cable for boot mounted battery?

[yoeddynz]

I'm gonna plonk the battery in the boot on my RX3 - what size cable?...in mm..or in strand size/numbers.

I need about 4 metres.

Can i just run an earth strap from battery to boot floor?
Then run one at front from engine to chassis...

wheres some nice/cheap cable...?

thank you muchly
alex

[cortinaman]

Jun 16, 2008 12:45:46 GMT yoeddynz said:

I'm gonna plonk the battery in the boot on my RX3 - what size cable?...in mm..or in strand size/numbers.

I need about 4 metres.

Can I just run an earth strap from battery to boot floor?
Then run one at front from engine to chassis...

wheres some nice/cheap cable...?

thank you muchly
alex

Go for the biggest/thickest cable you can find/afford - its amazing how much current drop you get.

With the earth strap - just fix it to the boot floor with a good clean mounting.

Not sure where's best for cable - when my mate wired up my car he used cable from a forklift ('cos he was working as a forklift engineer at the time! )

;D

[klunk]

If you know anyone who works for a Forklift truck company get some of their cable, nice and big and minimum drop over the length.

That's what I used, (battery under back seat.)

[sooty]

Is it to save space up front ot try to and get more weight to the back?

The cable is bloody heavy if you use the right stuff.

[rtlkyuubi]

Ive used curse word thin amp cable (as it was already installed in the car ) and its fine so far.

[jamesp]

go buy sme good quality jump leads I found a set n a scrap car so cut em down the wire is nice and thick

and as you said earthing it to the boot floor and and engine earth is all you need

[BenzBoy]

I stripped out a copper battery cable from a Rover P6. Plenty thick enough and already has the termial end on it. ;D

BMW e34's have a rear mounted battery if you wanna go the scrap-sourced route.

[RetroWarwicK]

minis have rear batteries

[rob0r]

Bodieandoyle rescued me a rear mounted battery cable out of a BMW E36, not sure what model but it also has a lovely terminal point box to mount in the engine bay.

[shatmepants]

We purchase our wire at the welding shop. It's realtively inexpensive and it's super flexible, unlike the automotive wire which can tend to be stiff and hard to run in tight areas.

We run 2 gauge wire as a standard for a rear mount battery here in the US.

[andyj]

Use 16mm2 minimum, the silicone coated stuff is best at the PVC coated cable is not that flexible.

[yoeddynz]

wow- great replys....looking in yellowpages as i type(I'm gifted like that) for local forklift companys...and welding companys....and scrap yards.

Next question is...

Who runs circut breakers at the batt end?...in case the worst happens and the wires insulation rubs through! And if you do- what make, kind, where from?

I go home now to play cars, no nerdnet at home...check tommorrow
thanks
alex

[timsands]

jumplead, thats whats on the moggie

[slater]

I don't run fuses on mine.. Ive never seen a car with a battery in boot as standard with a fuse

[TheFrequentFryer]

I'll go with the welding lead. Most people I've seen do it use that because of the added flexibility.

[BenzBoy]

Yeah, the lead I have isn't very flexible at all. I may keep an eye out for something better.

[bortaf]

Depens on how big the engine is?
minis will use less to turn over (hense it has a smaller battery) anything like a pinto i use the cable off vans with tail lifs from the scrappys you can get 2 cars worth from a LWB van

[Adam]

I've got 4m of 10mm core wire with a 2mm coating ready to go on when I convert to a rear mounted battery (I even have the box and fittings.... what am I hanging around for? ).

My dad gets it for free from the network technicians who work with him ;D