Safety question--Should I use insulation on charging cable through rocker panel?

Not sure why I thought this was 4 gauge wire...

The copper strands are bundled about as big around as a bic pen. But I HAVE seen bigger at the welding aisle. Using 2 on the main battery line.

 

What, you believe that?

 

Is this cable THAT cheap? Then I don't know why I am trying to skimp. I was assuming 3-5 bucks a foot for the big stuff. In that case...

 

I use 1/0 welding cable in all the cars that I wire with a battery in the trunk.

 

OK, biggest I can find is #2 welding cable. Is that the same as 2 gauge, or is it measured differently? $3 per foot.

 

A search on the 'net shows that it is just 2 AWG which as far as I know is just 2-gauge. So be it. If it can handle a welder, it can handle my Optima.

Better than the 6 gauge I started with, and the 4 I have now...

 

Yes, #2 welding cable is 2AWG but it has more strands (finer) of wire in it for flexibility. It makes good cable for cars because of its flexibility.

 

Welding cable is 2/0 or 1/0 not #2 . Example in guages; 18, 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, 00, 1/0, 2/0, 4/0.
#4 isn't battery cable it's a filament (probably glows in the dark when your cranking....lol)
I use 1/0 for short runs (1-4 feet) and 2/0 for longer runs. Double the distance from the item being powered to the battery (pos AND neg) to determine the total lenght of the run. Then consult a marine graph to determine what diameter cable is acceptable for a given amperage load! (the free West Marine Catalog) aw hell here it is for you.... http://www.westmarine.com/pdf/MarineWire.pdf
BTW.....the cable #4 is probably#4 SAE instead of the superior #4 AWG
AWG wire has much thicker insulation, and more strands for a given diameter which equals less resistance...and flexibility...or to put it plainly AWG vs. SAE of a given diameter will carry more current to it's destination.
Find a West Marine store or a really good marine electric supply store.
But then...you will then need a specialty too to crimp on the end lugs..a very critical process. The SAE crap in Autozone is well....crap.

Use a through bulkheads gland to pass the cable through sheet metal. what you do is drill the hole in the metal, stick the thing in, pass your cable through it, then it has a rubber bushing that then seals down on the cable as you tighten the gland. ten years down the road it as good as the day you put it in. It's cheap, but you have to find a marine electrical store. I suggest West Coast Marine Electric in Venice CA. 1 310 636 8400 ask for Mark tell them Mack sent you..

 

My neighbor across the street is an electrical engineer at the refineries and has all those ends and crimping tools, so I am good there. West Marine just up the street about 30 minutes.

Thanks for feedback!

Printed out the West Marine chart.

 

Hey Captainmack,
You can get welding cable in many different sizes. The difference is that it is made with more finer strands so it is flexible - it usually costs a bit more than "styandard cable" but if you need the flexibility it is well worth it. I have 2/0 cable that is NOT welding cable and I will tell you it is no where near as flexible.
But the I am running it through 3/4" High pressure hydraulic hose (3 wire) to protect it from being damaged by rocks and such (like collisions).

 

I gather from your post that this is an alternator charging cable,not a starter cable. 4ga is plenty for that use. I would run spaghetti tube over it and put it through rubber grommets at the holes. The wire will move around in a rocker panel. It`s a little more cost,but IMO is worth doing. It will also keep dirt out of your rocker panels.

 

If you are running a 100+ amp alternator you need to have more than 4AWG cable when it euns to the rear of the car. There is too large a voltage drop in the smaller cable. That causes heat and will keep the battery from being fully charged.

 

amen....Paul.. :

 

heres how i wire up cars that have the battery in the trunk with a 3g (130 amp) alt.
use a 0 gage cable, usually welding cable. run that from the trunk to the solinoid. then i run a 8 or 6 gage cable from the post on the alt to the post on the solinoid. if you use a battery shut off switch, i will run a new cable (6 gage) from the batery to the switch then from the switch i got to the fuese block. split the fuese block. there is a thick yellow wire that comes from the fire wall side and goes to to the fuse block side. cut the wire from the fire wall side and sodder it to the cable from the switch. that yellow wire comes from the starter solinoid. it has a fuseable link in it. so you should put a high amperage fuse in the 6 gage wire close to the battery. now if you add any eletrical idems like a elec. fan, fuel pump, etc. give its power source from the starter solinoid or batery and use a realy that is triggered by the stock igniton power wire. this will be nhra compliant and not put extra strain on the stock wiring harness. also if you have a stero that has an memory wire, run that wire to the solinoid and you wont loose your presets and clock when the bat switch is turned off.

 

It has been since 2001 since I was in the electrical field and then that was working on electric breakers of the 600 amp up to 1200 amp units. I was getting confused between cables like 250 MCM 2/0 and 2 gauge. Getting old. and it sucks. lol
The cable I did get from auto zone has the clear sheath so you can see the any corrosion and I like that. I honestly don't remember if it was 2/0 or 2 awg but I think it was 2/0. Not sure I would use it all the way to the truck though just knowing it came from auto zone so I take back my recommendation.
I do suggest soldering any connections unless it is a true factory style crimp. A factory style crimp is probably not going to be done at home unless you buy some nice hydraulic or at least ratcheting type crimpers that are calibrated at least yearly.
clint