Battery Relocation & Fuse October 04, 2011, 07:28:53 PM I'm just about finished with relocating my battery to the trunk and a friend of mine suggested install a fuse at the battery in case the battery cable wears through I don't ignite the interior of my car on fire. Does anybody have any opinions/suggestions on whether to do this and how to do it? Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #1 – October 05, 2011, 10:42:25 AM Whenever I relocate my battery to the trunk, I wire it up like in the schematic below.I do not run the super hot battery cable thru the switch and to the starter. I only run the small 12v (8 gauge or larger) that operates the accesories and ignition thru that safety switch.I never liked the idea of running a hot welding cable the length of the car, so I put the starter relay in the rear and now the only time the big cable is hot is when the starter is engaged.Much safer than the way NHRA shows in their rule book.When I turn off the switch in the rear, it kills the engine which kills everything. This meets the rule requirement of killing everything in case of an accident. Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #3 – October 06, 2011, 07:02:24 AM Quote from: 83-88T-Bird Guy;369243Whenever I relocate my battery to the trunk, I wire it up like in the schematic below.I do not run the super hot battery cable thru the switch and to the starter. I only run the small 12v (8 gauge or larger) that operates the accesories and ignition thru that safety switch.I never liked the idea of running a hot welding cable the length of the car, so I put the starter relay in the rear and now the only time the big cable is hot is when the starter is engaged.Much safer than the way NHRA shows in their rule book.When I turn off the switch in the rear, it kills the engine which kills everything. This meets the rule requirement of killing everything in case of an accident. I didn't wire mine this way initially, but I may change over. It makes a heck of a lot of sense the more I think about it. I would then run a fuse/circuit breaker in the trunk on the powered 12v for rollover protection.Good tech IMHO. Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #5 – October 06, 2011, 05:15:36 PM This would make it like the stock circuit protection. Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #7 – October 06, 2011, 08:47:33 PM I certainly didn't mean to start anything on here but I do appreciate the differing points of view. I'm learning something and isn't that what this is all about. If you're using heater hose to protect the cable, is there a reason why the cable would have to be run inside of the car? I have enough room to run 2 GA (1/2" OD) cable bare the length of the car from inside but I don't think I have the room to do so inside a heater hose. Would I be okay running it from under the car, say mounting it to the body above the drive shaft or some other route under the car? Where do you find heater hose longer than 6'? How much larger ID heater hose do you get than the OD cable? For example my 2 GA I believe is 1/2 OD. Should I get 1/2 ID heater hose or will that be too difficult to fit? I really appreciate the help! Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #9 – October 10, 2011, 10:00:49 PM I like the idea of running it through heater hose... I was always wondering of a good way to protect it and that is certainly interesting. Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #11 – October 11, 2011, 04:29:46 PM As a bracket racer that runs round-robin' style races, I have to have a very good starting system.After I had a failed master cut-off switch in the rear trying to handle all that cranking amps thru it, I decided to eliminate another potential item that could malfunction.Thus, the idea of putting my starting solenoid in the rear next to the battery.Yes, there is the expense of an additional few feet of alt. wire, but I also put a healthy alternator on the engine, and I have not noticed hardly any voltage drop from it.The fact that I do not have over 12 feet of "hot-all-time" welding cable running up the side of my car gives me a little more peace of mind in the event of side collision and the cable shorts out and sparks could potentially start a fire.Yes, the way I do it is not for everyone, but I am more comfortable with my cars that way. Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #13 – October 11, 2011, 08:28:14 PM I like the starter solenoid in the trunk, this is the way we build all of our cars but we also usually run the wiring against the frame to the engine compartment. Actually we have one of are race cars that is completely wired with continuous power solenoids they run the fuel pump, water pump, fan, and ignition. We have all these (except for one in the trunk for the fuel pump) solenoids in the glove department very neat and clean only a few wires in the engine compartment. But we run carbureted application stuff so if your efi you still have all that lol. Quote Selected
Battery Relocation & Fuse Reply #14 – October 12, 2011, 07:44:20 PM Quote from: TOM Renzo;369861So i guess a 5' Piece under the hood could not cause a FIRE?????????????? Actually a 17 foot long 8 gauge wire running the length of a car can be pretty TOASTY IF COMPROMISED. In my view it is to much wiring and you can only use your method with a ford magnetic out dated starter. Modern permanent magnetic starters have a solenoid. So in theory you can use a dual solenoid for your setup or even better use a separate double set to crank over you car. Or feed the crank voltage to 2 Solenoids one for the starter and one for your cutout relay in the TRUNK. Once again complicating the simple task of a cable protected by a hose and be dun with it. Just a thought even if you use your method you could still install that welding cable inside a heater hose for double protection. I bet if you use a 3/4" heater hose you could fit all those wires inside it and consolidate the wiring. And make it neater to boot I am willing to bet you will!! ThanksTom:I was doing the "heater hose" trick back in 1999 when I built my 460 Fairmont. It had no interior left in it after I finished building it. Yes, it works. Quote Selected
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