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antrx technical discussion => antrx noise => Topic started by: minimikee on Jun 5, 2008, 01:38AM
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Hey all,
I have recent relocated my battery to the boot of my U12. To keep wiring simple i have used a distribution block from Jaycar
(http://www.jaycar.com.au/products_uploaded/productLarge_7316.jpg)
thats under the bonnet and displays the voltage but turns off after a minute or so after the key is out (i think it has a timer and displays when the voltage changes then turns off).
Anywho i have a pretty decent battery but the car doesn't move much at the moment (I have no licence) every 2 weeks i go to start it and it has almost no voltage to start to the point where the display says LO.
Would it be this block causing the problem or am i losing current elsewhere??
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I'd recommend starting it a bit more often...at least once a week.
How have you run the cabling? what gauge and amp rating is the cable?
I too have relocated my battery to the boot and I am using the same dist block. I dont seem to have any dramas. The trx will be back on the road as of tomorrow so if you want to have a look see how ive done it we'll sort something out.
I ran the positive from the battery to the starter first. Then ran the stock starter positive cable (that runs from normal batt spot to starter) from the starter to the block as the block is in the same spot as the battery almost. Reason for this is the starter is going to be the biggest current draw so shortest run possible to that.
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I ran the positive from the battery to the starter first.
thats exactly what i did, the cable runs under the car currently next to the brake lines and what not but I'm going to run it inside the cabin soon.
the cable is 8 or 4 guage i can't remember (but it just fits through a 5/8 gromet) i don't get any current lose through the line, i tested with a multimeter.
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is that current loss when cranking? Im hoping you spent money on decent cable for it.
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nah not when cranking. when the battery is charged it all works perfectly. Just when i get to it every few weeks its dead.
When your running yours around do you have this issue or do you think its just cause it doesn't get started often??
My cable was not cheap lol it was the most expensive part to buy by far.
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I dare say its just from not being cranked often enough then.
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Is there anyway to measure if that dovalacky is constantly stealing volts??
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Not sure mate...but i have exactly the same dist block in my car and never had any issues.
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8ga or 4ga is nowhere near sufficent for a battery relocation, because the distance it has to travel, and the ammount of voltage a starter motor requires, anything smaller than 2ga will loose voltage over that distance. Ive got 0ga direct from the battery in my boot to a killswitch, then all the way to the front to a distribution block which then runs 2ga to the starter and the rest of the old wiring connects directly to the other terminal.
I doubt that the display of the distribution is causing the issue, as i have 2 items (killswitch and distro block) with an identical display and never had a problem.
You can use a multimeter to check for current draw at rest, which is what id recommend to do
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the guy at the battery shop recommended the stuff though, its what my dad uses as well to run his batteries in his 4B and he doesnt have any issues
I sont have any issues with starting voltage or anything along those lines. I get the same voltage at the battery as i do the the dist block
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Have you felt the power cable after cranking the engine? I think you'll find that 4/8 gauge will get hot pretty damn quickly!
I've always thought a minimum of 2 gauge was recommended.
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i think your problem is you're not starting the car enough, it needs to be driven to actually charge the battery properly. idling won't do a great deal. try disconnecting your battery when you're not going to start the car for a long time. 4AG will be sufficient to start a KA, just dont try turboing one ::)
Where have you grounded the battery just out of interest? also what condition are your battery clips in?
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yeah I've got a circuit breaker in the boot that i just trip now when its not moving.
the batteryis grounded to the bolt that the boot latch is held in by ...
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I ran 4AG when I did my boot install, the cable never got hot when cranking.
I use to unhook my battery and charge it because I don't like leaving batteries connected when their not going to be used for a week or more, escpecially in winter.
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yeah I've got a circuit breaker in the boot that i just trip now when its not moving.
the batteryis grounded to the bolt that the boot latch is held in by ...
hmm that doesn't sound like a very good ground. find a nice spot where the wheel arch is in the boot, sand the shit out of it past the primer so you can see bare metal, and chuck a screw/small bolt with washer through that. Another suitable grounding point is where the rear seat cushions bolt in.
have you noticed an improvement with the use of the circuit breaker? it sounds like your battery still isn't well charged enough in the first place. auto shops sell trickle chargers cheap, sometimes $20-30 and that will be your best friend if the car isn't moving for long periods of time. as I mentioned before, the alternator won't charge properly unless it is under a load such as driving.