Battery Relocation....negative cable advice required *update 12th march 2011*

[J222JRA]

So, ive decided i need to relocate the battery to the boot....ordered most of the bits i need but im stuck as to what size power cable to buy.

Companies are specifying a mm2 (mm squared) 16, 20, 25, 30, 35 etc etc and also amp rating but im not sure........


What size do i need people....not something i really want to guess as it could cause me huge problems.

Thanks in advance

James

[Dave_P]

go to your local scrappy and seek out a mk4 escort, look for the battery - starter cable and your sorted... get 2 if your relocating the battery to the boot.

[mechsman]

I bought 300 amp stuff which is overkill, but I will be turning over a 1.9 turbo diesel lump. 180 amp should be sufficient but bigger is better in this case and 300 amp aint that expensive.

[J222JRA]

go to your local scrappy and seek out a mk4 escort, look for the battery - starter cable and your sorted... get 2 if your relocating the battery to the boot.

Thanks Dave.....however id prefer buy a new cable tbh.

I bought 300 amp stuff which is overkill, but I will be turning over a 1.9 turbo diesel lump. 180 amp should be sufficient but bigger is better in this case and 300 amp aint that expensive.

300 amp.....hmmmm yeah its only £6.20 a meter....

Clicky....... (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PVC-Hi-Flex-COPPER-BATTERY-CABLE-40mm-red-/120625122635?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item1c15d14d4b)

[AlexB]

i simply went in halfrauds bought the biggest amp power lead they had for about 15 quid for 3 meters and 2 of there little premade earths and away you go

[J222JRA]

Thankyou Mr Barnacle, Lea did the same....will pop in their tomorrow and have a look.

[Chr15]

Didnt AdamskiTNR make a guide for this?

[J222JRA]

Not that i can see Chris.....

[Chr15]

PM him, im 99% sure he helped SeanVTS with it the night before FCS last year, maybe just didnt post it? :S

[saxo-parts]

look up Vehicle Wiring Products on google, i get all my cables made up by them for winches on my old off roaders and seriously long cables for tail-lifts on wagons,they'll advise you of size also

[saxo-parts]

http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/VWP-onlinestore/home/homepage.php

give them a whirl!

[blackie_2k5]

180 amp stuff should more then suffice your case, why buy any more tbh

[Tontsy]

You want the 0gauge that me and liam run for our installs... I had like 15 meters left over, new and gave it to him and another mate.

I can get a few meters back if youre interested. Fb me.

[swampy]

Dont bodge it with ice cable!
Get proper battery cable, get the flexible stuff.

The kits i supply use 135 amp cable which is fine.

Dont forget if its a track car weight is the enenmy and the bigger the guage the heavier it is.

[AlexB]

Theres nothing wrong with the big guage ice power cables for this puropse
yes the little ones you get in a wiring kit arent up to it but the one i use is spot on

Maybe a little overkill on size but id rather the extra weight to play safe
Ill get a piccy later its the flexable stuff and its served well for 8 months now every day

[J222JRA]

Thanks for the help guys.....really appreciate it.

Now next question....i must use a sealed battery.

What us a sealed battery?? Just one that doesnt have holes in the top for re-filling with deionized water??

For example i have a halfords battery thats maintenance free.....is that classed as sealed??

[swampy]

Ice cable is a bodge when you can get decent 135 or 175 amp cable for well under £5 a meter.
The car even with all electrics on wont draw 100amps at any given time so you still have plenty to spare.

[AlexB]

Thanks for the help guys.....really appreciate it.

Now next question....i must use a sealed battery.

What us a sealed battery?? Just one that doesnt have holes in the top for re-filling with deionized water??

For example i have a halfords battery thats maintenance free.....is that classed as sealed??

Something like a varley or oddysey is sealed but a normal battery can be used it just needs to be in a box

Ice cable is a bodge when you can get decent 135 or 175 amp cable for well under £5 a meter.
The car even with all electrics on wont draw 100amps at any given time so you still have plenty to spare.

So at 15 quid for 3 meters its a bodge??
Bodges tend to be things that are half arsed and dangerous not just cause it costs 50p a meter more

[Jackman]

I pretty sure I just have a Vibe amp cable for mine lol!

And I've got a normal battery in a battery box in the boot!

Would love a sealed battery at some point though, just for the lightness!

[J222JRA]

Thanks for the comments everyone.........im going for 40mm2 Cable which handles 300 amps and has an OD of 12.7mm.

As for the battery.....for the time being i will be using the standard battery.....the cars off the road at the minute anyway.....just comes out for the garage to be washed and back in again lol. Hopefully next year when the house isnt eating soo much cash i will get an Oddysey or Varley race battey.

[J222JRA]

Guys....so the positive cable is now all sorted......negative cables are next on the list.Obviously i need the one from the battery to earth and i need to also have an earth from the gearbox to the body.

2 questions.....

Does the earth lead need to be the same size (guage) as the positive cable?

For earthing the gearbox.........can i link it to one of the upper gearbox mount bolts???


As always any help is much appreciated.

[outrage_uk]

Does the earth lead need to be the same size (guage) as the positive cable?

Yes. If not bigger. A solid earth is the key to all things electrical, especially important now as the starter motor is along way away from the primary earth (the battery).

For earthing the gearbox.........can i link it to one of the upper gearbox mount bolts??

That should be fine, as long as you connect it somewhere that either directly, or bolts onto a clean, rust free chassis. :y:

[MR_N]

thought i'd bump this with a new question.

When relocating the battery, i get all that needs to be done with the live wire, using a junction box for the 3 areas. However, what about the earths. I have two on my battery negative. One to chassis (easy to do) and one to the gearbox. Where does the gearbox earth go no the battery is in the boot?


EDIT - Just realised i have bumped the wrong thread and the answer is above. Gearbox to chassis then?

[Simon]

EDIT - Just realised i have bumped the wrong thread and the answer is above. Gearbox to chassis then?

Yes gearbox to chassis,
Then battery earth to chassis in the boot.

[MR_N]

Thanks Si

[swampy]

thought i'd bump this with a new question.

When relocating the battery, i get all that needs to be done with the live wire, using a junction box for the 3 areas. However, what about the earths. I have two on my battery negative. One to chassis (easy to do) and one to the gearbox. Where does the gearbox earth go no the battery is in the boot?


EDIT - Just realised i have bumped the wrong thread and the answer is above. Gearbox to chassis then?

keep them short
use a good thick cable, i use 135amp
and make sure the metal they connect to is good and clean, i tend to put some copperslip on the bolt thread and one of them bumpy sharp washers under the bolt head so it kind of digs in to the metal giiving a good contact