Stereo experts only

[AnthonyF]

I am wanting to do a battery relocation in my trunk. I have everything i need except for the battery wire that comes in the kits. I pieced my kit together with a battery tray around the shop, ground strap, etc....

My question is, Im ran a visionik (+) cable for my amp that i never installed. So my wire is still just routed into the back. I was thinking of using this as my (+) wire for my battery back up to the engine bay. Can this wire work? I believe its a 2 gauge. I just want to make sure that due to the fine wire they wont get too hot and melt with the higher amperage from a cold start.

your prob asking, why dont i just go get the correct cable? well, i'd have to buy a kit which is 60-100 bucks or the cable for like 50. If i could find 15ft 0-2 gauge for 20 bucks id buy it.

Thanks for the help!

-Ant.

[redgst97]

Actually, the finer stranded cable is BETTER than the corse, welding-style cable. The finer stranded stuff has more surface area for the current to flow.

2 AWG cable is about the right size. I would have to question the "actual" size the cable is....with the prices of copper going through the roof in the past year or 2, a LOT of manufactures are taking out copper, and adding more jacketing to their cables. The overall diameter is the same as before, but not as much copper.

IF that is the case with the cable you have, you "might" have gone down to "actual" 4AWG cable...which is still a good size. If is still 'true" 2AWG, again, you are just fine.

[AnthonyF]

^k, thanks a lot man. I appreciate the help. I'll have to double check the size. +10 for the help.

[b@d @pple]

Actually, the finer stranded cable is BETTER than the corse, welding-style cable. The finer stranded stuff has more surface area for the current to flow.

2 AWG cable is about the right size. I would have to question the "actual" size the cable is....with the prices of copper going through the roof in the past year or 2, a LOT of manufactures are taking out copper, and adding more jacketing to their cables. The overall diameter is the same as before, but not as much copper.

IF that is the case with the cable you have, you "might" have gone down to "actual" 4AWG cable...which is still a good size. If is still 'true" 2AWG, again, you are just fine.

hey smart guy how ya been

[AnthonyF]

^hey u, no thread jack! go do some modding!

[b@d @pple]

^hey u, no thread jack! go do some modding!

ok then...trymy4.0= banned....

[BanginJimmy]

You probably know this already, but make sure you fuse the wire from your alt to your battery. When I moved my battery I used 2 fuses on it. 1 from between the alt and the firewall and another close to the battery.

[AnthonyF]

ok then...trymy4.0= banned....

lolol. u could try but would fail miserably.

[AnthonyF]

You probably know this already, but make sure you fuse the wire from your alt to your battery. When I moved my battery I used 2 fuses on it. 1 from between the alt and the firewall and another close to the battery.

may I ask why? Im not doing anything audio related. I am just simply puttin the battery in the rear. The only mod would be a longer power wire. My alt wont be powering anything other than my battery....

[David88vert]

may I ask why? Im not doing anything audio related. I am just simply puttin the battery in the rear. The only mod would be a longer power wire. My alt wont be powering anything other than my battery....

Think what would happen if the wire got shorted out. The fuse isn't for audio equipment, it is for protection from a short.

[AnthonyF]

^ok start over...

so the power wire off the alt, i need to put an inline fuse in? But if u buy a battery relocation kit they dont come with that. What kinda fuse would I have to run, like the style for the amp wires or like a 30 amp? this seems more like a hassle than planned. where my battery is, is the only place i can mount my meth

[BanginJimmy]

whatever amperage your alt charges it is what you want size fuse you want to use. I know I have a 230 amp alt, and I have a 250 amp fuse inline on the way back to the battery.

As david said, the fuse is to protect the car, not audio equipment. In this case you need to fuse both sides of the wire because you have a power source on both sides of the wire. Instead of a fuse you could use a circuit breaker. It does basicly the same thing, but they tend to be a bit smaller than a fuse and fuseholder would be.

[AnthonyF]

whatever amperage your alt charges it is what you want size fuse you want to use. I know I have a 230 amp alt, and I have a 250 amp fuse inline on the way back to the battery.

As david said, the fuse is to protect the car, not audio equipment. In this case you need to fuse both sides of the wire because you have a power source on both sides of the wire. Instead of a fuse you could use a circuit breaker. It does basicly the same thing, but they tend to be a bit smaller than a fuse and fuseholder would be.

i still dont understand why your saying i'd need one. Im going to having the exact same setup. only difference is my power will be connceted under the hood and brough towards the back....

[DinanM3atl]

Crazy idea... Buy a BMW. They did this job for you. Just saying...

[Turbo04]

i still dont understand why your saying i'd need one. Im going to having the exact same setup. only difference is my power will be connceted under the hood and brough towards the back....

If something happened and the wire was shorted between the alt and the battery you have the potential :

Best case: Alt and Battery both fried and shot. Need new ones.

Worst case: Alt and battery both fried...but it doesn't matter cause the car went up in flames.

Bet your ass that the worst case scenario is what you would be facing if the you did NOT fuse the wire and it shorted somewhere between the two. Stock I'm willing to bet your powerwire has whats called a fuseable link built into the stock wire. If that wire developed a short between the two then the wire basically burns itself into two seperate wires...thus breaking the circuit...that is why there is no need to have the alt wire fused seperatly. I'm willing to bet the kits you buy to move a battery to the trunk do not include a fuse with it because
A: they are more geared tword race car types and thus have some type of kill switch or switches added to the car.
B: Every car model has a different amperage rated charging system and trying to build a "one model" fits all battery kit just wouldn't be feasable. Thus you have to source your own fuses/breakers.

Either way do NOT ever run a battery to the trunk if it was not stock without fusing the power wires running back. When and if the car goes up in flames and your insurance company discovers the truth...they will not pay not to mention how dangerous it is to do it that way. You want a fuse on each side no more then 6-12 inches from each power source (alt and battery) that way if a short devloped you run less risk of overheating the wire leading to a fire.

thumbs up to BMW/mini for putting my battery in the trunk as well....

[SRCRX]

^^Good Answer^^

[BanginJimmy]

said much better than I could, but hey, it was my idea first

[AnthonyF]

my head hurts...maybe ill hire some1 to do it...

[gen2biscuit]

my head hurts...maybe ill hire some1 to do it...

That would be your best bet....

[BanginJimmy]

my head hurts...maybe ill hire some1 to do it...

no point in doing that. After you get the battery moved to the back, and run the wire from the alt back to it, you just need to cut the wire to put the fuse and fuse holders in. Putting the fuses in will only take about about 5 minutes longer and is no different than doing it without, but safer for you and the car.