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I’ve done multiple relocation but honestly I’m not sure if it’s worth doing here.
Maybe if you weekend race. Not a DD. The car has power seats, AC, automatic, flip up headlights and traction control. I mean you can but is the juice worth the squeeze? You decide.
Footnote;
If you are inclined? Good idea to run remote battery terminals for charging and jumping
Bought my 2001 convertible in Oct of 2006. The car had 3,300 miles and only serviced by the dealership.
I saw in the paper work that the battery had been replaced and since GM went to AGM batteries in 2001,
I assumed that the dealer used a Delco AGM battery. I replaced the battery with an Optima red top in the spring
of 2013 even though the existing battery had no issues. The existing battery was a flooded acid battery.
Two things. Make sure to use an AGM battery, just agreeing with everyone else…
Also, use a heavy gauge wire, like 1 or 0. Welding wire is great because it contains fine copper strands, rather than coarse copper covered aluminum strands found in many (crap) battery cables today.
Two things to consider:
-Weight (of all that 0 gauge cable)
-And a reminder to not use stereo 0 gauge and burn your car down with a flaming metal rope strung all through your car.
If heat is the only motivator then I suggest some simple heat shielding and switching to an optima.
If tracking, then listen to the other guys as far as placement. If you go inside the trunk then ensure you have remote jumper access. If you go on top of the rear bumper inside the fascia, ensure the same.
Even with the trunk closed, you should be able to jump the car from the post next to the fuse box under the hood, and anywhere a good ground can touch.
Like others have said use good large gauge wire. If this is a daily driver I would suggest running a negative cable from the battery to a post up front to keep the grounding points in the car happy. I would also suggest running two main breakers right off the battery, just in case you loose a breaker for some reason you have a back up ready. Example of what I mean, this is the battery box in my Soarer.
Good luck with the install, you will need to pull the exhaust, the torque tube cover and route the cables in that area. Make sure you clamp the cables well so they cannot move around and rub things. My car had the battery relocated by the prior owner (Zip Corvette) and they used the good stuff, BIG cable and ran both all the way back up front. I would not use that short ground in your kit, not that there should be anything wrong with using it, but these cars are just so finnicky with grounds. You will certainly have better weight distribution and all that space open in the engine compartment is really nice too.
Like others have said use good large gauge wire. If this is a daily driver I would suggest running a negative cable from the battery to a post up front to keep the grounding points in the car happy. I would also suggest running two main breakers right off the battery, just in case you loose a breaker for some reason you have a back up ready. Example of what I mean, this is the battery box in my Soarer.
This a great idea, our boat has the same setup and for some reason I never considered it for the Vette, but I am going to install a breaker or maybe 2 now! Do you recall where you found that panel?
Has anyone weighed the heavy cables at 20ft length and the brackets against the weight of a battery? Purely curious how it all stacks up.
It's certainly valid, particularly if you are putting the car on a diet, because you are probably adding about 150% more cable weight than stock, but at least it runs right down the center and moves the battery weight to the rear. I would put myself on a diet before worrying about that weight though, lol.
But no, I have not weighed that type of cable. According to https://www.wireandcableyourway.com/...-cable-class-k 1/0 welding cable (that is what is generally used and is used by Taylor that is in my car) weighs .425 lbs/ft, so I have about 17 lbs of battery cables...lol.
I have worked in the automotive industry for a long time and have also relocated a fair amount of batteries in vehicles over the years. Here are some comments about the type and jacketing material for the cables and some pointers on installation.
First and foremost - Please make do NOT use cheap materials!
Unless you are building a race car where you are worried about every single pound, stay away from copper clad aluminum stranded cables. You would have to use heavier gauge cable to carry the same amperage load as pure copper stranding. I would highly recommend that you run both the Red (positive) and Black (negative) cables all the way forward to the original factory post locations. Do NOT use a short negative ground cable to the frame (or unibody). You will not believe the amount of resistance in a steel frame rail (or unibody chassis). Research automotive parallel grounds - talk about exponential electrical nightmare issues for any Corvette! I would run the cables inside the cabin, not externally below the floor boards for too many reasons. Check the jacketing material on the battery cable and make sure to never use a low temperature (60-90C) rated PVC material (SGT) cable. Class M welding cable (uses 34ga stranding which is much more flexible than typical battery cable) or synthetic rubber jacketed battery cable (SGR) both rated at 105C are acceptable. But the type of cable that is used by the factory in both the C6 and C7 Corvettes with rear mounted batteries is SGX with a cross-linked polyethylene jacket. Rather than use crimp and solder style terminals, I would recommend compression style terminals, which are tin plated cast copper. They are not cheap, but they are very easy to install with simple hand tools. Make sure to seal the terminations with dual wall heat shrink tubing to prevent any corrosion issues. Also make sure to enclose the cables in slit convoluted conduit for extra abrasion protection. Do NOT use the cheap low temperature rated PVC stuff that you will find at the typical automotive parts store. You want to use at least nylon or flame retardant polypropylene conduit. Once inside the engine compartment if the cable(s) are too close to the exhaust system, make sure to use an aluminum faced reflective heat shield cable wrap to protect them from the exhaust system heat. Secure the covered cables with either Adel clamps or convoluted conduit clamps inside the cabin and if needed, stainless steel cable ties in the engine compartment.
And yes I am an engineer that worked for Tier One & Two harness suppliers to both GM and Chrysler over the years. Below is a link to some very good reference info on automotive battery and welding cable;
I have worked in the automotive industry for a long time and have also relocated a fair amount of batteries in vehicles over the years. Here are some comments about the type and jacketing material for the cables and some pointers on installation.
First and foremost - Please make do NOT use cheap materials!
Unless you are building a race car where you are worried about every single pound, stay away from copper clad aluminum stranded cables. You would have to use heavier gauge cable to carry the same amperage load as pure copper stranding. I would highly recommend that you run both the Red (positive) and Black (negative) cables all the way forward to the original factory post locations. Do NOT use a short negative ground cable to the frame (or unibody). You will not believe the amount of resistance in a steel frame rail (or unibody chassis). Research automotive parallel grounds - talk about exponential electrical nightmare issues for any Corvette! I would run the cables inside the cabin, not externally below the floor boards for too many reasons. Check the jacketing material on the battery cable and make sure to never use a low temperature (60-90C) rated PVC material (SGT) cable. Class M welding cable (uses 34ga stranding which is much more flexible than typical battery cable) or synthetic rubber jacketed battery cable (SGR) both rated at 105C are acceptable. But the type of cable that is used by the factory in both the C6 and C7 Corvettes with rear mounted batteries is SGX with a cross-linked polyethylene jacket. Rather than use crimp and solder style terminals, I would recommend compression style terminals, which are tin plated cast copper. They are not cheap, but they are very easy to install with simple hand tools. Make sure to seal the terminations with dual wall heat shrink tubing to prevent any corrosion issues. Also make sure to enclose the cables in slit convoluted conduit for extra abrasion protection. Do NOT use the cheap low temperature rated PVC stuff that you will find at the typical automotive parts store. You want to use at least nylon or flame retardant polypropylene conduit. Once inside the engine compartment if the cable(s) are too close to the exhaust system, make sure to use an aluminum faced reflective heat shield cable wrap to protect them from the exhaust system heat. Secure the covered cables with either Adel clamps or convoluted conduit clamps inside the cabin and if needed, stainless steel cable ties in the engine compartment.
And yes I am an engineer that worked for Tier One & Two harness suppliers to both GM and Chrysler over the years. Below is a link to some very good reference info on automotive battery and welding cable;
@JHrinsin could you point us to some links for the cable, fittings, and abrasion covers you mention?
Also, thank you for your guidance. I always enjoy being educated on details which matter and which many breeze past. That is one of the great things about talking with Bret Bradbury is the depth of knowledge which he shares, particularly on electrical topics where I am largely ignorant.
