running alternator wire with battery relocation?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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April 29, 2011 7:20 p.m. donalson SuperDork
so now that i'm looking into wiring i'm wondering whats the best way to go about running the alternator power wire...

I'll be moving the battery to the back end of the truck and the power cable will obviously run to the starter... but we need a battery to alternator run of some sort...

I see options like this...
1. I could mount a small junction block on the firewall (which would also double as a battery jumping post) and run the alternator power wire to that
2. run the alternator power wire over to the starter.
3. run alternator power wire back to the battery (stupid and pointless waste of wire lol)
so thoughts? thanks again mark
April 29, 2011 8:54 p.m. clownkiller Reader

In reply to donalson:

2

least waste, and trouble.
April 29, 2011 9:39 p.m. GrantMLS New Reader

to keep it simple i did a block on the firewall - picked it up at a strero shop.
April 29, 2011 9:48 p.m. mad_machine SuperDork

alternator wire to battery? Isn't the same as the main lead off of the battery?
April 29, 2011 9:58 p.m. MG_Bryan New Reader

I pretty much use method 2, although in my case the starter solenoid isn't actually on the starter.
April 29, 2011 10:36 p.m. donalson SuperDork

mad_machine wrote:

alternator wire to battery? Isn't the same as the main lead off of the battery?

no standard wiring would have the main lead (8ga cable or so) going to the starter... the only thing that draws HUGE amps... then off the alternator there is another relatively thick wire (in this case I would call it a wire and not a cable)... that goes to the positive battery terminal... thats the one that the alternator uses to know voltage of the battery and to provide charge.

thanks for the help guys... the deeper I get the more I second guess myself...
April 29, 2011 11:07 p.m. DILYSI Dave SuperDork

2
April 29, 2011 11:14 p.m. Trans_Maro Dork

Something to think about.

Now you have a heavy guage wire, capable of carrying MANY amps, running the length of the car.

Put a Continuous Duty solenoid at the battery in the trunk so you can shut down all power going through that wire in the event of a crash or other problems.

Shawn