

Running the positive through body cavities --- is just a fire waiting to happen... if you do this -- be double triple sure you've protected the cable from chafe (remember you can no longer see it and check it!)... and that you've put some kind of retention every 6". You'd be surprised how much vibration is in a car going down the road!


Mine is routed to the roll bar and is only about 24" long. Works like a charm.

[72Z/28]

Current (amps) is the same throughout the entire circuit, meaning both the ground and positive cables need to be the same size (if they're the same length) for it to be right.

I am using #1 cables and the negative is bolted to trunk sheet metal. Is it OK to use 1/0 ground strap between the body and engine and another strap between engine to frame?

[ErikLS2]

With short run lengths like that on the ground side, you can run a much thinner cable than 1/0, like 4 or even 8 ga. It can be mathematically calculated but I can't tell you the formula off the top of my head. A thicker cable wont hurt you though except for the added weight. Do a voltage drop test on both the ground and positive cables with the engine cranking. To do that, measure with a volt meter from the positive battery terminal to the positive terminal on the starter. Then also from the negative terminal on the battery to the engine block. If you get a reading more than 0.1-0.2 volts, the wire is either too thin or the connections are dirty, have paint on them, etc. The idea is to have as thin a wire as you can without any voltage drop, with maybe 1 wire gauge thicker for comfort. Since the most current is flowing when the engine is cranking, that's when you want to do this test and the test will only work when current is actually flowing. Here's a handy little chart I found when Google-ing wire sizes too:

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/attachments/audio-alarms/62425d1235669252-wire-gauge-ampacity-table-wiringdiagram.jpg

[jarhead]

good information:D

[vstol]

All good info and instead of starting a new thread I thought I would post my question. I am going to run the battery cable from the rear to a shut off switch on the dash then to the starter. First cable about 7 ft second about three. What gauge do you think I need to run, thanks
project below;
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=44704

[72Z/28]

All good info and instead of starting a new thread I thought I would post my question. I am going to run the battery cable from the rear to a shut off switch on the dash then to the starter. First cable about 7 ft second about three. What gauge do you think I need to run, thanks
project below;
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=44704

I used 1 gauge cable for the negative and positive terminals when I did the rewiring of the battery cables. The car had welding cables and changed to 1 gauge marine cables.

[jarhead]

All good info and instead of starting a new thread I thought I would post my question. I am going to run the battery cable from the rear to a shut off switch on the dash then to the starter. First cable about 7 ft second about three. What gauge do you think I need to run, thanks
project below;
http://www.lateral-g.net/forums/showthread.php4?t=44704

"VSTOL" Harrier pilot?

[vstol]

"VSTOL" Harrier pilot?

Semper Fi, 27 yrs on active duty flying A4M and Harriers, and you?

[jarhead]

Semper Fi, 27 yrs on active duty flying A4M and Harriers, and you?

12/74 to 8/79
Multiple jobs,Supply,Accounting, allot of guard duty :D

Last duty station was MARMTD,4th LAAM Batallion, home of the HAWK missile

Semper Fi :Tomcat: :military:

[Jay Hilliard]

Checkout QuickCar Racing Products. Their cable is very flexible.

[vstol]

Thanks I went to their site and they only go down to 2 gauge wire

[vstol]

Lowes has 1/0 rated at 150 amps and 2/0 for 175 will this work? Thanks

[jarhead]

Lowes has 1/0 rated at 150 amps and 2/0 for 175 will this work? Thanks

VSTOL

According to the Ron Francis site it needs to be cross-link wiring 1 gauge.

I assume you can find some cheaper than their site.

https://www.ronfrancis.com/prodinfo.asp?number=TP-35

More information
http://www.chevyhardcore.com/project-cars/project-blank-slate/project-blank-slate-making-shocking-connections/

[RdHuggr68]

Lowes has 1/0 rated at 150 amps and 2/0 for 175 will this work? Thanks

Check out Radaflex from Cableyard.

[vstol]

VSTOL

According to the Ron Francis site it needs to be cross-link wiring 1 gauge.

I assume you can find some cheaper than their site.

https://www.ronfrancis.com/prodinfo.asp?number=TP-35

More information
http://www.chevyhardcore.com/project-cars/project-blank-slate/project-blank-slate-making-shocking-connections/

Thanks but he is way over priced

[vstol]

Check out Radaflex from Cableyard.

Thanks

[randy]

http://www.quickcar.com/battery-cable-and-components/

stuff dse uses

[vstol]

http://www.quickcar.com/battery-cable-and-components/

stuff dse uses

Thanks I got 2/0 (battery) todaythanks

[randy]

did you get the battery lugs so you can have a bulkhead on the kick panel?

[vstol]

+
no but good idea, just ordered 2

[randy]

+
no but good idea, just ordered 2

haha. hopefully you got one of each color. Little things that make it easy in the future. Maybe ill update my thread this week with the things that i have done