Trunk Battery Power Loss????

[Shirley]

I just installed a battery relocation kit in the rear passenger side of the trunk. It came with 20ft. of 2 gauge welding cable, and a 4 gauge for the ground cable. I am utilizing three ground points. Two in the spare tire well, and I kept the original ground cable that grounds to the block. She starts okay at first, but if I drive anywhere, park, and restart the car, it barely cranks over. My question is: How much resistance is building up due to the huge length of the + cable. My buddy said I should hook up a 250 amp fuse to the + cable. Anything else I could do for safety. Not concerned about being track legal right now. thanks

 

[Shirley]

come on guys, I know a bunch of u have done this b4. What was the method to your madness?

 

[mattkimsey]

OT: did you have to take the spare tire out to mount the battery?

 

[Shirley]

I don't have a spare in the first place, but you could snake the wires around the tire, but I would wire it dfferently if I had a spare tire.

 

[mattkimsey]

cool...bump 4 u

 

[1EVIL88VERT]

try double checking all your grounds, make sure their is no paint or dirt where you ground it. also make sure all the connections are tight. i had the same problem with mine when i did it. i ended up testing four different ground points in the trunk before i found a good one

 

[luckythirteen13]

try upgrading the ground to a gauge. also, what alt. are you using? if stock, that could be the problem. when i put my battery in the trunk the stock alternator took a dump, it was just too much for it. everyone said i just didnt wire it up right but i know i did. i bought a 150amp alternator in hopes to fix the problem and i have absolutely no charging problems at all now

 

[srothfuss]

JRICHKER (SP?)has a good write up on battery re-location issues. I would search for his name or the key word battery and you will find his post.

Good luck,

P.S. as a general rule most grounds should be 18" or shorter

 

[Shirley]

awesome thanks guys. I guess its time to upgrade the ol alternator

 

[jrichker]

Rear mounted battery ground wiring. Follow this plan and you will have zero ground problems.

One 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from battery negative post to a clean shiny spot on the chassis near the battery. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt it down to make the rear ground. Use a 1 gauge or 1/0 gauge wire from the rear ground bolt to a clean shiny spot on the block.

One 4 gauge wire from the block where you connected the battery ground wire to the chassis ground where the battery was mounted up front. Use a 5/16” bolt and bolt down the 4 gauge engine to chassis ground, make sure that it the metal around the bolt is clean & shiny. This is the alternator power ground.

Crimp or even better, solder the lugs on the all the wire. The local auto stereo shop will have them if the auto parts store doesn't. Use some heat shrink tubing to cover the lugs and make things look nice.

The computer has a dedicated power ground wire with a cylindrical quick connect (about 2 ½”long by 1” diameter. It comes out of the wiring harness near the ignition coil & starter solenoid (or relay). Be sure to bolt it to the chassis ground in the same place as you bolted the alternator power ground. This is an absolute don’t overlook it item for EFI cars