Battery relocation

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OneRedDart

FABO Gold Member
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Hello, hope everyone is doing great!

After reading some of the posts here, decided to relocate the battery to the trunk in my 1972 Dart. I ordered the Summit Racing SUM-G1230-K-Summit Racing Premium Battery Relocation Kit.

Summit Racing SUM-G1230-K Summit Racing® Premium Battery Relocation Kits | Summit Racing

In one post, I read that member "crackedback" wrote: I dont like having the starter cable hot, except when starting the engine. I would run starter of a Ford relay.

Any Ford relay will work? Can I get it from Amazon, Ford dealer? I have been reading multiple posts to get an idea how to do it properly. Trying to find posts with pictures showing the Ford relay connection to starter.

Really appreciate your advice, guidance on this procedure. Thank you for your time and help.
 
Go to amazon and type in starter relay solenoid. You can get it from any parts supply. Even Summit.


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1958 to 1991 ford.



If you don't want the ford label

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Thank you Blind Squirrel!

Found the brown color can be delivered tomorrow, went ahead and ordered it.

Really appreciate your advice and help.
 
Hope everyone is having a great week!

I am still trying to complete the wiring for the battery relocation. Did move the battery to the trunk.

Do have some questions, hope you can help me. I see in the schematic that "one wire alternator" is needed, currently, I have a different alternator. Do not know if I can use this alternator. Wanted to ask before I go and purchase the one wire alternator.

Do all the wires have to be a 1- gauge size? Or a smaller wire size can be used for some of the connections?

I was told that I needed to take my car for an inspection and for that reason, I just connected the battery to the same cables as before. Took the car to be inspected, but the VIN number was all that was needed, to verify the car was not stolen. Have not driven the car ever since, needs brakes and other work.

Pictures of the schematic, it is from one FABO's member. The way I have the battery connected. The alternator that the car has. Thank you for your help.

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I’m running a trunk mounted battery with a square back alternator and have it hooked up to the starter relay lug with a -4 feeding/ routed to the battery. With the voltage regulator wired like stock. The only -1 is from the battery to ford relay to starter. (And battery ground) On my car, I also have a -4/-6 feed wire each for electric fans, MSD, and main hot for painless wiring harness routed to the trunk, with inline fuses and hooked to the battery. Look up a wire load chart, this will tell you want wire size to use for a given load. You want to be averaging less than 75% load for giving wire size. As for a one wire Alt, I’d run it back to the battery with -2 as the charge wire is also the load sense wire...
 
I'm not an expert but your wiring diagram looks incorrect to me. By rule, when the master cut-off is thrown. It has to kill all power. If I read yours correctly. You would still have power at the alternator. This would be bad in say a roll over crash off the jersey bouncer with an engine compartment fuel leak. If you get my flame.
 
I'm not an expert but your wiring diagram looks incorrect to me. By rule, when the master cut-off is thrown. It has to kill all power. If I read yours correctly. You would still have power at the alternator. This would be bad in say a roll over crash off the jersey bouncer with an engine compartment fuel leak. If you get my flame.

The Alt is before the master cut, so when master is thrown all the power to the igination and such is killed thus killing the motor.

Also, more times than not and depending on the rules, The master kill switch is on the ground side...
 
If you see what I see in the drawing. The alternator is on the same lug as the battery. This would mean that power from the battery feeds to the lug and then continues on to the alternator un-impeded. There is no disconnect in that line of power.


Yes, a ground side kill would take out all power. But you are also right on checking rules.

Just checked. General rule (NHRA) 8.4 requires the master cut off on the positive side. Also remember that either a vented box or a rear firewall is required under rule 8.1
 
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If you see what I see in the drawing. The alternator is on the same lug as the battery. This would mean that power from the battery feeds to the lug and then continues on to the alternator un-impeded. There is no disconnect in that line of power.


Yes, a ground side kill would take out all power. But you are also right on checking rules.

Just checked. General rule (NHRA) 8.4 requires the master cut off on the positive side. Also remember that either a vented box or a rear firewall is required under rule 8.1
NHRA pos side is correct. You can kill the alt output by using a bosch relay for field excitement.
 
I found this schematic online, I believe it is from one FABO's member. Is this set up better? The only reason I was interested in following the previous schematic, is because I already purchased the two wire master disconnect. If this schematic is a better one, I will purchase the four connection disconnect switch and the one wire alternator.
Thank you for your help.

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If you see what I see in the drawing. The alternator is on the same lug as the battery. This would mean that power from the battery feeds to the lug and then continues on to the alternator un-impeded. There is no disconnect in that line of power.

Not sure how that would matter if the output from the alternator is disconnected from the ignition system. Which it looks to me like it is. If the alternator can't power the ignition, then the engine will stop running even if the alternator charges the battery until the motor stops.

I know the big issue is when the alternator can back feed the ignition and keep the motor running, but I don't see how the first schematic would do that.

The other issue might be that the power wire from the alternator is live until the motor dies, but now long can that be for?

But I'm no electrical genius so maybe I am missing something.
 
A: you don't need a "one wire" alternator.
B: what do you want to accomplish? just a battery disconnect or a kill switch? they are not the same thing.

reading:
1
2
3
 
Actually a "one wire" is more difficult to deal with for NHRA style "kill."
 
Shameful the NHRA does not change their rule that the disconnect must be on the positive side. This REALLY complicates things as noted above. Disconnect is SIMPLE if it's on the ground side. Mine is wired per NHRA but in reality, I should have just done it on ground side since I doubt I'll be at many (any?) NHRA tracks.
 
Shameful the NHRA does not change their rule that the disconnect must be on the positive side. This REALLY complicates things as noted above. Disconnect is SIMPLE if it's on the ground side. Mine is wired per NHRA but in reality, I should have just done it on ground side since I doubt I'll be at many (any?) NHRA tracks.

Agreed. Most of the vintage forumla race cars my brother restores, repairs and run are ground cut. From Vintage F1 down to formula ford ran in SCCA, CSRG and such series...
 
Really appreciate the responses. The reason the battery was relocated, is because I installed a larger radiator, 27.5 x 19, and the area, became too crowded.

I doubt that I will be going to a dragstrip, going to be 54 years old and unfortunately, my free time is very limited. My son is nine years old, do not know if he will go, when he is older. Would like to wire the battery to comply with the NHRA rules.

Will spend more time reading the posts kursplat posted.

Thank you for your help and advice.

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I think you would be better off with the propper radiator, shroud, pulleys and fan.
I say that even though you've invested much effort in these modifications.

Another answer might be a more compact battery.
If you really want to go attempt this, based on our conversation, maybe a scheme like this would work if you want a master disconnect and a key disconnect for the heavy starter cable. Its got the relay wired as @67Dart273 suggested in an another thread.
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Or a slightly more robust layout, still assuming you'll be using an ammeter.
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The igntition start wire is only partially drawn in for clarity. It will be needed to turn on the MSD during starting.
 
If you are sure you are never going to the track, and see no need for a master disconnect, then the continuous duty relay isn't needed.
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