Amp power wire & Ground

[JFH]

Hello,

Going to install amp this week. One question since I'm going to drill a hole in the trunk for the ground to the frame. Is there any reason I can't run the power wire under the car along the frame to the battery? Car is not a daily driver and never sees bad weather.

Thanks,
John Hordych

 

[Audiowizard]

That would be fine, just make sure to secure power cable to frame and keep away from exhaust.

 

[mcss383]

thats how I have mine and it works great. I have mine tie-wrapped to the fuel lines.

 

[1971OLDS]

"thats how I have mine and it works great. I have mine tie-wrapped to the fuel lines"

No offense I think your nuts mounting something like a power wire to a fuel line.

Do yourself a favor and please the rest of us out there on the road. I would hate to see your car in flames on the side of the parkway like I do once a week.

Either tie it to an existing wire harness under the car or buy some wire loop tie downs and a handfull of self tapping screws.

If for some reason the seathing on that power wire wears away it will burn a whole in the fuel line and then ignite the fuel. BY BY car. Also don't use the brake line. Same reason.

Later.

 

[ITSAV6]

wire

I think he was talking about the ground wire,but I still wouldn't tie it near or on any fuel or brake line because of the abrasion might eventually rub a hole in the line and cause a fire or brake failure.

 

[salvageV6]

Many fuel pump hotwires are tied to the fuel or brake lines as well as the frame.

Fuse the line and forget about it. Would take a bit of welding to go through those lines, your fuse should protect against that rather quickly.

This does assume the proper oil and fuel resistant jacket/insulation is on the wire for external use.

Otherwise cover it with convoluted tubing or some other appropriate insulation.

Just my .02.

 

[mcss383]

need I remind you that you entire chassis is ground return? and that by having your power wire in the frame rail, it is on the fuel lines because that is where its at. It doesn't matter.


BTW I would LOVE to see a soft rubber power line rub a hole in a steel line......impossible.

 

[1971OLDS]

I don't mean to beat a dead horse but MCss, if you have your '+' power wire attached to the fuel line you will eventually rub the insulation off somewhere and hopefully the fuse does blow before it burns a hole and ignite the fuel. All I'm saying is why take the risk. Although you standard quick blow fuse should shut the power off in time. I have seen defects before where that fuse has lasted long enough to do damage.

I'm sorry I just wanted to comment on something that I don't think is worth taking the risk. Your car will go up. It may never happen but with placing it on the fuel line your just inviting trouble. I don't want to be the person behind you when your car starts on fire and you panic or someone else that is driving your car panics and you lose control and crash. Hopefully no one gets hurt.

Do me a favor if it is your '+' wire then attach it directly to the frame with hold downs and as far away from brake and fuel lines as possible.

To slavage V6 typically your standard power wire you buy at a stereo shop is not rated for outdoor use. Therefore it doesn't have the oil resistance and weather resistant jacket you would need. Convoluted tubing will protect it. And yes a good 60 amp single element fuse with 4 guage wiring will burn a hole right through a fuel or brake line in a second. If you don't believe me do an experiment on a spare piece of brake line.

Ok, I've beaten this to death. Good luck everyone. Please be careful when running power wires. Its only 12V but that battery has alot of current available more than most welders.


Brian

 

[salvageV6]

I fully agree, if you do it, to do it safely as I posted.

Anyone using the flexible cheap jacket car audio cabling along the frame is not doing the right thing.

Wire is available in many types and sizes including jackets.

Use the right stuff, or protect it with an extra jacket.

 

[mcss383]

maybe I need to take a pic of it...

Its not wrapped around the fuel line. The cable is sitting in the frame rail and to just keep it from bouncing out I ran a tie wrap around one of the lines and the cable every few feet.

There is absolulty no way it could rub a hole in it.

 

[1971OLDS]

Ok mcss since you clarified the location and the method of attachment that sounds like a great location. Now I get the install. Since there is at least a 1/4" of steel between the power wire and the fuel line I will agree there is no way it will ever touch a brake or fuel line. Inside the frame rail is also a good idea because the likelyhood it will get pinched in an accident is small as well. You would have to really bend the frame to pinch it.

I'm sorry for being such a pain in the ass. After being in the business for a couple of years I saw alot of shoty installs. I've also seen alot of car fires on the parkway with some teenager running from the car, having a good idea why it caught on fire... Just didn't want anyone that was reading this article to get any bad ideas. Another good NO, NO that I use to see alot was running the wire between the fender and the door jamb and then sneaking in front of a door hinge and then down the car.

Ok I've mothered the board enough. Everyone have a good day.

 

[Yedi]

Funny Stuff

You guys are funny. Why would you ever think about running Power/Ground Under your car? Is it that hard to remove some interior plastic, and find a factory gromet?? Come on! I've done many installs for myself and friends and never once have I ever thought about running wire under a car. It's not professional one bit and is just asking for problems in the future, plain and simple.

 

[1971OLDS]

Actually Yedi there are some practical times to run the power wire under the car either in the frame rail or along it.

I've personally done a competition car where we had to use 1/0 power cable. This cable was way to thick to run under the carpet. The judges would have had a field day with a lump in the carpet.

 

[salvageV6]

You ever hot wire a fuel pump? Same concept.

And larger gauge wires are easier to do outside the car. Like the 1/0 mentioned. I've heard of metal conduit used as well on the frame rails.

 

[Yedi]

gotcha

ok guys I see what ya mean with the 1/0 gauge stuff. Biggest stuff I do is 4 gauge, which can be a pain sometimes too. Good point on the thick stuff, when I hear running power cable under a car I just think about a guy in HS that had 12 gauge power cable hanging under his truck for his stereo, not pretty.