ISPKI Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Hello Folks! I am finally getting some time in with my 77 280z rescue and that means...lots of questions! My 280z had a battery leak that literally consumed the entire area around the battery so I have decided to relocate the battery to the cabin to make the repair of the area a little easier. I had already replaced the cables with (I believe) 00 cable (the braid is about 1/4" thick), Stainless battery terminals and nicely soldered copper connecters. I will be placing the battery behind the seats in the little cubby holes that the previous owner so delicately hacksawed open. I will also be grounding to the chassis and to the block so there will be several large dia cables running around. My question is, do I need to run even larger dia. cables to compensate for the significantly longer length or are my current cables fine? Also - I have read that you want the ground cables to match the size of the positive cable, so I will need to run 00 cables for all the grounds correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtreme_240z Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Hello Folks! I am finally getting some time in with my 77 280z rescue and that means...lots of questions! My 280z had a battery leak that literally consumed the entire area around the battery so I have decided to relocate the battery to the cabin to make the repair of the area a little easier. I had already replaced the cables with (I believe) 00 cable (the braid is about 1/4" thick), Stainless battery terminals and nicely soldered copper connecters. I will be placing the battery behind the seats in the little cubby holes that the previous owner so delicately hacksawed open. I will also be grounding to the chassis and to the block so there will be several large dia cables running around. My question is, do I need to run even larger dia. cables to compensate for the significantly longer length or are my current cables fine? Also - I have read that you want the ground cables to match the size of the positive cable, so I will need to run 00 cables for all the grounds correct? Please don't quote me on this. But i do know of quite a few of my friends that don't run z tho, but they place batteries in the back and im pretty sure there only using 0 gauge. Our set up is in the front on a 240 im suing 4 gauge from the batt to the starter. Id give your local audio shop a call they would be able to tell you for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 We have the battery in the back and used 1/0 cable on the positve. The ground is a short 4 gauge to the chassis near the battery and at the starter. I suspect that 0 gauge or even 1 gauge would be ok as well, The 1/0 is stiff and heavy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted June 22, 2013 Author Share Posted June 22, 2013 Great, thanks for the responses guys. I stand corrected, I believe I have 1 gauge cables at the moment. I mentioned this to my local parts store (great group of fellas running the wholesale auto in Granby CT!) and they seemed to agree that 1 gauge should work just fine...now if I could find a good source for a dozen or so feet of it... Funny that you said to check my local audio shop xtreme...you clearly have never been to Granby CT before ahahha...ya know, cuz we dont have an audio shop... *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skirkland1980 Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 Whatever you do don't run a negative cable all the way from the battery to the engine. I mean you can but have a short cable from the battery to the chassis and a short one from the block to the chassis also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socorob Posted June 26, 2013 Share Posted June 26, 2013 (edited) Go to a u pull it yard and look for an early 80s BMW, 4 door preferably, as the cable will be longer. Their batteries are in the trunk, and since they charge a set price for battery cable, its really cheap. I got 2 of them, for under $20 for both, probably about 10 feet long or so each, 1 probably a little bigger than my thumb, and 1 about as big as my pointer finger. Also there is a really nice jump point under the hood it goes to you might want to grab too. Edited June 26, 2013 by socorob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted June 30, 2013 Author Share Posted June 30, 2013 We have very few u pull it yards up here in ct, only one in fact and its pretty far away. I ordered some 2 gauge from a welding supply company, they and the automotive fellas said that it should work fine. My plan is to run one cable to the regular grounding location at the transmission and another, shorter one to the chassis behind the seat where the bat will be sitting. Also - they recommended having a fuse on the + cable just in case since there will be so much more cable that could get damaged and burn the car down. I picked up a 120amp mega fuse and holder for that. Is the ground cable for the battery usually just bolted to the transmission? Also - I will need to run wires for the ignition system as well and will need to replace the fusible links that are completely corroded. What is the rating for the two fusible links that run off the battery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted June 30, 2013 Share Posted June 30, 2013 Fusible links are not rated in amperes, they are sized like wire. The factory fusible link sizes are called out in the service manual. As a general rule a fusible link should be 4 wire sizes smaller that the wire it protects. Are you planning on using the 120 amp fuse for the starter, or everything but? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 the 120 amp fuse would just be for the starter. I honestly do not think it is really needed, the cables running to the engine bay will be spiral wrapped and in conduit etc etc, the jacketing will not be exposed anywhere along it's length except for where it connects to the starter and battery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 I doubt that you would be able to start the car through a 120 amp fuse. You don't need a fuse there and it is not practicle due to the high current involved. As long as the routing and tie-down is done well and you use good grommets at the bulkheads you should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motomanmike Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Starters pull about 150-200 amps during initial crank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted July 1, 2013 Author Share Posted July 1, 2013 You know what, I had not even thought about that. The fuse would blow just starting the car. I wonder what he intended in saying it would be a good idea to have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 Don't forget to vent the cubby hole the battery will be sitting in to let the hydrogen out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted July 1, 2013 Share Posted July 1, 2013 You know what, I had not even thought about that. The fuse would blow just starting the car. I wonder what he intended in saying it would be a good idea to have one. Perhaps he meant to fuse everything except the starter? That is what the fusible links are for in the factory set-up. The "main" fuse or fusible link needs to be able to handle the alternator current rating plus a little bit for some headroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ISPKI Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 I switched my links out for a maxi fuse block with an 80 amp on the alternator, but he knows that already (I buy alot of parts from him). I really hate the cheapo fuse block that I got, maybe I will change it out for a set of individual mega fuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.