Battery Relocation Question

-

ckj688

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
758
Reaction score
5
Location
Massachusetts
I'm relocating the battery to the trunk. I have the interior out of the car and noticed where they routed wires going to the rear of the car along the driverside floor. Is it ok to run the battery cables along that same route or should they be routed outside of the car?

Thanks,
Craig
 
I run mine under the car and come up through one of the plugs in the trunk floor. Hope this helps.
 
I would not run it inside the car even if it did pas tech. Not safe. What if you had a short and you carpit catches fire?
 
I ran mine inside the car down the drivers side with the factory wiring,there is a metal cover over it from the factory so it is safe either way.also found as per nhra rules you will need a shutoff switch and approved battery box or firewall for speaker shelf and back of seat,and at least 2 3/8" bolts thru the steel battery holder and the frame of the car if you plan on going to the dragstrip.hope this was helpful.
 
I ran mine inside the car down the drivers side with the factory wiring,there is a metal cover over it from the factory so it is safe either way.

Thats exactly where I was looking, seems like they have a shield running the whole way, if the factory saw it a good place to running wiring I don't see why I couldn't take that path as well.
 
i run huge power wire through my interior for my stereo, and so does allot of other car audio installers. i figure its the same concept, and ive never had any problems. just get good wire. running it outside has its flaws too. lots more moisture outside to corrode your cable.


on a side note, ever since my pos s10 caught on fire, ive never driven without at least a mini extinguisher. really cheap insurance to not have your car burn to the ground!!!
 
What gage wire are you going to run to your starter back to your battery?
And are you going to run just one wire, Can't you just ground it in the trunk to the frame ?.
 
Thats exactly where I was looking, seems like they have a shield running the whole way, if the factory saw it a good place to running wiring I don't see why I couldn't take that path as well.

That's where I've had mine running for years, under that metal shield. I mounted a master cut off switch using the hole for one of the rear bumper guards so I didn't have to drill anything, and have aluminum sheets behind the rear seat and package tray.
 
I have installed several systems and to be honest the way that our mopars have the shield you wont find in many other cars. It is safe to do so. I just make sure it is also ran inside a wire loop for double security, Under the car I feel that there can be a rupture in the fuel line and with a hot wire close and sparks it just doesnt feel right. Sounds explosive.LOL
 
Does anyone have or know where I can find a good drawing to follow for a safe and efficient battery relocation? I have already started collection bits and pieces for this project but still do not have a clear plan so any help would be much appreciated!
 
Run 2 gauge in convuluted tubing (harbor freight) down the passenger side. In the same tubing, run a 8 gauge wire twice. Get a 4 way switch( a 2 way won't pass tech, as the alternator will power the car when they pull/turn the switch). Hook 8 gauge to switch, one to big alternator,other to starter relay.Both back to firewall; use madelectric schematic to bypass ammeter.
Ground battery neg to frame. Then the rules; cell in trunk, battery must be inclosed (Summit nhra approved) or metal behind back seat, and speaker holes, go online in nhra, think it is .032 alum. Oh, and battery box vented to outside. Chassis Engineering has a nice alum piece that you can cut to fit.
But it all is a pain. Lol, then figure out how to mount the switch, you don't want one that people can play with. I installed mine fore in/out, small hole above the bumper, use a gun cleaning rod and handle. I can throw that in the trunk, and nobody even has a clue.
 
Here's how i do mine.

trunkbattwireRY.jpg


The relay between the alt and battery is an S605 continuous duty. I use a ford solenoid for the starter.

I run the wiring up the pass side, inside the car to move weight, as minimal as it may be.

Here's a pic of a car using the above schematic. It's a little "busy" for my taste but works.
http://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/upload2/6472640-DSCN0529.JPG
 
I've never really cared for that diagram. I don't use "one wire" alternators, and see no need for a separate starter solenoid, but here's how I'd do it instead.

The problem with the above diagram is:

On a street car, you have to ALWAYS pull the disconnect, or the continuous duty solenoid will always be on

There is a considerable amount of wiring that is not killed by the switch. As shown, if something should short or stick in the start circuit, the starter could be energized regardless of the disconnect

Last, you have to run a heavy charging wire clear to the back and clear back up front to the loads

In the diagram below, EVERYTHING is killed by the disconnect. You use a 4 terminal instead of a "two terminal", nominal cost increase. The solenoid drops out when the key is off.

Mount the continuous solenoid up front instead of in the trunk. This allows a short charging lead to the loads in the car, and only one fairly heavy lead to the battery for charging

You can use #14 or 12 for the lead from the disconnect to the front solenoid coil

You can use # 14 or 12 from the factory start relay to the Ford solenoid coil

You can use #6 or larger from the factory start relay to the disconnect

You can use #"huge" from the Ford solenoid to the starter

NOTE that Continuous duty solenoids are not wired like Ford solenoids. Continuous duty solenoids have two coil terminals (the small) one of which must be grounded. In this case, it goes back through the disconnect

Ford solenoids may have one or two small terminals. Here, you use the "S" terminal, and leave the "I" terminal disconnected

EDIT I sloppy added two diodes, 10 or 20A from Rad Shack. These will keep the solenoid from dropping out until the alternator spins down (when shut off by the key) and will keep the output of the alternator from "spiking."

2dafx1k.jpg
 
Question? What are all the relays for.I never had a problem with thw regulator mopar system.The only thing I do is run a #1 wire from the battery to the starter or the the sterter relay.I know what relays do and understand the use of them.What I don,t understand is all the ford starter relays.
 
Question? What are all the relays for.I never had a problem with thw regulator mopar system.The only thing I do is run a #1 wire from the battery to the starter or the the sterter relay.I know what relays do and understand the use of them.What I don,t understand is all the ford starter relays.

I don't agree that the Ford relay is needed, but a lot of guys run them because this "lessens" the size of a hot lead running up front. In other words, when the car is running, the only live cable going up front is the charging wire say, #6 or so, and it can be fused.

The starter lead is only hot when running the starter.

The other "continuous" solenoid is needed because of NHRA rules if you are going to race, but it's a good idea, "depending."

For NHRA, the disconnect MUST kill battery power AND MUST KILL THE ENGINE. In the case of so many guys running "one wire" alternators this means that if the engine is running fast enough to charge, then when you pull the disconnect, the engine WILL KEEP ON RUNNING off the alternator.

One thing to keep in mind, here, ( I didn't, back in the day) is that if your street car gets punched in the ***, you have a "welder" back there capable of several hundred amps, AND you have 10-30 gal of fuel separated by thin sheet metal.
 
The reason I put the 605 relay in the rear of the car is when you throw the main cutoff, nothing outside a 2' cube in the trunk is hot.

Seen cars burn to the ground because the alt charge wire was hot to the front. I'll pass on that scenario, thank you very much. :)

No, the car will not run with a one wire the way I wire it. The charge line is upstream from the cutoff switch.
Prefer to not run amps through the cutoff switch when starting. Prefer the ford deal.

More than one way to skin a cat here and every system has a drawback.
 
The reason I put the 605 relay in the rear of the car is when you throw the main cutoff, nothing outside a 2' cube in the trunk is hot.

Seen cars burn to the ground because the alt charge wire was hot to the front. I'll pass on that scenario, thank you very much. :)

No, the car will not run with a one wire the way I wire it. The charge line is upstream from the cutoff switch.

The diagram I posted also kills the charge wire. After some thought, you would only need the diode in the "key" lead
 
This is great stuff and apart from the technical info the safety side of it is something that I wouldn't have normally given much thought but...I WILL NOW!!!

Thanks to all posters!
 
I'm relocating the battery to the trunk. I have the interior out of the car and noticed where they routed wires going to the rear of the car along the driverside floor. Is it ok to run the battery cables along that same route or should they be routed outside of the car?

Thanks,
Craig

I ran mine inside using welding cable
 

Attachments

  • demonengine.jpg
    55 KB · Views: 1,285
I would not run it inside the car even if it did pas tech. Not safe. What if you had a short and you carpit catches fire?


What if you drive over something and it kicks up and shreds your cable? Now you short to the chassis and you have a welder under the car...

Interior is safe, guard against abrasion and crushing/cutting.
 
Killing power by pulling the ground isn't acceptable with NHRA.
 
What if you drive over something and it kicks up and shreds your cable? Now you short to the chassis and you have a welder under the car...

Interior is safe, guard against abrasion and crushing/cutting.


Wow this is an old thread. Funny how time changes things. As after much thinking on this now I fell running it inside is the way to go. LOL Thats what I am going to do on my Duster drag car now. But will not have any carpet.

Either way should work though. No one worries about there fuel lines running under there car.
 
Ok I was just wondering why.My kill switch will cut the car off when you turn it off.My car kills all the power even the alternator with out all the relays.I never seen any thing happen to a car from a wiring problem even in a crash.The only thing I have seen was wrong and sloppy wiring.Also you will have a welder back there in a crash if metal touches any thing on the relay.I just wanted to know.I am not saying it is a bad thing,just learning.Also wanted to see if it was one of those what if things.Sorry I din,t believe in that.I believe do it it right the first time and you don,t need extra fail safe systems.Also I have been running my wires down the left side inside the cars for 35 years with no problems.I just think that is the persons choice Mark
 
.My kill switch will cut the car off when you turn it off.My car kills all the power even the alternator with out all the relays

Can you elaborate on how it's hooked up? If all you do is break the battery lead THE CAR WILL STILL RUN on the alternator


.I never seen any thing happen to a car from a wiring problem even in a crash.

Boy, I have, and with the internet, it's not all that hard. All you need is a minor fender bender which ruptures a fuel line AND NOTHING TO SHUT OFF the electric pump.


Also you will have a welder back there in a crash if metal touches any thing on the relay.

The whole idea is to mount stuff to minimize this, and what some guys are advocating by running a separate "start" relay is that this gets the "running" wire going up front down to a smaller size which can be easily fused---the no8/ no6 "charging lead."


I have been running my wires down the left side inside the cars for 35 years with no problems.I just think that is the persons choice Mark

Lots of people did/ do this, including me, years ago. But it's not the 35 years you were OK, it's the ONE IN A MILLION situation, crash/ etc that causes someone to burn to death.

As much as I hate some of the stuff NHRA has done, this is one area that has been changed by "proof of mistakes."
 
-
Back
Top