Fuse/Breaker - Battery In Trunk

[plum500]

Hey all, I've relocated my battery to the trunk. I really want to keep it there, but I'm really not comfortable without having a breaker or a fuse on that main hot line running all the way up through the car. I ran the cable (1/0) thru liquid tight for some added protection - and everthing is quite secure, and works great. ...but, I am still not comfortable with it. If nothing else, in the case of an accident I don't want that line compromised, and have a nice heating element starting a fire inside the car. Just wondering if anyone else has done this, has any suggestions, etc. If I was to put a breaker, what size would I need for typical cranking amps on a stock starter of a 383 in typically warm weather using (1/0) wire...? Any help greatly appreciated.

[Ghoste]

If it's getting that hot I'd be looking for a different cable.

[A383Wing]

If it's getting that hot I'd be looking for a different cable.

I dont think he meant the cable was getting "hot", I think he meant it was the "hot" (ie 12v "+") side cable

Bryan

[Ghoste]

He mentioned worrying about it starting a fire. 

[plum500]

Yeah, no, I just meant hot as in the +12V ...concern of fire if it's ever pinched/cut in the event of an accident...or for that matter, anything happening in the bay that may ground it. The cable itself is cool as a cucumber.

[Chryco Psycho]

well the facory never used a fuse in the main battery cable on anything I can recall , I generally use welding cable with tough insulation on it & have never installed a fuse , it would have to be close to 2oo amp I would think & slow blow

[Ghoste]

I wouldn't think you are in any more danger with it being in the trunk than underhood.  Do they use a breaker of any sort with the Mercedes, Rolls, Bentleys and such that have it in the trunk?

[plum500]

Around 200 and slow blow sounds about right. I've heard that newer vehicles with the battery mounted further back (under the back seat in at least some newer Cadillacs)... but from what I hear and have read, no breaker or fuse - which blows my mind, especially considering it's not even in the trunk. I don't know if there is any special sheilding they use or not - to protect against being cut by metal - but either way, the end of that cable has to be exposed somewhere, and that's a nice long heating element that will light up the car quite effectively, if your battery doesn't go boom

At least all in the bay, it's a short cable - at least any short would be localized and accessible. That being said, I'd still like to keep it in the trunk.

I've read about a couple other suggestions - like a solenoid/relay/remote switch setup that would allow one direct route for cranking, then switching the loop over to a fused/breaker link for regular operation.

I dunno, I just thought a breaker would be such an obvious and popular solution ... but it seems not. 

I've got some really tough sheilding around this running through the car. I'm not really too concerned about that. I'm just concerned that it might not take something like a total catastrophe up front to create a much worse situation.

[Big Sugar]

Yeah thats what i did, its a motorcraft starter selenoid it cuts power to the main 0 gauge power feed to the starter once you let go of the key.
Mad electric has what you need as well as a wiring diagram, google.  Mad electric


Ron

[plum500]

Thanks Ron, I found this on a Mustang forum - seems like a decent setup too. I've got one of those green screw type disconnectors for when I'm not using it, but I like that race compliant kill switch too. Seems I am just going to have to run a couple smaller lines for re-charging and powering everything but the starter ... fusing in the right places. In the end, with the short, but very secure unswitched power to the switch/solenoid setup, might be even safer than having the battery up front in the original location.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4hOouW3v5yM

[plum500]

Just as an aside, here's the box it's going to in the trunk. The top is lined with 1/2" rubber so there will not be any shorting there. Vent is going to run out through a spot in the tail, under the bumper, where I just popped a body plug out. I know, the date on these battery box pics goes back a while. I've been on a bit of a hiatus from the car work, to say the least. She's getting done this fall/winter/spring - I'm determined.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,28497.0.html