Battery relocation - 2 gauge enough?

96speed
12-05-2003, 10:02 PM
Anyone successfully use 2 gauge, or is 1/0 or 2/0 necessary for a battery relocation?

tia,
Ryan

Stephen 87 IROC
12-05-2003, 10:42 PM
Mine is done with 2 gauge but then I don't have a huge amp draw from the battery except when starting the engine.

Derrick Redd
12-06-2003, 11:55 AM
I'm using 1 guage on my LX. No problems running radio, elec. fuel pump, elec. fan, lights, etc. :)

96speed
12-07-2003, 03:44 PM
FWIW, the difference between 2gauge and 2ought is ~1/16".

Next question: is 8gauge enough to feed the starter and power point (accessory power hookup)?

thanks,
Ryan

ru2slo_99
12-07-2003, 05:24 PM
I would definately use 4 gauge wire for the starter.

96speed
12-07-2003, 06:31 PM
I've decide to run the power wire in series. 2ga straight to the starter, then 4ga off the starter to the distribution block (red cap that seems to break off :)), then an 8ga of the block to the alternator.

thanks,
Ryan

jonaddis84
12-10-2003, 01:30 PM
Im in the process of running 4ga to both the starter and the dis. block (separate wires). Then probably 8 from the alt direct to the block. Does this sound sufficient?

96speed
12-10-2003, 01:55 PM
I decided to ditch the ditribution block idea. This is going to give me the shortest length of wire to the starter (a good thing IMO).

I'm wiring everything in series:

2ga to the starter
4ga from starter to power point
8ga from starter to alternator

I measured about 13.5' of 2ga wire from the battery to the starter.

Moroso and summit use 2ga in their relocation kits, so I think 2ga is a good size.

Ryan

funina91ss
12-10-2003, 10:08 PM
I used the summit kit and had to move the battery back I had charging problems. I will be working with it this spring I want it back in the back. I also ran 4 gauge to the alt.

1fstTA
12-11-2003, 03:27 PM
I also ran 2 gauge and it wasnt enough My best friend did the same and he had charging problems Im about to run 00 to make sure Ive got enough.

96speed
12-11-2003, 03:31 PM
Are you guys sure it wasn't a faulty ground? It seems like there is a potential problem if you try to ground the battery just by landing it on the subframe.

How were you guys grounding the battery?

I am using a copper plate with a large bolt in the middle to land the 2ga ground.

Ryan

96speed
12-11-2003, 11:10 PM
Some pics for anyone interested. Have to get some heat shielding on the wires by the header before I can fire it up. Hopefully it will fire up.

http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/345879/6

Wish me luck :).

Ryan

Stephen 87 IROC
12-11-2003, 11:39 PM
Firing it up usually isn't a problem. When a battery is relocated and must pass a tech inspection, there must be a kill switch mounted at the rear that will disconnect the battery and kill the engine when turned off. Most people don't realize that when the kill switch is turned off that the alternator will backfeed the electrical system and keep the engine running. It must be wired up so that when the kill switch is turned off, the alternator field windings power source is also disconnected.

jonaddis84
12-12-2003, 09:30 AM
First, isnt there a set ET that you need a kill switch when its mounted in the back? And also, what youre saying is it must go directly from the alternator to the battery and nothing else right? Then feed from the battery to everything?

CANTONRACER
12-16-2003, 03:56 PM
A few years back I bought the Summit kit...it never worked right...ran 0 guage...grounded it well...just never worked it out...not to mention the old shut off switch.

So I ended up by a light dry cell battery and put it in the stock location. No more heavy 0 guage, no heavy Red Top, no battery relocation kit and most importantly, no stinking switch.

Serene
12-16-2003, 08:19 PM
Doesnt matter, if the battery is moved you gotta have a kill switch. 2 ways to kill the alternator:

Buy Painless' high amperage relay and splice that inline on the output of the alternator.

or

Run the output of the alternator to the battery side of the switch (thats what im going to do)