Alternator/Power Cable

[Jim-Bob]

I've relocated my battery to the boot, and upgraded all the wiring to 4 AWG, just got to connect up the alternator to starter motor cable now.

I've run the 4 AWG round from the starter motor to the alternator and connected both the 4 AWG and OEM cables as the starter motor end whilst the bay was fairly empty, to make like easier i have both options

Now i'm wondering will it be safe to fit both the 4 AWG and OEM cable to run from the alternator to starter motor? Or whether i should just use the 4 AWG cable and blank the OEM one off?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

James

[Jim-Bob]

James

[Jim-Bob]

Anyone know??

James

[raunchz]

Originally Posted by Jim-Bob

I've relocated my battery to the boot, and upgraded all the wiring to 4 AWG, just got to connect up the alternator to starter motor cable now.

I've run the 4 AWG round from the starter motor to the alternator and connected both the 4 AWG and OEM cables as the starter motor end whilst the bay was fairly empty, to make like easier i have both options

Now i'm wondering will it be safe to fit both the 4 AWG and OEM cable to run from the alternator to starter motor? Or whether i should just use the 4 AWG cable and blank the OEM one off?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

James

Can you not just leave the oem cable from starter to alternator connected, and just run your main power cable from the battery into some sort of splitter?

Then from the splitter you run to the fuse boxes and then to the starter motor ?

[Tontsy]

in short yes. but...

standard wiring on the Alt / starter / battery side of things on saxo's are restrictive. i found this when i upgraded to 0Awg TB3 to sort out my charging for my install. so removed all standard wiring, and it sorted everything out.

[Jim-Bob]

Originally Posted by raunchz

Can you not just leave the oem cable from starter to alternator connected, and just run your main power cable from the battery into some sort of splitter?

Then from the splitter you run to the fuse boxes and then to the starter motor ?

Could of done mate, but may have caused some restriction?

It's all in place now anyway lol just need to know whether to use the OEM and or 4AWG from alternator to starter...

Originally Posted by tonto_VTR

in short yes. but...

standard wiring on the Alt / starter / battery side of things on saxo's are restrictive. i found this when i upgraded to 0Awg TB3 to sort out my charging for my install. so removed all standard wiring, and it sorted everything out.

So run just 4AWG or 4AWG and OEM?

James

[raunchz]

i'd only run one lead, can run two if you want but no need. I'd personally just stick with the oem lead, but no harm in running the 4awg instead.

I don't understand why the oem cable is restrictive? I can imagine it is if you have 50 subs and 100 amps, but on an oem/track car ?

[Jim-Bob]

Originally Posted by raunchz

i'd only run one lead, can run two if you want but no need. I'd personally just stick with the oem lead, but no harm in running the 4awg instead.

I don't understand why the oem cable is restrictive? I can imagine it is if you have 50 subs and 100 amps, but on an oem/track car ?

The OEM cable from alternator from starter is a narrow gauge than the battery leads which doesn't make sense in my mind?

I was upgrading mine due to the extra length of cable I'm now using, guess the system works best when all the same size or bigger at the start and getting smaller as demand drops?

Think I'll blank off the OEM cable and use just the 4AWG, not both

James

[Tontsy]

using the same gauge cable will help current / flow.
people forget that better cables can / will increase your performance, something like 730 watts is 1bhp of power. the quicker your car can remake the watts used to power something else, it wont take the power from the car. if that makes sense, notice how your revs will dip if you turn your lights on, heaters on etc.

the merc slr, takes 130 bhp to run the charger!

its really more effective with turbos as they use power to create power. . .

[willsy]

If you've got plenty of the 4gauge stuff you'd be as well to ditch the OEM cable. If you unravel the cable tidy that wire just seperates from the engine loom if you want to keep it tidy

Slightly thicker cable with fresh connections etc can only be a benefit too.

[Jim-Bob]

Originally Posted by willsy

If you've got plenty of the 4gauge stuff you'd be as well to ditch the OEM cable. If you unravel the cable tidy that wire just seperates from the engine loom if you want to keep it tidy

Slightly thicker cable with fresh connections etc can only be a benefit too.

It's all in place now though Matt, but if I just pull it from the conduit it will pull straight out if I trace it round?

Would be good to get rid of it ideally

James

[swampy]

Why use 4awg?
Why not get proper automotive battery cable rather than ice cable?
Ive done a few 306 and 106 now with 135amp power cable, gives a nice proffesional finish and is oil. Petrol and acid resistant which i doubt ice cable will be.
Whats the spec of 4awg?
Contious amps, strands of cable in the construction?

[Jim-Bob]

Originally Posted by swampy

Why use 4awg?
Why not get proper automotive battery cable rather than ice cable?
Ive done a few 306 and 106 now with 135amp power cable, gives a nice proffesional finish and is oil. Petrol and acid resistant which i doubt ice cable will be.
Whats the spec of 4awg?
Contious amps, strands of cable in the construction?

This cable is yours

It's only the coating that's different, AWG is an international standard not just audio geek speak?

It's made by autoleads the rest of the stuff and slightly larger than the stuff you supplied so will be more than ample as it's being used internally, all engine bay wiring has been heatshrinked/braided for additional protection too

James

[ryanmt]

If you want cheap, top quality cable goto the scrapper and hack up a 5 series, some of those had the battery in the boot and a nice thick long cable running to the engine bay.