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Length of POSTIVE battery cable?

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Old 04-20-2010, 09:59 PM
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Mark Battersby
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Default Length of POSTIVE battery cable?

Hey guys,

I just want to confirm the length of the positive battery cable for my 1973 454. Local auto parts store says its 55inches, but I read a post on the forum saying its 85inches?

Aussie Mark
Old 04-20-2010, 10:49 PM
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72LS1Vette
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If the store sells cable by the foot buy 10 feet and you will have more than you need. It's a lot easier to make a cable shorter than it is to make it longer.



Rick B.
Old 04-20-2010, 11:17 PM
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noonie
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All center eye to center eye

Battery ground 21- 3/4" Grommet at 16- 1/4"
Batt Positive 92" Grommet at 23"
Don't have the starter brace to frame cable dimension.
Old 04-21-2010, 01:07 AM
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Peterbuilt
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If I get welding cable what gauge should it be?
Old 04-21-2010, 07:24 AM
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noonie
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I always use 1/0
Old 04-21-2010, 10:40 PM
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cardo0
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Default Isn't the cable the ammeter shunt?

Sorry to ruin the cable party here but i recall the early ammeter cars used one of the battery cables as a "shunt" to measure current for the ammeter. It works like the cable resistance is "standard" for the stock cables and so the ammeter measures the voltage drop of the single cable to determine actual current as read on the gauge face. What i'm saying is if a different cable is used it will have a different resistance than the stock "standard" and the ammeter wil read incorrectly.
Please correct me on this if needed but it should be shown on the cars wiring diagram where the ammeter connections are - to each end of the cable (can't recall wether the + pos or - neg cable).

cardo0
Old 04-21-2010, 10:55 PM
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Doesn't a cable go from the battery pos to the starter.
Then another wire goes from the terminal on the starter to one side of the ammeter, and then one more wire from the other side of the ammeter to the alternator?
Old 04-21-2010, 11:03 PM
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cardo0
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Originally Posted by petes74ttop
Doesn't a cable go from the battery pos to the starter.
Then another wire goes from the terminal on the starter to one side of the ammeter, and then one more wire from the other side of the ammeter to the alternator?
Post your diagram and we can verify the wiring. Not a home now but will have a lookie later.

cardo0
Old 04-22-2010, 12:44 AM
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Did I read this correctly?


Last edited by Peterbuilt; 04-22-2010 at 12:47 AM. Reason: Only no how to paste 1 pic at a time.
Old 04-22-2010, 06:05 PM
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cardo0
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Default Your right Pete. Thx for the diagram.

Well i verified that on my Chilton's manual too - the ammeter measures between the alt and the batt cable at the starter connection. At least for years '73, '74 and '75.
Can't recall now where i have seen the cable used as a shunt. But if i do remember i will post as so. Please don't tell anyone but that's the first time i've been mistaken.:o

cardo0
Old 04-22-2010, 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by cardo0
Well i verified that on my Chilton's manual too - the ammeter measures between the alt and the batt cable at the starter connection. At least for years '73, '74 and '75.
Can't recall now where i have seen the cable used as a shunt. But if i do remember i will post as so. Please don't tell anyone but that's the first time i've been mistaken.:o

cardo0

The voltage drop across a cable that big would be so minuscule (millivolts or microvolts) that there would be no accurate way to measure it. Electrical noise would be greater. I don't think so.
Old 04-27-2010, 12:36 AM
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cardo0
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Default Its called a shunt.

I do think so. Yes, the voltage drop would be only millivolts - but thats how a shunt is designed. For larger currents most ammeters use a shunt which is known accurate resistance that produces a known voltage drop for a given current flow through it. Really a voltmeter then measuing the voltage drop and read out in amperes on the scale/face. Would u want full starting current flowing through that little meter in your instrument panel? Wires would be just a big as the batt cables.
Heres a quick google link i found for you on ammeters: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammeter

Apologies for the late response, i had a busy weekend.
cardo0
Old 04-27-2010, 12:56 AM
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The meter in our car is marked BATTERY but it is not an AMMETER it is a GALVANOMETER.
Old 04-27-2010, 01:12 AM
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Default A galvanometer is an ammeter.

U mean the ammeter marked "Ammeter" in your drawing Pete? U can read up on galvanometers in the link i provided too (click on highlighted galvanometer) but the discussion i have with turtle is how a shunt type ammeter works. And our ammeters marked "ammeter" may well be a galvanometer but i don't beleive its going to change the length of OP's positive batt cable now.

Good night,
cardo0
Old 04-27-2010, 01:20 AM
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I'll leave you and Turtle to your discussion.
It may say AMMETER on the schematic but in my 74 the gauge says BATTERY.
Old 05-11-2018, 06:48 PM
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ceh_69
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does anybody just give a simple straight answer on here i have asked several questions and not one straight answer going to give up on this site, you all can try to say nothing to any question not worth giving you my time
Old 05-11-2018, 07:03 PM
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Hammerhead Fred
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Originally Posted by ceh_69
does anybody just give a simple straight answer on here i have asked several questions and not one straight answer going to give up on this site, you all can try to say nothing to any question not worth giving you my time
This thread is 8 years old.....
Old 05-11-2018, 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by ceh_69
does anybody just give a simple straight answer on here i have asked several questions and not one straight answer going to give up on this site, you all can try to say nothing to any question not worth giving you my time
An obscure question such as battery cable length will mostly go unanswered so not sure what exactly your question is or what the problem is...
Old 05-11-2018, 07:30 PM
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Originally Posted by ceh_69
does anybody just give a simple straight answer on here i have asked several questions and not one straight answer going to give up on this site, you all can try to say nothing to any question not worth giving you my time
In your other thread asking for the length of the positive cable (https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...s-lenghts.html) I gave you links to two different threads that both have definite answers your question.

I did a quick search for your question and found those threads, I skimmed through the posts and here's your straight forward answer
Positive cable is handy to 96" long.

You're welcome
M

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