battery relocation wiring

[boostedpimp]

Putting a optima back into the bed of the syclone and can't remember how I had it wired up before.

I sat down and gave it a little thought and came up with the diagram below to go off of just wanted to run it by some of you guys first to see if im missing anything or if there's any good suggestions or ideas I should concider.

Oh and all cabling is 2 gauge since that's what I have



Thanks

- Ryan

[MrQuick]

you can run 2 ( I recommend 0 or 00) from the switch to the starter, then 8ga from the starter to the alt, 8 from the alt to the block. don't forget your fuse links.

[Samckitt]

Why not run from the alternator to the starter? Basically you are doing that anyway, the two connect together at the kill switch in your diagram.

That is my plan.

[paul67]

I ran a ground from the engine back to the battery on my camaro

[shep]

Shouldn't the alternator be on the battery side of the switch? The way you have it drawn the alternator will still power the car when the switch is turned off.

[MrQuick]

not really, the whole purpose of the switch is to completly kill the cars power. All of it.

[Samckitt]

MrQuick, Shep is right. If the switch is in the off position & the power to the vehicle comes off the starter like it does from the factory, then the motor will continue to run.

Edit: Here is a battery & alternator kill switch: http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...0002_752485_-1

[Blown353]

I like and recommend putting a solenoid for the starter wire back at the battery. Having an unfused hot-all-the-time 0 gauge or bigger cable running the full length of the vehicle can cause some excitement down the road if it ever finds a ground... With a solenoid, the heavy starter wire is only "hot" when cranking.

Have your ignition switch "crank" lead energize both the solenoid back at the battery and the starter's terminal at the same time. Even though the main starter feed is now switched, do not jump the switched cranking wire up to the starter's solenoid as you can have the starter motor backfeed its own solenoid and keep it engaged. Make sure the starter solenoid is energized by a different switched power source.

Then run a different charge lead from the alternator to the battery either though a fusible link or a circuit breaker.

This way adds an extra wire, but you have the added insurance of having no runs of unfused hot all the time heavy gauge wire.

Also, FWIW, NHRA rules stipulate that the kill switch must also shut the vehicle off. If the switch does not interrupt the alternator then it will continue to run.

[Chad-1stGen]

I like and recommend putting a solenoid for the starter wire back at the battery. Having an unfused hot-all-the-time 0 gauge or bigger cable running the full length of the vehicle can cause some excitement down the road if it ever finds a ground... With a solenoid, the heavy starter wire is only "hot" when cranking.

Have your ignition switch "crank" lead energize both the solenoid back at the battery and the starter's terminal at the same time.

Then run a different charge lead from the alternator to the battery either though a fusible link or a circuit breaker.

This way adds an extra wire, but you have the added insurance of having no runs of unfused hot all the time heavy gauge wire.

Also, FWIW, NHRA rules stipulate that the kill switch must also shut the vehicle off. If the switch does not interrupt the alternator then it will continue to run.

This is how my car is set up. Here is a pic of the plate behind the battery in my trunk.

[Samckitt]

Chad - describe the parts please. I know the thing in the bottom/middle is the solenoid, what are the others & where did you get them?

Maybe a wiring diagram too if not too difficult.

THanks

[MonzaRacer]

I used a simple set up. My battery was in the spare tire well in my 77 Monza I ran a late model echlin start relay(sourced from a 86 ranger) and I ran 00 welders cable (fine strand is better ) to the relay. I simply made a jumper at the starter from a heavie piece of sheet metal, ran a heavy cable to the starter and tada it was done.
I had my kill switch in the back and wired it to the negative of the battery.
Hint if you remove the ground path it wont run. And its much easier on electronics.
I picked up everything I needed underhood from the solenoid or the brass junction block I had left over from a stereo install with a heavy guage cable from the solenoid.
turned the ground off the car was dead.
I was told it wouldnt work but if power hasnt got a ground its not going anywhere AND you dont have a complex setup of solenoids or anything.
And if you properly insulate and guard the power cable you wont have any problems.

[HzEmall]

When we rewire cars, we always try and make sure that the case of the alternator is grounded seperatly as well, especially if it's mounted with aluminum brackets etc, you need a better ground.

If the block is cast, we ground the starter and the alternator to the block, then the block to the frame, then from that frame ground to a solid body ground (have to have one of these, lots of stuff gets grounded to the body)

Ground is very very very important for your system to get full amperage.

You should also never run the starter wire off the alternator stud, run them both to a distribution point. We have seen where a starter can actually work hard enough that they wire gets really warm and can damage the stud on the alternator by melting the nylon insulating the stud from the case. We usually use Marine distribution blocks for this purpose.......

[Chad-1stGen]

Chad - describe the parts please. I know the thing in the bottom/middle is the solenoid, what are the others & where did you get them?

Maybe a wiring diagram too if not too difficult.

THanks

haven't been home so I can't do a wiring diagram.

The upper left item is a heavy duty circuit breaker for the main power to the fuse block at the firewall.

The upper middle item is a light duty circuit breaker for the relay which is in the upper right corner. I honestly can't recall what that relay is for sure (PO wired it up) but if I remeber correctly that is the relay for my electric fuel pump. relay is there since the fuel pump is under the car basically right below the batter.

What isn't shown in that pic is the ignition wire to the starter solenoid terminal to switch it on when cranking.

If you still need a diagram I can try and work something up next week when I get back home.

[jeffandre]

I will mount the solenoids in the trunk or rear passenger side panel area. Plus a complete ground system that ties into the negative battery post and the roll cage in engine bay, passenger compartment, and trunk areas. Still gathering materials...