Remote Battery Location Best Practices

So im wondering how you guys protect your cars when you do a remote mounted battery. Ive seen some nice battery boxes, and hold downs but havent seen much talk about the power wire its self. In car audio we liked to put an inline fuse for the amps as close as possible to the battery, now im thinking the same way for my main power wire for the car with the battery mounted in the trunk. My plan is to use a 200amp circut breaker right at the battery a master turn off switch on the dash that kills the engine when turned, and then a fused distrubtion block in the engine bay for the fuse box, starter, alt wires. Does this sound right? and or safe?
Heres pictures of what i got going so far, they were before the battery hold down was welded in place.

I have a similar big breaker on the ground. I don't like master cut off switches personally, no reason for it, just don't like it.

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Grant Hughes

NoCoast Wrote:
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> I have a similar big breaker on the ground. I
> don't like master cut off switches personally, no
> reason for it, just don't like it.
>
> Grant Hughes
> www.nocoastmotorsports.net
> Denver, CO

It was just something the rule books all seemed to require for road racing cars.

Just be sure that you don't flip on your rally lights for a night stage, and pop your breaker, and shut yourself down....

Are batteries required to be fully enclosed, even if they are a sealed battery?

I've got a trunk-mounted master cutoff switch right now, but only becase I need to trace the wiring to figure out which circuit is staying on all the time, and sucking the juice right out of it.

--sarge

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---** To be in compliance with the Anarchy **---
Jorden R. Kleier
Baraboo, Wisconsin, USA
1990 Mazdog Protege 4WD
1973

i have a master cut off switch, and a 150amp breaker (connected through ground)...which is behind my seat and with loosened harness, I can reach myself if I trip it.

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

I was saved from having a worse electrical fire than I did in my first rally car thanks to the master disconnect. I have no valid reason for not wanting one in the Merkur.

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Grant Hughes

How many amps does your starter draw? If it is more than 200 you need a bigger breaker.

I am indifferent about 2 post master battery cut outs since once the car is running the alternator will keep the running even without the battery.

The 6 post switches that Pegasus and others sell that have an ignition disconnect and load circuit for alternator protection are nice.

I think some of the top teams use a remote activated solenoid or breaker so in the car and outside the car there is just a button that you push to kill the car. Does anyone know which ones they use and how they are wired?

I guess less than 150, since the car starts fine

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Jon Burke - KI6LSW
Blog: http://psgrallywrx.blogspot.com/

The one I installed is the 6 post version that will shut down the car once flipped. Here is the install instruction for it

Andrew_Frick Wrote:
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> How many amps does your starter draw? If it is
> more than 200 you need a bigger breaker.

What we do for the drag cars we work on is run a Ford starter solenoid inline with the battery cable, so the big fat high current cable only sees power when cranking. A separate wire goes to the battery with a decent sized circuit breaker. That way the circuit breaker doesn't have to see starter load.

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Pete Remner
Cleveland, Ohio

1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
1978
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.

Pete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Andrew_Frick Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How many amps does your starter draw? If it
> is
> > more than 200 you need a bigger breaker.
>
> What we do for the drag cars we work on is run a
> Ford starter solenoid inline with the battery
> cable, so the big fat high current cable only sees
> power when cranking. A separate wire goes to the
> battery with a decent sized circuit breaker. That
> way the circuit breaker doesn't have to see
> starter load.
>
>
>
> Pete Remner
> Cleveland, Ohio
>
> 1984 RX-7 (rallycross thing)
> 1978

Thats a pretty cool idea, any pictures of this said setup? Im just wondering how much extra weight it would add.

I have my Merkur set up kind of like that, the starter relay is in the cabin, so there is no large cable that is powered all the time in the engine compartment. Just charging cable.

Pete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Andrew_Frick Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > How many amps does your starter draw? If it
> is
> > more than 200 you need a bigger breaker.
>
> What we do for the drag cars we work on is run a
> Ford starter solenoid inline with the battery
> cable, so the big fat high current cable only sees
> power when cranking. A separate wire goes to the
> battery with a decent sized circuit breaker. That
> way the circuit breaker doesn't have to see
> starter load.
>

Pete, I am assuming that you put a cutoff switch of some sort along the stater solenoid? Or does the NHRA feel that solenoid counts as a disconnect?

What size battery cables are you guys running from the battery up to the front of the car?

I found that the best deal on the best quality cable is to be had at the welding supply shop. they have the cable with lots of very fine strands, handles vibration better, and can carry more current as the same size auto stuff. I would say get some 2/0 or 4/0 cable.