[49dream]

I am putting in a remote solenoid for my SBC 350
I need new battery cable. What I have seen at Auto Zone
is #4 is this heavy enough. I am running about 46" from battery to solenoid and 44 " to stater.

Any input will be appreciated

[poncho62]

With battery cables...................the bigger the better. #1 size would be ideal, especially when you need to use a longer length.

Most people use #4, but bigger would be better.

[malc]

1 gauge and with fine strands of wire, conducts better and is flexible.

[nosaj122081]

I'd personally go with either 1 or 2 AWG wire... I don't even use 4 AWG for high powered stereos, let alone starters. For good, cheap cable go to your electrical supply store and buy welding cable. Its about a buck a foot for those sizes and its durability puts the $4 a foot shiney red "automotive" cable to shame. Just IMO.

[49dream]

The welding cable sounds the way to go for a buck a foot.

Is the insulation as good as the shinny stuff. The cable runs within 1 " of my headers

[poncho62]

I was told NOT to use welding cable...........don't remember why, maybe someone else knows. Something to do with how much conductivity there is.................

[malc]

Here´s the type of cable to look for http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/1-0.shtml .
I´m not 100% sure but I think he´s stopped doing custom cable due to it´s time consuming, and shipping can be very expensive.

[nosaj122081]

Theres alot of old wives tales about wire... As an 4th year EE major, I can safely say, coppers copper. Welding cable is just as good as any high dollar cabling, it is very durable and very flexible. The insulation on the welding cable is actually BETTER than any of the automotive grade cables I've delt with, it is THICK... Real thick. It was made to get drug all over a shop floor, over sharp edges and random crap. I had a car where I had a piece of welding cable for the stereo, and one of the fastners came loose... I drove with that stuff draggin' the ROAD for at least a few miles, and it showed NO signs of damage.

Originally posted by malc
Here´s the type of cable to look for http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/1-0.shtml .
I´m not 100% sure but I think he´s stopped doing custom cable due to it´s time consuming, and shipping can be very expensive.

That guy has some serious BS on that site to sell his own cable IMO. The insulation, other than that pretty yellow layer inside, looks identical to that of welding cable; and $5.00 for 30 seconds worth of crimping to have 99 cent ends put on it. Welding cable IIRC say RIGHT ON IT that its rated to stand up to gas and a hazardous enviroment. And I know some pretty old mechanics that have some pretty old stick welders that have the original-type cable on it.

[302 Z28]

Go the the Mcmaster Carr website www.mcmaster.com and look at part number 6948K95. It is high flex marine grade battery cable. You cannot buy better cabling than this. It comes in red or black. I used the 1/0 AWG size to locate the battery and remote solenoid on my 34 in the trunk. The voltage drop from the rear to the starter is imperceptible.

Vince

[julmer]

#4 is fine for short runs but, if you are going to make them up yourself, #2 or #0 isn't much more expensive so why not. Welding cable is about the best. Because of it's fine strands, it is extreamly flexable and resistant to damage from bending or vibration. Unless you have a special application that will see a lot of water, marine grade cable is not worth the extra cost. My welding supply house sells almost every size of welding cable by the foot so you can easily get just a couple of feet.

[302 Z28]

julmer, I priced typical 1/0 welding cable from a local electrical supply house. It was comparable in price to the stuff I got from McMaster Carr. Welding cable is flexible, but the marine grade battery cable is even more flexible. Unless you have an inside tract to getting reduced prices from a local electrical supply house your better off ordering it online IMO.

Vince

[julmer]

You should check your WELDING supply place, not an electrical supplier. I bought a bunch of #4 to replace all the interconnect cables on my motorhome and I think it was about 65 or 70 cents a foot. Bigger stuff priced accordingly. Plus, a half hour round trip and I was working on my project.
The McMaster-Carr catalog says their hi-flex is also known as welding cable and they get $1.44 a foot for 4ga in small quantities.
True marine grade ( http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...120&storeNum=9) is $3.19 a foot for 4ga.

[wheel-7]

I just finished redoing my battery cable and let me say that the
# 1 welding cable worked out great for me.
My battery is in the trunk and it had the Summit remote battery kit with # 4 wire to the starter and the ground was bolted on a small tab that was welded to the body inside the trunk.
This set up worked O.K I never had a lick of trouble.
I replaced this with # 1 welding cable. Of course, I ran the hot cable to the starter. I then ran the ground ( also #1 welding cable ) all the way to the block. I then ran # 1 gauge cable from the block to the frame. Then from the other side of the block I ran # 1 gauge wire to the body.
To some people this may be a little overkill. I dont really know ?
I dont know if its in my head, having the satisfaction of doing a nice neat job and everything working properly. I swear the lights seemed brighter, the car ran a tad better or felt like it did?
Regardless, its done, it works great and Im very happy with it.

[julmer]

If you run a remote battery and don't run a separate ground cable, the ground should always be firmly attached to the frame, not the body (unibodies excepted). Body has lots of joints and is thin. Frame is a heavy piece of steel from front to back. Don't forget the block to frame ground strap either.

[ddziurda]

If you are only starting with it, I would go with a #2. If you are running anything else like a heavier charging circuit, or a duel battery system, with accesories like a winch, definatley go with the biggest you can get. Wire size = amperage capacity. When amperage capacity is at its peak in a wire, it then creates heat from the resistance, think of it like a hose, you have a 3/4" hose at 25 psi, you get X amount of gallons per minute, you have a 1" hose at 25 psi you get X amount of gallons per minute, PSI being voltage and hose size being amps capacity.. Hope this helped