carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

I am going to move my battery either to the windshield washer fluid container location or to the trunk. Unfortunately, I am without knowledge of the specific details that need to be taken into consideration for such a modification.

This is what I do know/understand:

The new battery should be something like the Odyssey PC680 or something similar in that it is sealed and has sufficent cranking amps. I suppose, I could also go for something larger like an optima, but I do not know the specific details on such a battery. I do NOT have any sound equipment other than stock in the car. Who needs a radio? I cant remember the last time I turned it on.

A mounting braket for the battery seems easy to aquire from some Odyssey dealers. Not worried so much about that.

Cables: 2 Ga wires seem the minimum required. 4 Ga wires are too small for the distance of cable needed. But just saying 2 Ga is rather insufficent. There are lots of wire out there and the battery cables sold by summit are no necessarily the best for the application. What other cables are out there? Who are the good dealers?

Connections: I have no idea what kind of connections to look for? I dont even know the industry standard names for the connectors. Which are best? Where to get? Again, I am looking for good reasoned responses, not just "Go to Summit and buy off the shelf." I am aware of the kits availible. I am just not sure that they are such a good idea or if the stuff that you can get quick are quality.

Grounding: My intent, particularly if I relocate to the trunk is to create a chassis ground immediately after the negative terminal, but then run a 2 ga wire all the way back to the negative post (or close to it) in the engine compartment. Is this a good idea? Are there any negative (har har) consequences to doing this? Note that by choosing to do this, I will definitely need to sourse cables and connectors as no off-the-shelf kits do this. They all terminate with a chassis ground within two feet of the neg terminal. I dont think this could possibly be sufficent.

Fusing: Do I need an inline fuse somewhere on the pos side?

Battery cut off: Regulations alot of organizations require externally located cut outs if you move your battery. Not sure about SCCA. Should this be a required part of the "kit?"

Again, I am searching for specifics so that I can put together some orders to get the battery moved. Thanks.

baysj

iTrader: (1)

My SFR kit came with a battery relocation kit. It uses 4ga wire and a chassis ground. While i think that the 4ga is a bit to small I am using it for now and haven't had any issues.

You don't technically need an inline fuse in our car because the positive terminal is fused. That being said I did it because I ran the cable inside the car and was worried about the casing wearing off and starting a fire inside. When the car was stock a 100amp fuse was more then enough to handle it... Now that I have the int-x and my gauges I was popping them. I was thinking about going to a 200amp breaker.

The battery box I got was actually smaller then the stock box. I had to buy a smaller battery to fit it. I believe I will be replacing this aswell, I would go with a optima redtop.

I do not have a battery cut off but I know it is required if i wanted to go into a racing application. If your buying everything you might want to add that step.

Let me know if you have any questions of if you want to see where I ran the cable. I dont know if anything bigger then 4ga will fit though

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

I am pretty sure that with a 4 Ga wire you will be disappating tens of watts of heat through the native resistance of the wire. That is, unless it is a very high quality, very low oxidation, very finely threaded wire.

Where did you get your high amperage fuseing case or breaker? How did you connect the 4ga lead to the fuse? Again, I am very uninformed as to the connections required for high current systems.

baysj

iTrader: (1)

I agree, during cranking I have to be getting the wire warm. During normal operation there shouldn't me much of a problem.

I was planning on buying something like this. Its 250 amp, it should be good enough to handle everything but if I have a short in the wire it will trip.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CIRCUIT-BREAKER-...QQcmdZViewItem

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

Interesting. So I take it that this is a good idea?

So where is the best place to get cables? What are the best connectors? is a multipoint ground the best idea?

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

FWIW, I used 4 Ga cables for a trunk mounted PC680

https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...&postcount=374

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carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

I saw that, but you also used what I think you refered to as very high quality wire. I have NO idea even where to begin searching for such cable.

I hate to ask folks for their info, particularly when they worked hard to get their own info, but on this topic (High amp DC electrical) I have no background.

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

nice setup Team.

MazdaManiac

iTrader: (3)

1ga from the battery positive to the OE positive mounting point (relocated to a stand-off on the cross-member behind the rad).
1ga ground to the chassis, adjacent to the battery on the passenger side of the trunk.
4ga round from the battery to the PPF.
14ga "star" ground to the block, dash frame, chassis under the rear deck and passenger-side frame ground in the engine compartment (JC-01).

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

I used 4GA for both front to back and have had zero issues.....

I didn't like the ground to frame in the trunk thing

nuke0907

iTrader: (2)

can you guys show how you connected the positive wire back in the engine bay?

Jose13b

you are right because I had a fuse and it triped then I had to get someone to drive me to a pepboys to get another fuse then I went on line and bought 200 amp breaker works better never had any problems

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

I used a shutoff switch and connected the wire to one end...and the OEM connector to the other end....

Works great for a parking shutoff as well

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

Ok. Some good info on grounding, fusing/breakers, and cut-outs.

Again, I am sorry, but WHERE do I get good quality wire? Can I use stereo cable? I mean the REAL quality stuff, low gauge? Like from Tweeter or Myer-Emco?

Connectors? Do I need to order a swaging tool? What are the best connectors? Hell, what are they called.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

as short as your cables will be I don't think it will matter much

http://www.quickcar.net/electric/electric.html

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

paydirt.

syntheticdarkness

iTrader: (7)

This is what I did, and it is picture by picture. Hope some of this might help.

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-do-yourself-forum-73/diy-battery-relocation-trunk-173180/

I have a scan gauge and I am at 13.6-14.2 vlts sitting/driving.

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

Well, I finally got this done. Optima battery is now in the trunk with a nice billet mount/holder. I have to admit, I had help with this.

The positive we ran to a 300A fuse and then on to the starter. The cable is nicely strung up inside the central tunnel. The (-) was run directly from the battery immediately to the floor of the trunk via a bolt and then from the bolt directly onto the PPF. Then, we rearranged the cables at the front, cutting the terminal and covering the remaining exposed (+). We split the (-) cluster and attached on to the engine and another to the crossmember where the (-) was originally bolted.

Oddly, I am getting a code telling me my eccentric shaft position sensor A is not functioning. I suspect it has to do with the rearranged cables. Any thoughts on this?

Jon316G

iTrader: (1)

Have you tried to reset the eshaft profile (20x brake stomp)?

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

No. Just cleared codes.

gregs

iTrader: (7)

if the code comes back you should try the 20 brake stomp within 8 seconds..carbon any detailed pictures of your setup...want to see your connectors at the oem harness and routing, grounds as well...im working on relocating mine as well

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

The code comes back absolutely immediately.

I dont have any new connections at the oem harness. The new connections are only the positive to the starter (which runs up and connects to the oem positive harness) and the negative to the body and the PPF. I will take a few pics.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Did you miss one of the factory harness grounds in the OEM battery location.....If I recall there is a mess of grounds there......and there was one that tended to fall in by the Rad when it was disconnected...

wcs

iTrader: (2)

Thread revival
Carbon how did you fix this?

I'm going to be doing a battery relocate in the near future and at first I thought it was going to be trivial .... now .... not so much

carbonRX8

iTrader: (1)

The code? Honestly, I think the code has to do with my ap maf calibration curve, and not related to the battery; however, I never got around to checking that hypothesis before I popped the motor. Apparently, if you have too low a number in the curve, it will throw this code. Just so happened I was tuning and doing this at the same time.

As for the complete set up, it is described in post 18 above. Worked out well. For the neg leads, i used amp cable from myer emco before they went out of biz. The pos lead came with the kit from summit. Pos to the starter, neg from battery to body and ppf. Then from ppf to engine and other ground points.