Questions about battery relocation

[team39763]

YES...that's the simplified explanaition that I needed.  I was getting a little frustrated since I'm unable to find what I need in this small town and when I do find it, it costs more than gold.  I went to TSC and 4ga wire was almost $5 per foot!  At that point I didn't want to know what 2 or 0 cost.  Luckily I found some 2ga 45miles away for $44(12ft).  I understood the tips ya'll were giving me, I just have limited resources and money don't go far when you live in the middle of nowhere...stores act like everything is super rare/one of a kind.
  You're right, I don't drive this truck on the highway at all.  Actually, when I'm not racing it, a rarely exceed 20mph(just a nice slow roll).  But it won't even see that anymore, it's all track time from here.
  On the routing, there's no corners there's no turns other than up over the starter, and up through the bed floor(one time).  I have insulated clamps and I'm about to go snag a old water hose to use for sleeving.  So I should be good on that.  I was only able to find 10ga for the alternator wire, so I hope that will be ok...if not I could always double up right?
Thanks to everybody posted to this thread...I really appreciate all the help.  I'll update in a bit.

[choptop]

10 gauge is good for about 30 amps normally, but will handle up to 50 amps temporarily. Doubling it up wont do any good, because in this size wire, the short will just find the weak link. Since you dont have large amounts of electronic devices, lights, heater blower, radio w/ amplifier, then the output on your alternator will be limited to just what it takes to recharge the battery, and then run what is being used. Alot of the race cars around her dont even run alternators, they just charge the batteries between rounds. I will go out tomorrow, and check the amperage draw on one of mine when cranking, and then running, and we will get a base line as too how many amps your alternator may be putting out. Just because it could have the potential to pull 100 amps, doesnt mean it will. I still recommend a fuse for the alternator, even if it is just a 30 amp inline fuse, just to protect the wire. I doubt it will pull that much with a good battery, and no accessories, but have never checked it. I work on engines all day long that are industrial deisel engines, and run 10 gauge wire for the power supply to 16 injectors and the controls, so we'll find out what we are running. I have several to check, from a 350 w/ the a/c, to one of the new ones with all the bells. We'll get some numbers.

[team39763]

Sounds like a plan.
I got all the wires run to where I want them.  I'll throw in a 40AMP inline fuse that I have from a stereo system.  I wrapped the 2ga wire with my old 1/2" goodyear air hose....MAN! it took me 15minutes just to split 10 feet of it with metal snips.  My wife says I can order the 8ga online if I need to if this 10ga won't work.  She said for me to just do what I need to for it to run. 

[choptop]

Ok Team, I got some measurement. Now these readings will be +/- 1-2 amps due to meter calibration, b ut mine is calibrated at least once a year. If memory suits me, you have the LS1 engine, so I compared my 01 w/ the 8.1, my 08 w/ 5.3, and my 81 w/ 468

81 3/4 ton 468, nothing else on      01 1ton 8.1/Alllison         08 k1500 w/ 5.3
ignition on only=3 amps                     10 amps                         24amps/35 w heater fan on high
cranking 281 amps/366 amps (1)        247 amps                      239 amps
running alternator output 30 amps       29 amps                          61 amps
after 1 min.       output 21 amps          20 amps                          58 amps
after 5 minutes  output 12 amps          18 amps                          54 amps  eveything on lights/etc
                                                                                                25 amps all acces. off

(1) The 81 doesnt start as quickly as the other two, so the 366 amp ready was hit after a couple of tries, the 281 was initial w/ hot battery.Its the higher of the three, but also has the most compression, and due to the design of the starter, isnt as efficient as the others. Now take into consideration that these number dont reflect how an electric fan will affect the load, I would have to run the 08 for along time before those fans kick on, and they may not be accurate results compared to what you are running. If needed, I can test them later and see what they add, just wanted to get a baseline. If you have after market fans, they should have information to the amperage draw both initially, and running.

The temp was around 40 F so that will also cause higher cranking amperages.

Based on these readings,yours will probably fall between the 01 and the 81. The 08 has alot of electrical on it, so the 10 gauge wire is borderline, but the 81 has 10 gauge for it, and as you can tell, the amps drop off greatly after about a minute, and 10 gauge is sufficient for 20 amps.8 gauge will cover you better, but as long as you have a 35-40 amp fuse inline, then it should pop well before the wire melts.
Hope this helps

[team39763]

I think I'll go ahead and buy the 8ga, I found some online for around $15 so I think I'll order it.  Is it ok if I mount the fuse about 4ft from the ALT?  If you were to fuse the ALT wire on the 08 what size would you use...65?  Thanks for the help and taking the time to get me that info.

[choptop]

Actually I would go about 100 on it to start, because the a/c and the electric fans were off, plus the readings dont take into consideration the stereo or the power windows, locks seats etc. 8 would be a good safety factor for you, but I doubt seriously you will be running the same amperage as the 08, probably closer to the 01. I probably have an extra 60 amp circuit breaker that I can send you if you want it, just send me a messsage w/ your address. As far as where, the closer the better, but as long as there isnt any place for it to rub, then it would be ok. Let me know. Email; kelly.wisdom@yahoo.com

[team39763]

Cool.  Thanks.  I'll hit you up in just a minute with the address. 

[choptop]

Did you ever get this finished? Would like to see how it turned out

[Bitzer!]

Have I missed the point here?   If your using the truck for track days only why are you using the alternater in the 1st place? When I raced (albeit in the UK) the less power used for the auxillary bits the more power the engine could use?

Andy

[Captkaos]

Andy,
I think (at the time) he was driving it to the track.

[team39763]

Sorry, I forgot to update this one.  I'm starting over again since my "Kill switch" doesn't seem to kill anything.  Actually, I can take the key out and leave the kill switch on and the truck will keep running....I messed up somewhere.  For some reason, it seems like truck changes on it's own.  Up until yesterday, I could turn on my fuel pump and fans without the key, now I need it.  Also, my headlight switch doesn't seem to work anymore either and all I did was move it.  Anyway, I'm re-doing it and this time I'm gonna pay close attention to what I'm doing.