Length of battery cables??

   / Length of battery cables?? #1  

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hi,

i got such a good response to my last post, thanks a lot to all who replied. i was wanting to find out, before i buy new thick battery cables, do they both have to be the same length or can i earth the negative next to the battery (battery is at the front)? it will save me some money if one can be short!!

regards

Gareth
 
   / Length of battery cables?? #2  
Gareth, The ground can be as short as you like, just put it right on the frame. Just make sure you have a good clean contact with the metal.
 
   / Length of battery cables?? #3  
No need for them to be the same length as long as you have a good ground (or earth, as you call it).
 
   / Length of battery cables?? #4  
Yep Gareth

Von & Bird are on the money here.

No need for same length. The shorter the cable, the less resistance (not that that is a huge factor in big cables).

Go for it.

Interesting to note that my import kubota has a scungy little earth strap that has since been replaced with a more meaty one. The original is stall hanging there. I'd consider it to be WAY undersize but that must be how they were built.

Cheers
 
   / Length of battery cables?? #5  
Just a comment. I am not familiar with the Fiat. Is it a frameless or frame style? If frame style, you will want to make sure the engine is firmly grounded to the frame if that is where you connect your new cable. If so, then length won't matter.
 
   / Length of battery cables??
  • Thread Starter
#6  
not quite shure what you mean by the whole frame thing, i'm going to bolt the earth straight onto the chassis!
 
   / Length of battery cables?? #7  
With the exception of positive ground systems, I routinely add a groung strap that is run right to the alternator ground reference, as well as the ground cable or strap to the frame. Probably overkill.. but I've never seen a circuit fail due to 'over-adequate ground reference'. Cuts out annoying ground loops that may plague more sensitive electronics, like say a newer style voltage reg, or a fender mount radio, etc.

Also, on any alternator with an external regulator, i always run a sepperate ground reference to it as well. Nothing like a bad ground to kill a 'points' style regulator, and really overwork an alternator.

Soundguy

<font color=blue>"Just a comment. I am not familiar with the Fiat. Is it a frameless or frame style? If frame style, you will want to make sure the engine is firmly grounded to the frame if that is where you connect your new cable. If so, then length won't matter. "
 
   / Length of battery cables?? #8  
<font color=blue>not quite shure what you mean by the whole frame thing</font color=blue>
Many tractors do not have a frame or chassis. The engine bolts to the bell housing which bolts to the transmission which bolts to the rear end. That holds the front wheels to the rear wheels. Everything is essentially one piece from a grounding standpoint.
Some tractors have a frame or chassis somewhat like a car. In that case, the engine sits in the chassis and may or may not be isolated from it with rubber bushings.
So, if the Fiat has a frame which holds the engine, and if the engine happened to be attached to the frame with rubber isolation bushings, then it would need a ground strap from the engine to the frame.
If your ground wire was attached to the chassis before and all you want to do is attach it to the chassis closer to the battery, it should be no problem at all. In fact, shorter is probably better as the chassis would provide greater conduction path than the wire would.
 
   / Length of battery cables??
  • Thread Starter
#9  
i see, the fiat is just one single chassis and all i want to do is move the cable closer to the battery!! my dad just brought home the new cables, they don't look much thicker, but it is what the mechanic gave him! a worrying thing is that it says 1000V welding wire, is it the right thing?? the mechanic (who got us to buy the tractor) told my father that this time of year (winter in south africa) a lot of farmers are bringing him battery cables as their tractors won't start!!

Gareth
 
   / Length of battery cables?? #10  
Most any sufficient gauge braided or stranded wire ( preferably copper ) ( non-resistive wire ) shoupd be ok. If it is the anode/cathode leader wire that most stick welders use.. like a lincoln, should be fine, and meet/exceed what the manufacturer had on it.

Soundguy

<font color=blue>"the mechanic gave him! a worrying thing is that it says 1000V welding wire, is it the right thing?? the mechanic (w"
 
 
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