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wiring mini starter questions

Fst Blk

Well-Known Member
I know this has been discussed, but I can't find exactly what I want. I want the battery in the trunk. I have a 2 gauge welding wire to run to the mini starter. I didn't plan to use the original soleniod. What is my best options? After searching, I'm not big on having a big hot wire running the length of my car.

Bill
 
Battery tray on the passenger side trunk, installed in a closed battery box per santioning body rules, wire ran over the passenger wheelhouse, under the sill plate, drilled a hole through the A pillar kick panel, threaded cable forward to the original battery location, drilled hole through inner panel near the solenoid and attached it with the bolt. Attached the cable to the inner fender between the kick panel and solenoid with cable hold-downs and pop rivets. Swedge the fittings on the cable ends and shrink wrap to seal.
 
I put a lot of time and research into this one myself. Spoke to a number of auto-electric specialists, etc. I ran a 1/0 wire from the trunk to the front. It's a long run and a very high draw circuit. I wouldn't run a 2 gauge wire myself. Borderline at best according to everyone whose opinion I respect in the field.
My starter solenoid is in the trunk as well. Not going to run such a huge wire live full time through the car. Too many things can happen. I have a smaller feed wire for full time power that runs through a rear mounted circuit breaker. I am using a separate trigger wire for the main rear starter solenoid and the switch on the mini-starter itself. All the wiring is run in hidden areas from rear to front. You can't even see the massive starter wire until it just appears at the starter. Pretty proud of that fact!

I welded large (3/8-16) bolts to the chassis and roll cage for ground connections. Cleaned them. Dielectric grease coated and then covered in shrink sleeve every connection. You can never put too much effort into having a good ground set-up.
 
Here's a couple pics of the wire I used. This is a very high strand count, super flexible wire that I easily threaded through the car. You can see the name of the website from where I bought the wire printed on the cable sleeve.

starter wire.jpg cable size.jpg

A really good source for all things auto-electric is www.madelectrical.com The guy is a bottomless font of info on automotive electrical stuff. I spent a couple HOURS on the phone with him one night while sitting in a hotel somewhere going over my build and having him tirelessly walk me through suggestions and such. I have spent thirty years in a technical role of sorts dealing with electrical controls and such and learned some interesting stuff from him.
 
Battery tray on the passenger side trunk, installed in a closed battery box per santioning body rules, wire ran over the passenger wheelhouse, under the sill plate, drilled a hole through the A pillar kick panel, threaded cable forward to the original battery location, drilled hole through inner panel near the solenoid and attached it with the bolt. Attached the cable to the inner fender between the kick panel and solenoid with cable hold-downs and pop rivets. Swedge the fittings on the cable ends and shrink wrap to seal.
mine is nearly identical to Mach1Mark's, but I don't have a mini starter on the ole 429
 
x2 on madelectrical.com

http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/tm-1.shtml

I used his diagram for the trunk mounted battery. Eliminates the big constant hot running front to rear. The only change I made was using a megafuse in place of the fusible link in the trunk.

I had a lot of email communication with them and Horseplay stated above, they are a wealth of good information.
 
I ran my line similar to Ramrod's. I kept the solenoid in stock location with both wires going to the mini starter. Always has worked, never a problem. When the car is not running though, it is off with a main kill switch. I did add more insulation where the hot cable passes through any metal. Strangely enough, it fits inside garden hose! I have all my wires wrapped with heavy plastic wire wrap anywhere that's close to something it might rub.


Nice to see you here bartl !
 
So keep the solenoid seems to be the general consensus? I really didn't plan on it but if it works it works.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
A small hot wire is perfectly cable of starting a fire as is a big hot wire. You have to have some kind of power supply to your accessories as well as an output wire from the alternator to charge the battery. I'd place a 350A Anderson plug right off the battery with a cable-operated emergency disconnect.

Anderson Plug:
http://i.ebayimg.com/t/PAIR-ANDERSO...Aw/$T2eC16ZHJF8E9nnC8HI)BQQNZ7B3dg~~60_35.JPG

Emergency Disconnect:
http://www.rechargecar.com/assets2/SDC_callouts_2.png
Fusing or use of a circuit breaker on the full time hot lead and alternator wire are the best forms of protection. By the time you sense the need to disable the power feed you are already likely in danger of a fire. The only indicator you will have of a wire short or overdraw routed through a door sill or such will the be smell of the insulation burning or worse. I am in the fuse everything camp. And use the correct types of fuses. HUGE difference in a fast blow vs. slow blow types, for example. I used a number of many different types of protection in my wiring. Fuses, breakers and fusible links all have their place.

Having an easily accesible manual disconnect for the battery is a great thing too.
 
Here's the problem with circuit protection on the main power lead.... it has to be big enough to accommodate the highest load that will be seen... in most cases, to be on the safe side, in excess of 200 amps. Now, that circuit protection is fine in the case of a dead short like, for instance, an accident where the power lead gets pinched between the chassis. However, say that over time the insulation gets worn away in one spot and a small air gap exists between the conductor and ground. Ever seen somebody weld with a 12-volt battery? That's right, no dead short....not enough current draw to blow the fuse... a nice arc to start a fire and you won't know about it until you smell the smoke.
 
Thats why the main + lead should be positioned in the middle of the car.
Like along the drive shaft tunnel inside the car.
imho
 
Let's be clear for everyone reading this thread. The full time hot lead is not the starter cable. It is the wire that runs 12vdc to power items like your courtesy lights, headlights, etc. Stuff that will "turn on" when the key is not in the ignition. Also, provides power for stuff that will run off the accessory position of the ignition switch. Unless you have some stupid crazy stereo set-up with humongous amps and such this is not a high draw circuit. This can be safely and effectively protected with a fuse or circuit breaker.

Now for those of us with trunk mount batteries that run large gauge wires up to the front, if my car is involved in an accident damaging enough to break/cut the cable I have running through the rocker panel/door sill...potential of fire is the least of my concerns!
 
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