Show me your battery installation..., Looking to clean up / organize a mess............ Options

[jim_hoyland]

Would like to see some pictures of battery installations that really clean up the battery area. How do you clean up the 4 red wires going to the + ?

Went to auto-stereo store and saw some really nice battery post terminal with holes to slide in the wires. Thinking of using those on a optima red top.

I'll bet someone has done something reall cool--post your pictures !

Thanks..Jim

[xitspd]

Here you go!

Dan

[jim_hoyland]

Here you go!

Dan

Wow ! Thats clean ! Would like to see how others dealt with the stock engine compartment set up and those 4 red wires

[jk76.914]

OK. Here's mine. I used AWG 8 wire with a ring lug to go down from the post out of sight under the battery. I stripped it about 5", soldered each of the 4 red wires to it, staggering them down the stripped part, and finished up with shrink. While I was at it, I added a 5th wire to go directly to the console voltmeter, via a relay that's controlled by the ignition switch. With this arrangement, I see actually battery voltage on the voltmeter.

The battery cable is AWG 2, crimped and then finished up with a ring lug and red shrink.

All the parts came from a marine supply place- WestMarine. I got them at a retail store, but they also have a website. Both wires (AWG 8 and AWG 2) are made from more strands of smaller gauge wire than automotive wire, making them much more flexible. Plus, the tiny strands are individually tin plated. It is rated to 105 degrees C, and is gasoline and oil resistant.

Lugs and + battery clamp are also from the WestMarine, as was the crimper that crimped it all together. The wingnut attachment of the red cables is EXTREMELY handy. Ground cable is an artifact of my first car- a '63 Corvair Spyder, and I thought it was neat that I used it on this, my last car (I believe).

Even the shrink is marine grade. It's 2x-3x the thickness of normal shrink, is UV resistant, and is coated on the inside with a sealant that melts and then rehardens after it cools.

I think the brand name on everything is Anchor.

None of this stuff costs much, because you don't use much for this installation. You buy the wire by the foot. I think the crimper was the most- maybe $25?

Sorry about the fuzzy pic. It's late.

[SGB]

here is a red top

[jim_hoyland]

OK. Here's mine. I used AWG 8 wire with a ring lug to go down from the post out of sight under the battery. I stripped it about 5", soldered each of the 4 red wires to it, staggering them down the stripped part, and finished up with shrink. While I was at it, I added a 5th wire to go directly to the console voltmeter, via a relay that's controlled by the ignition switch. With this arrangement, I see actually battery voltage on the voltmeter.

The battery cable is AWG 2, crimped and then finished up with a ring lug and red shrink.

All the parts came from a marine supply place- WestMarine. I got them at a retail store, but they also have a website. Both wires (AWG 8 and AWG 2) are made from more strands of smaller gauge wire than automotive wire, making them much more flexible. Plus, the tiny strands are individually tin plated. It is rated to 105 degrees C, and is gasoline and oil resistant.

Lugs and + battery clamp are also from the WestMarine, as was the crimper that crimped it all together. The wingnut attachment of the red cables is EXTREMELY handy. Ground cable is an artifact of my first car- a '63 Corvair Spyder, and I thought it was neat that I used it on this, my last car (I believe).

Even the shrink is marine grade. It's 2x-3x the thickness of normal shrink, is UV resistant, and is coated on the inside with a sealant that melts and then rehardens after it cools.

I think the brand name on everything is Anchor.

None of this stuff costs much, because you don't use much for this installation. You buy the wire by the foot. I think the crimper was the most- maybe $25?

Sorry about the fuzzy pic. It's late.

Thanks for the detailed description, We have a West marine neaby and I have noticed they have nice battery accessories. I like the way you managed the 4 red wires and set up for the voltmeter--definately a good idea. Didn't know the marine heat shrink was different--thought they just overcharged,
Thanks for the visuals and info

Jim