[71 T/A]

I was wondering if bigger battery cables are sold for specific cars and applications. I wanted a set made for my 69 GTO and a local shop made them but can one buy these already done, say for a 70's Firebird?

[imposter]

go to a welding supply store much better quality and price

[Willshire]

Car Audio Shops also carry big heavy gauge cable up to 4/0 i think

[Lee]

I've used these guys a few times, and they have an excellent product.

http://www.custombatterycables.com/

Industrial-quality lugs, different insulator material to meet different needs, and lots of options.

[Tim Corcoran]

Welding cable carries more amps and has lower resistance than standard stranded copper wire of the same size. You can make your own pretty cheap. Most welding supply stores sell the cable by the foot and the ends too. I use marine style battery terminals and use size 01 cable.

[lust4speed]

I've had a problem with the insulation on the welding cable. While very pliable, it doesn't seem to last very long at all before rotting. The automotive rated insulation on battery cables seems to last forever.

Been awhile since I've bought per-assembled battery cables, but Blue Streak had some very nice stuff. Probably other manufacturers are out there as well.

[My442]

M&H Electrical will make you factory looking battery cables in larger gauges.

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by lust4speed

I've had a problem with the insulation on the welding cable. While very pliable, it doesn't seem to last very long at all before rotting. The automotive rated insulation on battery cables seems to last forever.

Been awhile since I've bought per-assembled battery cables, but Blue Streak had some very nice stuff. Probably other manufacturers are out there as well.

Correct, you don't particularly want to use welding cable, for a number of reasons. You should be using automotive-grade cable, which has a particular spec.

You can go to any of the auto wire places and get the cable, and the spec is for a certain number of strands as well.

Here is the DelCity offerings:

http://www.delcity.net/store//store/Battery-Cable/p_351

Here's WayTek's offerings:

http://www.waytekwire.com/products/1...Welding-Cable/

Even though WayTek offers some types of 'welding' cable, I personally would stick to the J1127 spec stuff. (even though it can cost 5 times as much)

.

[Don 79 TA]

if you want something really good, most high end audio shops will have what you need
or that link to the custom battery cable, as i've read in the past others have had good results with

[Tim Corcoran]

DelCity has a minimum of 25 feet and Waytekwire has a minimum of 100 feet so most guys won't want to buy 25 feet of battery cable.

I have had welding cable on one of my cars since 1985 and no signs of rotting or breakdown of the insulation. I also have welding cable on another car since 2005 and the insulation is like new. The insulation of welding cable is quite durable because it is made to be repeatedly drug around on the ground.

[Tom Vaught]

I have had welding cable on two different cars (one a battery in the trunk deal and one with the 67 RA battery cable next to the block deal vs thru the exhaust manifold.

Both look like new.

Tom V.

ps There IS different levels of welding cable too beside just gage size.

[HWYSTR455]

The welding cable that I've seen has a heavy rubbery cover that is larger than the PVC type cables, and it 'chunks' and dry rots/cracks. Because it's bigger in diameter, it's more difficult to route, and the standard retaining tabs are too small to work right. I had one at one time actually get 'mushy' and soft, like the cover was 'melting', and that was not from heat. (think it may have been from engine gunk/cleaner or brake/PS fluid)

There are places you can purchase the cable by foot, just have to shop it. The cost is pretty much the same as welding cable, so I really see no reason to not buy the properly rated and intended purpose cable for an auto application.

.

[Willshire]

Car Audio cable is manufactured much the same way as welding cable or locomotive cable, multiple tiny strands to make it more pliable. the advantage to car audio cable is it contains silicone for heat resistance. Keep in mind it is designed to be run to the battery, through the car to the trunk. 0 awg cable will carry up to almost 200 amps, 00 - 250 amps, and 000 - 300 amps, hence the reason most battery cables are #4 awg. Now, although if you put 4000W of stereo in your car, back it up with a couple of capacitors and beef up the alternator. as for standard, factory stereo stuff, your 145 amp alternator and #4 cable will be fine. Unless you are going from one end of the car to the other then, maybe, bump it to #2 gauge.

[HWYSTR455]

Good point, many go overkill on the starter cable when it's not needed, but keep in mind too that the battery charges over that wire, and depending on demand and wiring, you MIGHT need a larger one than 4.

IF you run the hot start 'fix' solenoid, and you use the post as a common junction for power, then you still don't need to upgrade the size of the actual battery or starter cable. (the starter circuit is isolated to the starter only)

IF you run the OE wiring, and the charge wire goes to the starter, and splits to the horn relay, AND you have non-OE accessories, like electric fan, pump, stereo, then I would suggest going up one or two sizes.

.

[Willshire]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

Good point, many go overkill on the starter cable when it's not needed, but keep in mind too that the battery charges over that wire, and depending on demand and wiring, you MIGHT need a larger one than 4.

IF you run the hot start 'fix' solenoid, and you use the post as a common junction for power, then you still don't need to upgrade the size of the actual battery or starter cable. (the starter circuit is isolated to the starter only)

IF you run the OE wiring, and the charge wire goes to the starter, and splits to the horn relay, AND you have non-OE accessories, like electric fan, pump, stereo, then I would suggest going up one or two sizes.

.

Agreed. I think with intermittent loads (fan, cigarette lighter, etc.) pushing over the ampacity of the alternator is fine but keeping in mind that the alternator can only charge the battery at it's maximum output. If you have a 145 amp alternator and driving down the road at night with all your accessories on, if it pulls more than 145 amps total, the alternator cannot keep up and you will start to drain the battery, and lights dim etc. a #2AWG will carry all of the load a 145 amp alternator can throw at it. 145amp alternator at 13.5 volts is just under 2000 watts of available power at maximum output. Your headlights consume 10% of that. you will where out an alternator pretty fast if you pump out more than 80-85% of it's max output

[Nicks67GTO]

FWIW RobbMC told me #4 was unacceptable for pushing their starters and I was having an issue with my cables so I went to a supply store and had them make me 1 Ott cables both positive and negative. Overkill on wire size never hurt anything but your pocketbook.

[Bob Dillon]

Mad Electrical also makes custom battery cables, and he's pretty reasonable.

MADelectrical.com

[Willshire]

Originally Posted by Nicks67GTO

FWIW RobbMC told me #4 was unacceptable for pushing their starters and I was having an issue with my cables so I went to a supply store and had them make me 1 Ott cables both positive and negative. Overkill on wire size never hurt anything but your pocketbook.

The locked rotor current of the starter will be over 300% of the running current in most cases. It is the biggest load on the whole system, good thing it is only intermittent.

[David Jones]

The #2 gauge cables (welding cable) I made in March 2006 look remarkably like they did when I put them on. They are made up of very fine copper wire, have a thin rubber covering and were/are amazingly flexible. After nearly 10 years can't imagine what would make that covering check, crack or chunk.

[HWYSTR455]

Originally Posted by David Jones

The #2 gauge cables (welding cable) I made in March 2006 look remarkably like they did when I put them on. They are made up of very fine copper wire, have a thin rubber covering and were/are amazingly flexible. After nearly 10 years can't imagine what would make that covering check, crack or chunk.

Spray some brake cleaner on it or maybe some brake fluid, leave it sit for a little, then see if it checks. The cover isn't rated for chemicals, or most welding cables aren't. As previously stated though, there are different grades for welding cable.

My point from the beginning is that if you are going to actually buy cable, why would you buy something that is not rated for under the hood of a car? Just makes no sense to me.

.