Negative battery cable question

[91grnPlus]

Still trying to figure out my electrical/no voltage starting issue!
I realized today when the battery was routed to the trunk the (-) cable from the battery runs down to the trunk floor.
I assume the past owner was able to drive the car w/this setup but I'm wondering if I'd be better running the (-) cable back to the trans like it came from the factory?

What do ya think?

Mike

 

[Ishodu]

It might be better to run it right back to the bolt on the starter.

 

[91grnPlus]

From what I see/understand the cable from the starter runs up to the solenoid/relay (that seems to be fine) and the (-) cable from the battery should run down to the trans. Right now my original cable from the trans is just sitting connected to nothing since the battery was rerouted to the trunk. I guess they didn't want to run the (-) cable from the trans all the way back to the trunk also and just decided to bolt the cable from the battery to the trunk floor.

Mike

 

[Ishodu]

I am not sure how its usually done, but IMO there are a lot of things for the current to get to the engine from the trunk, some of witch are exposed to elements and could corrode.

 

[yozsi]

I am not sure how its usually done, but IMO there are a lot of things for the current to get to the engine from the trunk, some of witch are exposed to elements and could corrode.

true because the electrodes travel on the outside of the metal not on the insides.

 

[Mac]

I am in the process of taking my tranny out and the ground wire that goes to the starter pulled out of the eyelet thing. Do you know where I can get a new one of these?

 

[ManySHOs]

I would use the shortest and fattest ground cable possible. 2 gauge grounded to something in the trunk would be more than enough. I plan on grounding my battery to the rear seat belt studs under the rear seat. I grounded my amps there with 4 gauge cable a few years ago and it works great.

Mac, I'm not sure exactly what you are talking about but new lugs are available from www.waytekwire.com, any car audio shop and perhaps radio shack (might not find anything large though at RS though). An automotive parts store might have something as well.

Ian

 

[Markus]

true because the electrodes travel on the outside of the metal not on the insides.

Not really. From DC to about 20 kHz electrons (not electrodes) travel throughout the entire conductor. Above 20 kHz the moving electrons are towards the outer diameter of the conductor.

 

[Frankiek3]

Charge "builds up" on the surface of a conductor. Direct current travels mostly through the full wire (AC current density depends on frequ. higher->on outside). It doesn't really help in this matter.

A lot of people ground to the body of the car. It works but that doesn't make it right. If it was me I would run a cable. I wouldn't want more rust forming.

 

[91grnPlus]

I just don't see how the previous owner even got the car to run w/the negative cable doing to the trunk floor. When I was trying to run the car hooked up that way I was not getting constant voltage and every time there was much of a "pull" on the system...all voltage was lost. The cable in the trunk may not have been proper guage either.
Hooked the car up the stock way with the ground cable going to the trans and have not had a voltage/starting problem since.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

I am in the process of taking my tranny out and the ground wire that goes to the starter pulled out of the eyelet thing. Do you know where I can get a new one of these?

Just go to Lowes or Home Depot, in the fastener section where all the screws/nuts/bolts are in the drawers, there will be a drawer that has copper lugs in the appropriate gauge and eyelet size. About $1.19 for a pack of 2 IIRC.