I have a few things I will be running and I have at least two things right now connected to it via relay's with a 3rd thing needed to be added it's kinda messy...

 

Do they make something that attaches to the (+) of the battery without looking so cluttered?

 

I wanted to run an always on outlet to the rear cargo area and I need another relay that taps into the battery.

What I do when there is more than a single device that is needed is to setup a "main junction" with a stud block such as this (and an inline fuse of course):

 

http://order.waytekwire.com/productdetail2/M50/47213/JUNCTION%20BLOCK%20STUD%20TYPE%20RED/

 

Then from there I shoot over to a terminal block:

 

http://order.waytekwire.com/productdetail2/M50/47355/5%20POSITION%20TERMINAL%20BLOCK/

 

Where I then distribute power to the various places I need it. This is excelent for having accesible power whenever I need it to run (for example) my wideband O2 setup or whatever.

 

I have taken to using the Painless Wireing relay/fuse panels for lots of my installs. They are awesome - for like $80 you can get them with 3 to 10 circuits in both constant hot and relay controlled configs.

 

Anyway - that's what I do to keep a ton of wires off my battery terminal. This way I only have one large wire to the stud block and then possibly a couple smaller one's to a terminal strip or to a circuit breaker that feeds a painless fuse/relay panel.

 

GD

Edited October 2, 201015 yr by GeneralDisorder

I would use an eye connector that slips on the battery conector bolt behind the nut.

 

What I do when there is more than a single device that is needed is to setup a "main junction" with a stud block such as this (and an inline fuse of course):

 

http://order.waytekwire.com/productdetail2/M50/47213/JUNCTION%20BLOCK%20STUD%20TYPE%20RED/

 

Then from there I shoot over to a terminal block:

 

http://order.waytekwire.com/productdetail2/M50/47355/5%20POSITION%20TERMINAL%20BLOCK/

 

Where I then distribute power to the various places I need it. This is excelent for having accesible power whenever I need it to run (for example) my wideband O2 setup or whatever.

 

I have taken to using the Painless Wireing relay/fuse panels for lots of my installs. They are awesome - for like $80 you can get them with 3 to 10 circuits in both constant hot and relay controlled configs.

 

Anyway - that's what I do to keep a ton of wires off my battery terminal. This way I only have one large wire to the stud block and then possibly a couple smaller one's to a terminal strip or to a circuit breaker that feeds a painless fuse/relay panel.

 

GD

 

I don't think I've ever seen a stud block? I've seen many terminal blocks but where does the stud screw into?

It's just a large single terminal. You screw it down to the firewall, etc and run a single big wire to it - then other smaller wires to points on your terminal block or whatever. It's just a place to hang wires that's not cluttered up like the battery terminal.

 

GD

I had to google a picture of it in use, never seen one before the terminal block I can't tell but wont I need two of them? How does the Pos and Neg get separated from the block?

Why do you need negative The whole body of the car is negative..... that's how automotive wireing is done. You only insulate and run the positive that way. Anyhing that needs negative just gets screwed to the frame somewhere.

 

GD

Why do you need negative The whole body of the car is negative..... that's how automotive wireing is done. You only insulate and run the positive that way. Anyhing that needs negative just gets screwed to the frame somewhere.

 

GD

 

I was thinking of something else

 

So what's the easy way of running a wire from this to the cargo area? Only thing I have is a flip down 12V outlet but it seems to be the type that meant to mount under a dash

The easy way is to pull it through the firewall (I used the gas pedal cable hole). Run it under the dash, then behind the kick panel. I think i removed the panel to get the wire through. I then laid the wire out from the kick panel to the rear of the car. GENTLY push it up under the trim panels all the way up to the back seat. Run the wire under the back seat. depending upon the year the floor in the rear floats above the metal floor. Run the wire under that floor to whereever you want it to go. I have done this for 4 wires with no issues.

Which gauge wire should be good?

How many amps you gonna use?

 

I don't often wire up multiple accesories, but a junction block is the best way to go. Mount it to an easily accessible place, and run a large gage wire to it. (with an inline fuse close to the battery of course)

How many amps you gonna use?

 

I don't often wire up multiple accesories, but a junction block is the best way to go. Mount it to an easily accessible place, and run a large gage wire to it. (with an inline fuse close to the battery of course)

 

with the 12V outlet and a possible audio setup in the rear it's hard to say at the moment.. I know my radio transmitting uses about 13 A for about half a sec or so.

12 AGW should be more than enough for most of what you are doing. The only notable exception is when wiring amps or dual battery's etc.

 

Chart:

 

http://www.affordable-solar.com/wire.charts.htm

 

I would run a good 8 AGW from the batt to the junction block - that gives your junction about a 50A total capacity which ought to be more than enough since it's doubtful you are going to run all those circuits at once right? From there base your wire sizes on the chart for the circuit you are running.

 

GD

Edited October 6, 201015 yr by GeneralDisorder

I'm not going for high power just a sub amp and X4 audio amp. Only reason I have yet to start is because I have no rear cover for the cargo area... need to keep the eyes out