ATX best place to run power wire.

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Joe_SHO

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Best place to run 2ga power wire through the firewall in an automatic? Where did you run it?
 

SuperHO

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there's a grommet where the clutch cable would go through down near the master cylinder.
 

the4biddendonut

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The grommet might be too small for 2awg to get through comfortably, but that would probably be the only way you'll get it through the firewall without drilling a new hole..
 

hawkeye18

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Is this 2ga wire for an amp or a battery? Just curious... personally I wouldn't route a battery cable through the cabin. I know, I know, there's no reason not to do it, it's just personal preference. I get nervous with that much amperage near my left ass cheek.
 

the4biddendonut

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Is this 2ga wire for an amp or a battery? Just curious... personally I wouldn't route a battery cable through the cabin. I know, I know, there's no reason not to do it, it's just personal preference. I get nervous with that much amperage near my left ass cheek.

It's pretty safe when the voltage is only 12 volts. Your ass cheek has too much resistance for you to get zapped.
 

Eric VerValin

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LoL safe at 12 volts? Depends on the amperage. I tried to jumper around a fused link once... was an 18 ga link.. I used 4 #10's.. and it worked just fine.... until I stopped and it started smoking... evidentally the air passing under the hood kept it cool enough.


12 volts can start a fire just the same as 120... Fuse it on the battery side of the firewall, and you'll never have to worry about it. Also find a grommet that will fit around the 2 ga. Little more insurance.
 

Joe_SHO

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I'd rather not use a clutch cable hole, as I plan on putting a 5 speed in here once I get back from BCT. =D

In regards to safety: bigger wire doesn't mean more current will be pulled through it. It means more current CAN be pulled through it SAFELY. With the same amount of current, larger wire won't get as hot as smaller wire will, and there won't be as much voltage dropped across it, meaning higher voltage at my amp.

I'd prefer to go on passenger's side though simply because that's where the battery is.
 

Eric VerValin

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umm... I was talking about skinning that power wire, large, or small.. without a fuse, it dosent' matter what it is, it'll still short out, and without a fuse, it WILL get too hot and melt things, or start a fire.. Look at what I said in my post.. I used 10 times the physical copper and it still melted on me... and that was me working around what should have been a short. I was "keeping" my fuel pump circuit open is what I was doing.. anyway..

I ran 2 power leads in my truck, and for me, drilling into sheet metal, then sticking a wire in it isn't good enough. I found a grommet that fit my application, and used it. Pops in the hole, then put the wire in the hole... then fused those wires inside the engine compartment before it got to the interior of the car. You can buy fuse holders at AZ for a few bucks, and the grommets are at Lowes.. look for the Ideal section.. ;)

Trust me, if you want to run an amp and do all that, if you make a ***********, use a grommet. If it shorts out and your driving down the road, you may not know it for a while..

Trust me I'm only an electrician
 

SHOZ123

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I run mine under the car and up into the drain hole on the rear fender well.
 

Joe_SHO

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I run mine under the car and up into the drain hole on the rear fender well.

I hadn't even considered that, but it sounds like a stellar idea. Pics please?

Is there perhaps enough room in those sexy side skirts to run a wire?

BTdubs.. I'm an electronics major and a stereo enthusiast, which is why my original question didn't pertain to the electricity portion, but rather to the vehicle specifics. All responses appreciated none-the-less.
 

SHOZ123

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I don't have any pics. But I use #2 THHN wire which is stiff enough to bend and maintain it's shape. I first enclose it in some a double layer of split loom, 3/8" and 1/2". Then wire tie it to the vapor lines that run up from the gas tank. Then tie it to the sway bar and up into the drain hole. No problems in over 6 years with this setup.

I have added a smaller ground wire to tie into a ground array that I have under the hood. This is a #8 wire that runs down the door sill. The major ground for the battery is the passenger side rear seatbelt anchor.
 

MrSho

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As far as I'm concerned running a power wire UNDER the car is a no-no. What if you bottom out on a speed bump or something and it cuts or scrapes into the cable... The cleanest way to tap into the power is at the fuse block in the engine bay, to the right of the master cylinder. Just undo the nut, connect your power and put the nut back on. This way you don't have a 2 or 4 gauge cable running through your engine bay. A bonus is you have less cable to buy! Couldn't be more simple.

Mike
 

hawkeye18

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As far as I'm concerned running a power wire UNDER the car is a no-no. What if you bottom out on a speed bump or something and it cuts or scrapes into the cable... The cleanest way to tap into the power is at the fuse block in the engine bay, to the right of the master cylinder. Just undo the nut, connect your power and put the nut back on. This way you don't have a 2 or 4 gauge cable running through your engine bay. A bonus is you have less cable to buy! Couldn't be more simple.

Mike

I had honestly never thought of that before, but it's brilliant. I'm gonna change mine to that setup now (with an amp wire)...
 

SHOZ123

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As far as I'm concerned running a power wire UNDER the car is a no-no. What if you bottom out on a speed bump or something and it cuts or scrapes into the cable... The cleanest way to tap into the power is at the fuse block in the engine bay, to the right of the master cylinder. Just undo the nut, connect your power and put the nut back on. This way you don't have a 2 or 4 gauge cable running through your engine bay. A bonus is you have less cable to buy! Couldn't be more simple.

Mike

Actually my battery is in the trunk.

Did you forget the gas lines are on the bottom of the car? I do have subframe connectors that act as a skid plate for those unwelcome close moment to the ground. And triple insulated wire.
 

the4biddendonut

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As far as I'm concerned running a power wire UNDER the car is a no-no. What if you bottom out on a speed bump or something and it cuts or scrapes into the cable... The cleanest way to tap into the power is at the fuse block in the engine bay, to the right of the master cylinder. Just undo the nut, connect your power and put the nut back on. This way you don't have a 2 or 4 gauge cable running through your engine bay. A bonus is you have less cable to buy! Couldn't be more simple.

Mike

If you've got serious power running to your car stereo, like I think the OP does (why else would you need 2awg), then you don't want to pull from that fuse block. With car audio you never tap power after the fusible links.
 

Eric VerValin

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If its the nut I think he's talking about, its at the end of the battery cable, beyond the starter. I don't think I've seen a fused link on a battery cable.
 

SHOZ123

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He's talking about the nut on the end of the fuse box under the hood. That does have fused links in it.
 

SHOZ123

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Yes you are right not between the battery and the fuse box.

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