A Neat Way For My Power Lead

[309jazzpanda 41]

Ok the 309 has the battery located in the boot, I have run a lovely big power lead down through the car (obviously I hear you shout) it runs into the engine bay and I have an in-line maxi/mega fuse holder to connect the power cable to the starter/alternator original cable. Now this looks ok to my eyes but now I need to run 2, I think? power leads to the shunt box behind the nearside headlamp, my inline fuse is mounted on the battery tray and I want a way to run the leads but look neat and tidy, over from the battery tray to the shunt box.

Any ideas? .Also what rating wire would I ideally be looking for?

[sport1901966 8]

What makes you think you need 2? I only have 1 going to the shunt box I think.

 

The power from the shunt box runs the cooling fan and the rest of the vehicle electronics/headlights etc. I think you would be fine to use similar gauge cable to the original shunt box feed providing you have no major additional electrical load. This is because when the engine is running, the alternator will be the voltage source, and cable lengths will be similar to standard between that and the shunt box.Also providing your boot to engine bay feed cable is correctly spec'd you wont have significant enough voltage drop to cause any concern powering the auxiliary electricals just on battery power (as it should be rated for starting currents so voltage drop at normal electrical system currents should be negligible).

Edited April 5, 2013 by sport1901966

[TooMany2cvs 65]

If you're going to put a fuse in that main +ve cable, then I'd personally put it at the other end, near the battery - if that big long run chafes or gets damaged, then it's preferable to have a fuse blow than lots of sparks and meltiness.

 

The starter could easily pull several hundred amps, so you want to size the cable and fuse for that, as well as avoiding voltage drop over a big long cable.

[309jazzpanda 41]

Its only fused on the engine bay so I could join the original starter/alternator cable to the new cable.

I'm tempted to purchase a BMW power lead, fuse the rear and fit it all the way starter,

Its only fused on the engine bay so I could join the original starter/alternator cable to the new cable.

I'm tempted to purchase a BMW power lead, fuse the rear and fit it all the way starter,

Oh also I thought the shunt box required both sides powered

Edited April 5, 2013 by 309jazzpanda