Hi guys I'm in a hurry and I'm sorry if this has already bin discussed.
I'm relocating my battery and was wondering if the 8 Gauge wire I already ran for my amp would be ok to use seeing as it's already bin run to my trunk? than I can just mount it in the trunk and wire the amp to the battery.
P.S. I plan on running an optima Red Top
Safe Limits of 8AWG
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GSss10Trunks
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Re: Safe Limits of 8AWG (GSss10Trunks)
It really depends on the amp because so many manufactures claim so many different wattages. I'd feel safe with 800-1200 watts max power on an 8 gauge wire, just put a fuse in the line rated at 30-40 amps and you shouldn't have a problem and if you do it will just be the fuse instead of the wire lighting on fire. To be honest I've run an MTX thunder elite on an 8 gauge wire with a big fuse and didn't have any issues but it's always better safe than sorry.
Re: Safe Limits of 8AWG (33alez33)
I wouldn't run anything smaller than 2 gauge. Most all battery reloc. kits come with 2 or 0 gauge......I'm guessing they do this for a reason.
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Vegascorbin
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Re: Safe Limits of 8AWG (wrgibson)
One thing that has a MAJOR impact on current capability of any wire is how it is routed and bumdeled. An 8 AWG wire in open air (of course with the outer covering still on) can carry allmost twice what that same wire can carry when inside a bundle of 10 or 15 wires.
Also 8 AWG Solid and 8 AWG Stranded have differant current carrying capability. Also the number and size of hte individual strands makes a differance.
For a Battery relocation I woould consider nothing less than 4 AWG and would preferr somthing in a 0 or 2 AWG. Remember that you are not only pulling current while starting but also while rechargeing the battery once the car is running.
Also 8 AWG Solid and 8 AWG Stranded have differant current carrying capability. Also the number and size of hte individual strands makes a differance.
For a Battery relocation I woould consider nothing less than 4 AWG and would preferr somthing in a 0 or 2 AWG. Remember that you are not only pulling current while starting but also while rechargeing the battery once the car is running.
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the converted
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Re: Safe Limits of 8AWG (Vegascorbin)
4 gauge should be fine but I wouldn't even think of using an 8 gauge.
Uh, what they said.
With DC line loss is a very real thing. Aside from the starter not getting the current it needs, you run the risk of burning up the entire cable trying to push too much through that little cable. As a former installer and a racer who has relocated more batteries than I wish to count, I use 1/0 welding "stinger" cable. (Not to be confused with the brand name stinger, but welding stinger cable is a fine strand and flexes easily.)
With DC line loss is a very real thing. Aside from the starter not getting the current it needs, you run the risk of burning up the entire cable trying to push too much through that little cable. As a former installer and a racer who has relocated more batteries than I wish to count, I use 1/0 welding "stinger" cable. (Not to be confused with the brand name stinger, but welding stinger cable is a fine strand and flexes easily.)