I have accumulated some heavy gauge wire that was previously used to run amplifiers from my last two vehicles. While bass is great and all, the four door speakers tend to fill my ears just fine. I am going to assume that typical amp wire (in those flashy colors) is 4 gauge. I assume because I have two car lengths of the stuff sitting in a basement 150 miles away from me.
Would it be wise to use this for relocating a battery to the trunk on my old fairlane? I have the right length, ends, and such. Need a box. I am running a newer style gear reduction starter and a 3G 130amp alt, all tied to a carb fed 351 Windsor.
IMO, 4 gauge isn't big enough, not for that long of a run. I feel safer with a 0 gauge.
Then again, I've been known to overkill in the electrical department before.
The OEM cables are probably 2 or 4 gauge, but they're only a foot or two long. For a cable that ran all the way to the trunk I'd go with something considerably heavier than that.
edit: that's a '68, right? I had a '69 Torino GT notchback when I was in college; it was a great car but it eventually rusted to death.
I can't think of a single reason to bother relocating the battery to the trunk in a boat like that. If you're thinking there will be some benefit with regards to weight distribution and handling, it will be nil, undetectably nil.
no need for 0 guage... 2 or 4 guage will work just fine. I work with theatrical lighting all the time. we only use 0 guage when dealing with 400amp circuts... and that is a continous 400 amp circut with a run between 50 and 100 feet in length
Was I the only one who was surprised when this thread turned out to be car related?
4 gauge isn't heavy enough but a very cheap solution that is - welding cable. Tractor Supply is your friend.
You want a minimum of 2 gauge. That is what BMW and Mini uses. I got my cable from Summit.
Nice Fairlane. I have a '67 two door hard top. Lime Green baby.
Don't move the battery. It's a 4 door street car.
with a gear-reduction starter, 4-gauge is fine. if you've got enough of it, run two lengths in parallel for extra complexity. always best to use what you already own, young challenger.
Marty!
HalfDork
4/1/10 5:39 p.m.
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
This site has a pretty good calculator for voltage drop for wire size/length/amperage. I would think that 4 awg wire would be pretty high in resistance in a run that long (14 ft or so) and get hot pretty quick.
Seems like were all split on this one.........
My Galant VR4 started just fine using 4 gauge wire.
When I did the BatVan I found some zero guage at a metal scrap yard. I bought it for the price of the copper. It looked like this but with flexible black insulation.
NAPA sells the connectors that get it to your battery.
Dan
How do you crimp cables as thick as 4ga? Would you just solder the ends on or something?
yes...solder....
lots of liquid flux and a torch.. if the flux flames up just blow it out , won't hurt anything 
I once made a forming tool and used a 20-ton press.
Vise-Grips worked equally as well.
Holy heater hoses batman! Cold much?
So while possible, it sounds like I would be better off just leaving the battery alone and get on with finishing the multitude of other projects on the car rather than adding another one to the list.
Or I could buy some subs, amps, obnoxious chrome wheels and DONK it. I mean the cable is a good start, right?!
The car is a 68' Fairlane 500 Sedan, the 69' had slightly different tail lights and grille. The 69' would have also be available with a 351 from ford but I'm not too much worried about originality here, more of a fun cruiser.
