What battery cables are you guys using?
12-16-06, 12:06 AM
#1
What battery cables are you guys using?
Hey guys, I was wondering what type of battery cables you guys are using and how you wired the fusible link wire? I just bought a new battery and the way I have my link wire is too tall bacause the new battery is taller so my copper end touches the hood when it's closed. I have it disconnected right now as my FB isn't starting for me right now anyway. Thanks alot guys
12-16-06, 12:35 AM
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Clutchless in San Antonio
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I'm running this set from Mazdatrix.com. Great cables IMO.......
http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=67-250E-FA54
http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=67-260B-FA54
http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=67-250E-FA54
http://www.mazdatrix.com/getprice.as...m=67-260B-FA54
12-16-06, 03:19 AM
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I have new stock cables and I wired in a Fuse and relay block from a Geo Metro. I have the relays running everything now instead of using direct switched current. Everything is way better now (lights are hella bright, no radio static, etc).
12-16-06, 04:31 AM
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In physics it is well-known that the current in a wire is mostly carried at the circumference of the wire. Thus, a hollow tube has about the same conductance (and it's inverse, resistance) as a solid bar of copper. So, a 1/2 inch copper tube such as is used for domestic water tube, has about the same conductance (and resistance) as a solid bar of copper 1/2 inch in diameter. Though this seems counter-intuitive, it is nonetheless true. It is explained by applying Maxwells Equations and one sees that the current streams in the wire vigorously push away from each other, thus pushing current flow toward the skin of the wire. This is sometimes called "the skin effect".
If you draw a circle on a piece of paper, and then draw a row of circles along a diameter of that circle, such that there are N same-sized contiguous circles on that diameter, you will be able to fit about N squared circles total within the big circle. Each of the small circles has 1/N of the big circle circumference, but since there are N squared as many, the total of all the circumferences is N times the big circle. Therefore, for a given diameter (gauge) of wire, the conductance is proportional to the square root of the number of conductors. Thus, the conductance of a 100 strand cable is 10 times the conductance of a solid wire, and the conductance of a 1000 strand wire is about 30 times a solid wire. The corresponding resistances are about 1/10 th and 1/30 th. (Cable resistance is inversely proportional to square root of number of strands). One can see that stranded wire gives a big reduction in resistance for the same amount of copper and the same total wire size. Of course, it doesn't work out quite that good , partly because "the skin effect" causes current distribution to not be uniform across the strands, but it works pretty darn good, and that's why arc welding cable is made from strands of stranded wire made of strands, etc. , down about seven levels of stranding. Stranded cable of about the size we use can easily have about 10,000 to 20,000 strands! Getting near the 1/100 th resistance this promises depends on having good end connectors (such as the ones from a boat store like West Marine) and getting current well distributed among the strands with good solder tinning.
A side benefit of stranded cable is that it is very flexible, thus making it easier to route in a crowded auto engine compartment. As a corollary, when you're at the autostore to buy a pair of booster cables for winter, get the most flexible stranded copper wires you can find: they will have the most strands and work best.
If you draw a circle on a piece of paper, and then draw a row of circles along a diameter of that circle, such that there are N same-sized contiguous circles on that diameter, you will be able to fit about N squared circles total within the big circle. Each of the small circles has 1/N of the big circle circumference, but since there are N squared as many, the total of all the circumferences is N times the big circle. Therefore, for a given diameter (gauge) of wire, the conductance is proportional to the square root of the number of conductors. Thus, the conductance of a 100 strand cable is 10 times the conductance of a solid wire, and the conductance of a 1000 strand wire is about 30 times a solid wire. The corresponding resistances are about 1/10 th and 1/30 th. (Cable resistance is inversely proportional to square root of number of strands). One can see that stranded wire gives a big reduction in resistance for the same amount of copper and the same total wire size. Of course, it doesn't work out quite that good , partly because "the skin effect" causes current distribution to not be uniform across the strands, but it works pretty darn good, and that's why arc welding cable is made from strands of stranded wire made of strands, etc. , down about seven levels of stranding. Stranded cable of about the size we use can easily have about 10,000 to 20,000 strands! Getting near the 1/100 th resistance this promises depends on having good end connectors (such as the ones from a boat store like West Marine) and getting current well distributed among the strands with good solder tinning.
A side benefit of stranded cable is that it is very flexible, thus making it easier to route in a crowded auto engine compartment. As a corollary, when you're at the autostore to buy a pair of booster cables for winter, get the most flexible stranded copper wires you can find: they will have the most strands and work best.
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