Increasing the size of wiring on the Starter Battery Lead, True or False? |
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Increasing the size of wiring on the Starter Battery Lead, True or False? |
bandjoey |
Mar 3 2011, 04:48 PM
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#1
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bandjoey Group: Members Posts: 4,926 Joined: 26-September 07 From: Bedford Tx Member No.: 8,156 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I read online where some car builders replaced the battery to starter lead wire with a larger size wire, to improve starting power.
Anyone do this? Worthwhile? What size wire, if so? Thanks |
ventedrib |
Mar 3 2011, 04:59 PM
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 104 Joined: 10-August 08 From: Monroe La. Member No.: 9,406 Region Association: South East States |
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jsayre914 |
Mar 3 2011, 05:21 PM
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#3
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Speed Up !!! Group: Members Posts: 3,188 Joined: 10-February 08 From: Timonium MD 21093 Member No.: 8,696 Region Association: MidAtlantic Region |
I just replaced mine recently with a 0guage power and a 0guage ground to the bottom bolt. It cranks noticabley faster. Not sure if it was the ground or power or both. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)
But I like POWER FLOW (IMG:style_emoticons/default/happy11.gif) |
Andyrew |
Mar 3 2011, 05:34 PM
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#4
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Spooling.... Please wait Group: Members Posts: 13,376 Joined: 20-January 03 From: Riverbank, Ca Member No.: 172 Region Association: Northern California |
I've always given the starter a better ground with a THICK body to ground wire. Always gives stronger cranking.
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914.SBC |
Mar 3 2011, 05:36 PM
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 248 Joined: 12-December 10 From: CORONA, CA Member No.: 12,479 Region Association: None |
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Drums66 |
Mar 3 2011, 05:40 PM
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#6
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914 Rudiments Group: Members Posts: 5,321 Joined: 15-January 03 From: Coronado,Cali Member No.: 151 Region Association: Southwest Region |
I read online where some car builders replaced the battery to starter lead wire with a larger size wire, to improve starting power. Anyone do this? Worthwhile? What size wire, if so? Thanks With proper ground stock wire size should be fine. Dig!....needless power flow(large gage wire) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif) |
Cap'n Krusty |
Mar 3 2011, 05:58 PM
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#7
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Cap'n Krusty Group: Members Posts: 10,794 Joined: 24-June 04 From: Santa Maria, CA Member No.: 2,246 Region Association: Central California |
It's essentially true, but 914s already have a pretty substantial cable, and I've never seen any reason to go bigger. Besides their size, they're of good quality, something the FLAPS cables are not. Welding cable might be better, but then you have to deal with properly installing high quality ends in order to gain any benefit. If the ends don't fit the connectors properly, and they're not crimped to the cable properly, you've just wasted your money.
The Cap'n |
McMark |
Mar 3 2011, 06:53 PM
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#8
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914 Freak! Group: Retired Admin Posts: 20,179 Joined: 13-March 03 From: Grand Rapids, MI Member No.: 419 Region Association: None |
Gotta wonder how many people who hear a benefit are just noticing a nice new cable with clean connections. Or how many starters are worn out and pulling extra amperage just to spin. A worn out starter that's taking 2x as much power, would benefit from bigger cables. But the cables aren't really the problem, the starter is.
This is one of those situations where it was someone's job at Porsche to decide what size cable the battery needed. If you are having a problem with the cranking speed it's either a worn out starter, dirty connetions, or bad cables/ends. |
Mike Bellis |
Mar 3 2011, 09:12 PM
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#9
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Resident Electrician Group: Members Posts: 8,345 Joined: 22-June 09 From: Midlothian TX Member No.: 10,496 Region Association: None |
The Ohms law answer is yes, a larger cable will flow more current due to less resistance in the larger cable. Kirchoff's law also applies; If your cable drops 2 volts, you starter will only receive 10 volts under load. Voltage drop can ONLY be measured under load. With no load, the starter voltage will be 12 volts.
The real problem is corrosion. As the existing wires age, they develope corrosion and resist current flow. That causes poor starting conditions and other problems. Battery cables corrode faster than any other wire in your car. Even if they look good, they may be bad. If they are over 10 years old, change them. |
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