Hey guys,
I know a few of you have installed stereo amplifiers in your cars and I was wondering what you did for the battery terminal. The amp I have needs a minimum of 8 awg wire according to the installation manual.
Thanks!
Dave
I am not sure what terminal your asking about, nut be sure you have a fuse close to the battery on that wire run.
Basically, how did you connect the cable for the amp to the battery terminal?
Use a ring terminal at the battery side of the solenoid.
Is there a place in the stack of terminals on the solenoid that is the best for registering the current draw on the amp meter?
Nope. Anywhere on that post will do.
Here’s my examples of wires with eyelets added to the posts. On the positive battery terminal I used a slightly longer bolt as I needed more room. I am using the reproduction/upgraded “high draw” battery cables.
That’s one of the challenges I’ve found under the hood of a classic…very little places to add anything electrical. I never liked adding a ring terminal to a lead battery terminal as it’s never all that clean, can only add one or two additional wires and not easy to take on and off. The starter solenoid is a good place but it’s limited as well.
What I like to use are replacement terminals from a newer ford.( I will get the part numbers and add them here for those interested.)They are cheap and add a post for ring terminals for a clean install. Even then you can have enough to get messy quick like mine so am going to add an additional fuse box for switched and battery power for which will come in handy for future upgrades. I also like how the positive terminal drops down at a 90* angle, this allowed me to position the main cable for more room and cleaner install of larger cables.
Only negative one might find with these replacement ends are the hardware is metric vs standard and while I don’t like to mix the two these are worth it.
You can also mount a remote post somewhere on the side panel to reduce clutter at the relay or battery terminal.
This is a very old and scanned photo. I used this terminal block mounted low under the solenoid. From left to right is:
Circuit breaker for Vintage AC system, low and high beam headlight relays, and the terminal block purchased from M.A.D Enterprises.
http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/cn-1.shtml
Everything that I need to have constant voltage goes there and cleans up the top of the battery and the hot side of the solenoid.
