[epfatboy]

I'm sending the car our to have the interior updated and cleaned up, I'm going to do the trunk over as well. Looking for a few ideas on how to plumb the fuel lines and electrical needed to the fuel cell/pump located in my trunk. Also looking to clean up the trunk mount battery, Batt cutoff, and Starter noid.. The routing I had was done component by component and often mid-season so I kinda hacked it together...

The trunk will be carpeted and I plan to have a wall to hide the rear quarter area I'll also run as much wiring as possible behind the wall as well. I'm not doing this to win a show or anything like that, just want to clean up the look and keep access to things I need as easy as possible, for example the quarter walls will be velcro'd so I can get at the relays and fuses easily if I have a problem.

Here is where I started from, looks okay from 10 feet... but it needed help...

New photo by Eric Post

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Nasty ass wiring I pulled out.

New photo by Eric Post

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stripped Trunk, re-doing the fuel cell pan too...

New photo by Eric Post

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mock up of new stuff

New photo by Eric Post

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The fuel feed and return will be leaving the trunk toward the rear and on the passenger side thru the floor. I was wondering what kind of grommet to use and then started to think about maybe putting a bulkhead fitting in. Any thoughts about using a bulkhead fitting? Feels like that would be a decent option.

I also have two 1/0 lines and two 4AWG lines that need to exit the trunk to support the Ground, Starter, Alt, and Engine bay power distribution block. Are there cooler options for those than just a grommet?

I guess I'm also looking for ideas for the relays, fuses, etc...

Again not a show car, this thing is CONSTANTLY being worked on so I want to balance clean with functional.

 

[Redrider66SS]

i'd say put the battery on the pass. side by the tail light area for ease of getting to. an also mount that marine style battery box into a metal box to hold it in place. just in case something goes wronge in front that battery doesn't turn into a flying weight. an maybe two connectors to keep a trickle charger connected to.

 

[Custom Jim]

I've used some styles of plastic compression bulkhead fittings before to pass through wires through opening and found some years ago that had internal sleeves that when tightened would create a water resistant seal against the wires insulation. You could get the old style moroso pass through bulkhead fittings but to me the less amount of connections the better reliability and less chances of voltage drops.

plastic compression bulkhead fitting - Google Search

I've gone round and round with people that refuse to fuse and it's up to you but any wire off of a power source like the battery needs to be properly protected. Even though one might think a master on/off switch will cut power,and it will,it will not do it automatically like a fuse will.

Also too, maybe invest in rubber booty covers for use to cover exposed power terminals like what is on master on/off switches.

Jim

 

[epfatboy]

Thanks for the replies.

Battery hold down is a new billet unit from ICT and meets NHRA specs, not alot of space on the pass side towards the rear of the trunk but I do plan to move it further over to the pass side but more towards the cabin. Technically I don't need a box cause I have a sufficient firewall between the trunk/cabin. I also don't like to argue with tech's so I might go with metal box in addition to the hold down.

Which connections do you fuse?
I have the cutoff wired as
- FEED side: Batt and Alt.
- SWITCH side: STARTER and Power Distribution point.
I plan to fuse the fuel pump and nos heater after the power distribution point in the trunk, I might build a 4 or 6 point fuse block so I can expand later if needed. I'm guessing I should fuse the power feed to the engine bay distribution block too. What would I need to use for that? Currently that power feed runs the rest of the car (it's a 4AWG line) like the Elec Fan, Ignition, Stereo, Lights, etc...

Also do I need a relay to support the IGN wire for the starter noid? The starter noid is in the trunk so I have a long wire run (10AWG) from the Key to the Noid. When I installed the starter noid I was having all sorts of elec related problems so I threw a relay in to make sure the noid was seeing all the trigger power I could give it.

I also agree with limiting connections, especially electrical, and understand point to point bulkhead connectors do increase the number of connection points.. I'd also like to simplify future removal/install for any component I install and the ability to disconnect at various locations is super handy so I think I might commit to proper maintenance and use point to point types versus pass thru. Also plan to use point to point bulkheads for fuel and nitrous, little more $$ but I'm committed to cleaning this up and making maintenance easier.

 

[hbanger]

100% on bulkhead fittings for fuel and nitrous.

 

[bracketchev70]

I never had a box in my car with the Odyssey battery.

 

[Custom Jim]

I have seen a lot of different ways of doing things and I know I have seen these types of connectors used at different points on an electrical system (such quick disconnect on starters that might be getting engine changes between rounds and difficulty of accessing some connection points):

As far as fusing, it needs to be sized to the wire and located as close as you can to the source of power.

There are plenty of charts out there and here is one BUT compare it to others as some I have seen are on both ends of the spectrum as far as what I would work with:

Also note that the above chart is for copper wire only. Copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire cannot handle the amount of current that a copper wire of the same size can.

Now for instance if you had a 1/0 wire off of the battery going to a master on/off switch, then to me around a 300A fuse maximum would be installed close to the battery positive terminal. You would then have another 1/0 wire off of the output/switched side of the master on off switch either running up front or to a Ford Solenoid and then eventually have the 1/0 going to the starter. If at some point on the 1/0 cable run I had a 4 gauge going off to another circuit, then I would maybe limit the fuse size on that wire at the connection point to the 1/0 at around 150A. On an 8 gauge I don't like seeing anything above 60A and on 10 gauge, 30A. I've stuck with these values on copper wires through 30+ years and have not had issues. Like anything else, your results may vary but I look at worst case deals. On/Off switches are nice BUT you get in an accident and the power wires could get pinched and shorted and I would like something that would open up the circuit all by itself and not require me or anyone else to do anything. You have fuses or breakers on your home wiring and do not rely on having to turn off a light switch to prevent a fire should the light become shorted out.

Like any electrical setup, you have to do the math and how things need to be laid out and properly protected.

As far as battery enclosures, if you have a battery in the trunk or interior, please enclose it and vent it to the exterior of the vehicle. Too many times, people say they have run one without an enclosure with no issues or they "think" it's a sealed battery like the optima brand one, but if you ever have a battery explode in your face you will be asking what you can do next time providing you can still see. Batteries have chemical reactions going on inside and the fumes can be explosive.

Jim