Help with Battery Cable

[Scott]

What gauge battery cable did you use ( for a 200-250 hp motor).
I’m relocating the batteries to the console. However, and much to my dismay, they will terminate at a pair of battery posts in junction boxes in the transom. That so I can step down to a cable that will fit through my engine cowling.

Total loop about 26’ ….I was thinking # 1 gauge

Thoughts ??? Suggestions??? What did you do ??

Thanks in advance

[Trayder]

I used #2 on the 20 and my 25 Contender had #2 as well. Neither had battery posts in the stern and were both wired direct to the engines ground and the hot on the engine(s)starter. 1 wire from battery location to the engine and same for battery to the house bus bar.

Battery posts are nothing more than an additional connection and in my mind the less connections the better.

remove the factory leads and make new ones that are long enough to go from the Console to the engine. As for gauge I think #2 is fine but #1 is better.

You can get a great deal on Marine grade #2 waire from surplusunlimited.com

good luck and get that damn boat in the water!!!!!!

[strick]

If I remember right I used #1 throughout including to the battery switch.

strick

[warthog5]

Jason, Did you modify the big rubber plug on the front of the lower cowl for your Suzzy? There is not a lot of room in there and it's designed for the factory lead's. then there is the spot were the cable slid's between the air box and the elec. box.

[Trayder]

Yes, Warthog, had to bore it semi-round very easy with the proper tools. The plug is a maliable rubber and it conforms very nicly to #2 wire. There are no clearance issues routing #2 to the ground/starter. This was suggested by the dealer as the batteries are in the console.

I was surprised you used power posts after all the care you took with wiring your boat.

[warthog5]

HeHe 2ga may work fine like you said you did, but I have 2/0 cable's running from the console's to those power post's.

No way your gonn'a get 2/0 aka 00.

[Trayder]

Let me get this correct, you go 2/0 from the console to the power posts and then the OEM cable from the power posts to the engines?


Thats kind of akin to using a stainless fuel tank.....


hehehe

[thedink9]

Scott

I ran 2AWG from under the console to posts in the corner of transom. Then went with the factory cables (cut down) to the motor. The posts helped shorten the run lengths to the bilge pumps and the washdown pump. I'm happy with the setup. Dink [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]