Wire from battery to front of car

[petenjan]

Has any one out there run a wire (16 to 18 gage) from the battery area to the front of the car without drilling a hole in the front bulkhead?
If so, what route did you take? I want to run a hot fused wire from the battery into the area near what would be the horn location if it was on the passenger side.
Thanks

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by petenjan

Has any one out there run a wire (16 to 18 gage) from the battery area to the front of the car without drilling a hole in the front bulkhead?
If so, what route did you take? I want to run a hot fused wire from the battery into the area near what would be the horn location if it was on the passenger side.
Thanks

Doing just that to install a charge/jumpstart port for when/if I have any battery problems. I intend to use larger wire for that, though...probably more like #1 stranded copper cable with an Anderson Connector on it to plug into.
The other option would be to just install an Optima battery with more clout.

[petenjan]

Yeah: I've thought about that myself.
I'm going to get the front end up on some ramps sometime at the end of the week, or maybe the weekend - try to see how to get the wire snaked between the plastic undertray and the Tridion shell until I can get if far enough forward to route it up the bulkhead. I've looked in the battery well, and I think there is enough "give" in the rubber gromet where the wires go out that I could slip a smaller wire through. I don't know about a #1 wire - that is pretty thick. Post how you're doing - so shall I.
Pete

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by petenjan

Yeah: I've thought about that myself.
I'm going to get the front end up on some ramps sometime at the end of the week, or maybe the weekend - try to see how to get the wire snaked between the plastic undertray and the Tridion shell until I can get if far enough forward to route it up the bulkhead. I've looked in the battery well, and I think there is enough "give" in the rubber gromet where the wires go out that I could slip a smaller wire through. I don't know about a #1 wire - that is pretty thick. Post how you're doing - so shall I.
Pete

When I do it, I will find a good spot to bore thru to gain access to the front compartment to run the wires and then simply install the proper electrical feedthru (bulkhead connector) for the wire size and run the wires thru that way.
I personally don't like the inaccessibility of the battery and so will make the charge/jump port very accessible under the hood....so to speak.

[petenjan]

Hey Jonnysan;
I found my way through with the wires. I could get my 16 and 18 gauge through, but I don't think it will handle the size wire you want to run.

Anyway, I will now continue my project of adding an air horn as well as one of those electric "trolly car" bells. I'm wiring a selector switch and button up where the coin holder sits on the shifter console. That way I'll have my regular horn, an air horn, and for those more civilized moments when I just want to say hello to a passerby, a lillle "ding-dong" bell.
Pete

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by petenjan

Hey Jonnysan;
I found my way through with the wires. I could get my 16 and 18 gauge through, but I don't think it will handle the size wire you want to run.

Anyway, I will now continue my project of adding an air horn as well as one of those electric "trolly car" bells. I'm wiring a selector switch and button up where the coin holder sits on the shifter console. That way I'll have my regular horn, an air horn, and for those more civilized moments when I just want to say hello to a passerby, a lillle "ding-dong" bell.
Pete

Watch carefully for potential wire short circuit pathways....especially if it is before the fuse, if possible. Good luck with the install.

[8X5X5ft]

If you are going to hook a charger up to the 16 or 18 gauge wire are you have to make sure the wire is heavy enough. Maybe for a trickle charger, but not to rapid charge the car or to use it to start the car. Why not run a heavy gauge wire -10 or 12 gauge from the battery to under the front passenger carpet and terminate under the passenger seat. That would seem to be easier than running it through the bulkhead.

[Woody14619]

I'm looking for something similar to put a jumper block under the "hood" of the car to make jumping/charging easier. The current location for the battery is near useless. Right now I have a second 12v socket in the glove box (direct wired w/ fuse) that I can hook my trickle charger into. But once it's warm again I'd love to put something up front.

[jonnysan]

Originally Posted by 8X5X5ft

If you are going to hook a charger up to the 16 or 18 gauge wire are you have to make sure the wire is heavy enough. Maybe for a trickle charger, but not to rapid charge the car or to use it to start the car. Why not run a heavy gauge wire -10 or 12 gauge from the battery to under the front passenger carpet and terminate under the passenger seat. That would seem to be easier than running it through the bulkhead.

8x5! I'll have to take a look at that approach but without looking I'd say that is a good idea. A mod to your idea would be to put the plug up into that little cubby above your left foot where nothing is...even closer to the battery, too!
Thanks!

[mendo]

I snaked 2 #10 wires from the batt up under the hood. both on the + terminal of the battery. I connected the - to a bolt under the hood, now I have a 60A anderson connector that in an emergency I can connect power to unlock the doors or jumpstart. each #10 is good for 35 amps on the safe side, so 70 amps is no problem.