Battery wiring questions...

[formula]

I'm getting ready to relocate my battery to the trunk in my bird, but I'm still very new to electrical work and want to make sure I have all of my details sorted out first.

I've heard its a good idea to go ahead and run a ground back up to somewhere in the engine bay along with the positive. How much truth is there to this?

Also, I'm going to go ahead and get a pretty nice battery. What are the advantages to deep cycle batteries?

How much cable should I order? and what gauge?

Also, a thought I had-- I've already run a positive cable from my engine bay to my trunk for my stereo amplifier. Could I just use this cable to reach the engine bay from the battery, and run new ones for the amp to the battery?

Also, I was contemplating setting up a disconnect switch under the hood, just for convenience. This is no drag car, so mounting location's not really important. Good idea, bad idea?

[HzEmall]

What we do to make sure that battery relocation installs are 100 % (well overkill sometimes) is we make sure that items like the starter and alternator are grounded to the block with their own ground wires. We then run a ground from that point on the block to a solid point on the frame, then from that point on the frame to a solid place on the main body of the car. In the trunk we run a ground from the batter to the body and from the battery to the frame. This way this car is 100% grounded and no matter what your installing or doing your power circuit will be complete.

I always use 1awg simply cause it's not a whole lot more then 4 awg and with something like 1awg you will never have a issue or be in need of an upgrade.

Deep Cycles by the definition are bad (RV and Marine Batteries), simply because they will last a while (which is good) but when you run them down it takes more then twice as long to recharge them which puts a harder load on your alternator.

Options like a Exide Orbital (Personal Favorite), Yellow or Red Top Optima (personally think they are evil) or any other battery that has a good cold cranking and reserve rating, and of course a kick ass warranty.

You can put a power stud under your hood (Protect it with a cover to avoid being shorted out by accident) and that way you have a power point in the front of the car.

Hope that helps, if I can help more just ask.

[scogin918]

Look at www.madelectrical.com (http://www.madelectrical.com) and click on the New Stuff or Trunk Mount kit in the on-line catalog. I'm trying to order it now, but he's hard to get a hold of.

[BonzoHansen]

Options like a Exide Orbital (Personal Favorite), Yellow or Red Top Optima (personally think they are evil) I'd be very interested in why you have these thoughts of ‘good and evil’. :) The optimas seem very trunk friendly.

I was looking at 0/1 ga. multi-strand cable at the local marine place. It is nice & big, and rather flexible.

[HzEmall]

I personally have killed way to many optima's and they never come back properly BUT....that's me....there are lots of people who have good luck with them....