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**camaro_speedemon** · 01-15-2003, 04:27 AM

well 4 AWG wire is only rated up to 132amps and you said both of your amps each draw 70amps. So That would mean 140amps total. If you want to do it right, then you're gonna need bigger wire. 2 AWG I think should be enough its capable of 265amps.
You might want to double check on gauge ratings, I just did a quick seach and used the first chart I found.
As for cheaper, you can goto Walmart or Kmart and buy some battery terminals. I did, and haven't really had a problem with them. I'm using one right now actually.
Are you running the (-) from the front battery all the way to the back?? I don't recommend that. It's safer to find a good ground on the chassis in the back.

Here is what I would do...
I haven't really heard of anyone replacing the alternater wire, but with a 160 amp alternater I would thing the stock wire is too small. I would do some research first.
I would run 2AWG wire from the battery to the distribution block. Then 6AWG to each of the amps. 4AWG to the amps would be overkill since the amps only draw 70 amps. I have also been told that your ground wire should be as big as your power wire. So I would run a 2AWG wire to the frame. And then a 2AWG wire from the fram in the back to the (-) distribution block. Then 6AWG from the block to the amps.
I assume you know that you'll need a 170amp inline fuse in the power wire from the front to the back.

**Harbin1** · 01-15-2003, 08:39 AM

Well, actually the total amperage of the amps is probably around 70A. I'm just guesstimating on the current since the fuses are 40A for the 4 channel and 30A for the 2 channel. Sorry for any confusion.

Also, how do you calculate the amperage for the inline fuse?

The other reason I went with 4 ga to the amps is to account for temperature fluctuations. Everything runs fine when the engine is cool, but I sometimes get a voltage drop in the summer when the car is idling.

**RSFireDog** · 01-15-2003, 10:20 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Harbin1:
Well, actually the total amperage of the amps is probably around 70A. I'm just guesstimating on the current since the fuses are 40A for the 4 channel and 30A for the 2 channel. Sorry for any confusion.

Also, how do you calculate the amperage for the inline fuse?

The other reason I went with 4 ga to the amps is to account for temperature fluctuations. Everything runs fine when the engine is cool, but I sometimes get a voltage drop in the summer when the car is idling.<hr></blockquote>

You will always get a voltage drop if the car is idling, because if the car isnt moving, then the alternator isnt running at full speed. 4 AWG should be fine, for your hookup, because after all wire quality = sound quality. I think 2 AWG might be a bit of overkill, especially if you are only running 700 watts continuous.

Your stock alternator might be too weak for that big of a load, you might want to invest in a higher output one. That is of course assuming you are using a majority of that 160 amps already. But yes, cable quality = sound quality, so even if they arent going directly to the speakers, you still want good solid cable.

Parts Express is the shizz. Buy all your cables from there, they usually have the best prices.

[ January 15, 2003: Message edited by: RSFireDog ]

**grndlvl** · 01-15-2003, 11:18 AM

run the best and biggest cable you can afford. Run min. 4 ga. from the alt to the battery and run at least 2ga from the block to the battery, min from the block to the battery is to be the same as your power wire. When my 97 is done it will have 0 ga from the block to the bat and 0 ga all the back(which is already in place).

**RSFireDog** · 01-15-2003, 07:54 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by grndlvl:
run the best and biggest cable you can afford. Run min. 4 ga. from the alt to the battery and run at least 2ga from the block to the battery, min from the block to the battery is to be the same as your power wire. When my 97 is done it will have 0 ga from the block to the bat and 0 ga all the back(which is already in place).<hr></blockquote>

Putting a cable with a larger diameter from the battery to alternator is about stupid. If you think about it, an alternator does what? It charges. So when it is pulling max current how much is it going to pull? You probably don't know the answer, but its somewhere less than 70amps, around 20 or so to be exact. So if the alternator is charging at 20amps, and your amps are running at 70amps...then? The amps are pulling its current straight from the battery, not the alternator, try not to forget that. So, that being the case, you would need to run a larger diameter wire from the Battery to amps. So you want them the other way around 2AWG from amps to battery and 4AWG from battery to alternator.

Also, regarding your inline fuse question. The inline fuse has one purpose. To keep your power cable from catching on fire. Take the amperage of your amps that you are running from that calbe and add a couple amps to get the size of your inline fuse. If you think about it, your amps will blow a fuse if they reach the amerage of those fuses, so if you have the that size fuse, you will blow the ones in the amp first, and the current wont have a chance to make it to the fuse in the wire. Also, make sure you put that fuse as close to the battery as you can... just incase.

[ January 15, 2003: Message edited by: RSFireDog ]

[ January 15, 2003: Message edited by: RSFireDog ]

**grndlvl** · 01-16-2003, 12:43 PM

first of all with the ground wire YOU wnat to run MIN. the same size as your power cable. why? because you flow of power does not flow thru positive to neg but actually from neg to positive.
second with running a 160 amp alt min wire size I would run is 4Ga not some puny a** 10 ga wire like what comes from the factory on our cars, it is a proven fact that a bigger wire with a higher wire count will have a less of a voltage drop.
we can sit here all day long and argue this but I don't have the time to deal with people who may or may not have a clue. But with my experiences like I said earlier before Run the biggest wire you can afford for power AND ground!!!!

**RSFireDog** · 01-16-2003, 02:11 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by grndlvl:
first of all with the ground wire YOU wnat to run MIN. the same size as your power cable. why? because you flow of power does not flow thru positive to neg but actually from neg to positive.
second with running a 160 amp alt min wire size I would run is 4Ga not some puny a** 10 ga wire like what comes from the factory on our cars, it is a proven fact that a bigger wire with a higher wire count will have a less of a voltage drop.
we can sit here all day long and argue this but I don't have the time to deal with people who may or may not have a clue. But with my experiences like I said earlier before Run the biggest wire you can afford for power AND ground!!!!<hr></blockquote>

That thing you said about gettting the largest cable you can afford is absolutely correct. What I was saying was that you dont want a bigger cable from the alternator to the battery, and a smaller cable from the battery to your amps. And yes, the same size cable for power and ground.

**Harbin1** · 01-16-2003, 06:06 PM

Thanks for the help so far! [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]
OK, to continue my questions:

Is there any other type/brand of battery terminals that would't cost as much as the Monster Cables? They make up the bulk of the expenses. I don't need any razzle dazzle, I need more efficient power and that's the bottom line.

Any suggestions?

[ January 16, 2003: Message edited by: Harbin1 ]

**96firebird311** · 01-16-2003, 07:14 PM

knukonceptz
darvex

I suggest you buy your wire from there as well.... should be the cheapest....

I don't know what you guys are arguing about, but yes, you should upgrade your alt. to batt. wire if you have a H/O alternator. And he does. Stock=105amps Somebody please explain to me why this would be "stupid". Anybody? I didn't think so....

Ground and power wire should ALWAYS be the same size. And keep ground wire as short as possible. IN ALL CASES. From the amps... from the battery... it doesn't matter. Keep ground as short as possible. And grndlvl is correct. Electricity does flow from negative to positive, but you don't really have to worry about that unless you are dealing with transisters and such. Just know that ground is JUST as important as power wire.

**RSFireDog** · 01-16-2003, 08:46 PM

<blockquote>quote:<hr> I don't know what you guys are arguing about, but yes, you should upgrade your alt. to batt. wire if you have a H/O alternator. And he does. Stock=105amps Somebody please explain to me why this would be "stupid". Anybody? I didn't think so.... <hr></blockquote>

I think I wrote that down wrong when I said it was stupid. What I meant was that the cable should not be larger than the cable going from the amp to the battery. Sorry for the confusion

What we were arguing about is that someone said that the wire going from the amp to the battery should be smaller in diameter than the wire going from the alternator to the battery. This is untrue, its the other way around, but in most instances you want the same gauge cable anyways.

I'd stick with Parts Express as far as getting your cables and connectors.

**Harbin1** · 01-17-2003, 12:50 AM

Anybody ever used Audiopipe products? They've got a battery terminal that's right up my alley! Two 4 ga and one 8 ga. Here it is.

What about the different wires darvex.com offers? Stinger (which kind, there's several) or DB Link? I haven't heard or DB Link or Audiopipe so I'm just curious as to the quality of these products. As stated earlier, I think brand names are a bunch of bull. Quality stuff is quality stuff regardless of the sticker on the outside of it. I also don't settle for crap! It's a fine line, I guess you could say I'm a little anal retentive! [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

I'd also like to order from one company to save on shipping and the hassle.

Thanks for the help so far! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

**grndlvl** · 01-17-2003, 10:17 AM

<blockquote>quote:<hr>Originally posted by Harbin1:
Anybody ever used Audiopipe products? They've got a battery terminal that's right up my alley! Two 4 ga and one 8 ga. Here it is.

What about the different wires darvex.com offers? Stinger (which kind, there's several) or DB Link? I haven't heard or DB Link or Audiopipe so I'm just curious as to the quality of these products. As stated earlier, I think brand names are a bunch of bull. Quality stuff is quality stuff regardless of the sticker on the outside of it. I also don't settle for crap! It's a fine line, I guess you could say I'm a little anal retentive! [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

I'd also like to order from one company to save on shipping and the hassle.

Thanks for the help so far! [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img] <hr></blockquote>
if you want to order good stuff a good price order stinger hpm series wire thru darvex.com. I have delt with them and have given really good service to me. as far as bat cable ends are of concern anything that is brass with gold palting is fine brand name or not, I've used PG, Rockford, Monster, and a off brand no name and and all worked well for the application it was used for.

**96firebird311** · 01-17-2003, 10:32 AM

knukonceptz wire is some of the best around...

**Harbin1** · 01-21-2003, 08:34 PM

Ok, another question. Each power wire has a different strand count. All of the following counts and prices are for 4 ga wire:

Kolossus Kable: 1862 @ $0.89/ft
Stinger HPM: 1666 @ $1.50/ft
Stinger Pro: 1064 @ $1.25/ft
DB Link: 1862 @ $0.99/ft
Audiopipe: 1906 @ $0.65/ft

It looks like the Audiopipe is the best deal since it has the highest strand count and cheapest price. Can we say best-bang-for-the-buck? :D Where does strand quality come into play? I would think strand count would play a larger part since surface area is key to conductance. I've had some Physics in my day ;) Somebody chime in if I'm confused about this.

Thanks for the links 96firebird311, this got my total down to $40.25. Half as much!!

[ January 21, 2003: Message edited by: Harbin1 ]

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Replacing/Upgrading battery cables, need opinions

Replacing/Upgrading battery cables, need opinions

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