Wiring

F1118 · Post by **F1118** » Sat May 03, 2003 9:12 am

What type of wire should i use for a battery to distribution box connection...and what type should I use for distribution box to radios?

Thanks

motorolamonster911 · Post by **motorolamonster911** » Sat May 03, 2003 11:23 am

I use ethier 4 AWG or 8 AWG, depending what I have in stock.

But mostly 4 AWG, and fuse it at the battery and the dist. box.

Hope this helps!
Nick

F1118 · Post by **F1118** » Sat May 03, 2003 11:29 am

Dont you use larger wire for battery to box than you use for box to radio?

motorolamonster911 · Post by **motorolamonster911** » Sat May 03, 2003 11:34 am

my bad, yeh your right, larger wiring from battery to box (ALWAYS!) and use whatever cable that the radio came with. If your going to use your own cable for the radio, use the same, or something bigger!

jbxx · Post by **jbxx** » Sat May 03, 2003 2:05 pm

What kind of current will you be drawing?
This will determine what size of wire to use.
Add all the branch loads that will be used
at the same time. Double it (for future loads).
Use wire that is ambient temp. rated at 90 deg.
C. or better. Welding cable is good for flexability,
but not needed if stationary.
J.B. AD6WX

F1118 · Post by **F1118** » Sat May 03, 2003 2:14 pm

Well im running a M-spectra, an Icom2100H, a radio shack scanner, and a couple self contained stobe lights....looking to adding a 100w radio later.

firemanbatt · Post by **firemanbatt** » Sat May 03, 2003 2:26 pm

Something that I have done and still do, is to run 4 to 8 gauge in throught the firewall to one of the gold power distribution boxes. The good ones, Streetwires for example will let you put Maxi fuses in, and then I run my wires to the dist box....Of cours, fuse the wire where it ties on the the battery also.

For my jeep I used some 1/0 battery cable to run completely to the rear of the vehicle, I got a hd 30 amp resettable circuit breaker under the hood.

In the rear I got a distribution box from NAPA that is designed for semi trailers, and tied everything in back there. Every radio is also fused in the back.

This is acceptable to run a Vhf, Uhf, Lowband, and 800mhz, syntor x9000.

F1118 · Post by **F1118** » Sat May 03, 2003 2:54 pm

Can anyone give me a model number for a distribution box that has two inputs and eight outputs . . . . I want to run my neg and pos from the battery to the box and run 4 devices out of the box.