Heavier wire from GP Controller to Batt?

[nyteshades]

I'm preparing for another trip to northern WI at Christmas this year. I'm getting ready to replace the batt cables. I remember hearing, or seeing, or reading something about replacing the wire from the GP Controller on the back of the manifold, to the battery. I seem to remember it had something to do with preventing a fire....or it just being easier on the GP's.

I could be wrong....just seems like there was something...

Bueller?....Bueller?

 

[icanfixall]

Well it seems the ford engineers felt that two small wires can handle the current and amp flow better than one large wire. This is kinda true but. When you drop down going thru the harness plug the size of the pins and connecters is way too small. Mine burned up one day after several difficult starts. Smoke billowed out from the hood to fender jiont... I thought I burned up the starter. Noticed the plug by accident and saw it was melted and hot to the touch. So off to a speaker shop for some heavy 6 gauge multi strand wire and lugs. Wired directly to the controller and back to the hot side of the solenoid on the fender. Only then did I notice this is a constant hot to the controller. So be careful removeing and connecting these wires. About the smaller wires carrying mor amps.. Yes, thats true. You see this many times in the high voltage power cables up around 200 ft off the ground. Sometimes there is even a third wire per conducter carrying voltage and amps. Its easier to string these smaller cables and they are cheaper to make than one big wire. Our system work ok till any corrosion gets into the harness plug.. then heat builds up and finally you let all the smoke out of the wire insulation...

 

[nyteshades]

Thanks. I thought I was going crazy. So I can just run a 6 gauge wire from solenoid to GP controller, and disconnect the existing (hot) wires and let them hang? I'm replacing all the batt cables so, I figure this as good times as any idea to do it.

 

[icanfixall]

Yes, the two yellow wires that feed power to the controller can be dropped but.. I cut mine out of the harness just because I didn't want dead wires in the harness. Its a lot of extra work doing that so you can just cut off the ends that come out of the loom so it looks better. Some here have done this and installed a fuse inline too.

 

[nyteshades]

Yes, the two yellow wires that feed power to the controller can be dropped but.. I cut mine out of the harness just because I didn't want dead wires in the harness. Its a lot of extra work doing that so you can just cut off the ends that come out of the loom so it looks better. Some here have done this and installed a fuse inline too.

Fuse is a good idea.....what size should it be?

 

[icanfixall]

I think someone used a 150 or 200 amp fuse but someone will chime in with what they know to be true... I'm just guessing here...

 

[Fordsandguns]

I read it was a 250 amp fuse or breaker. I don't have one on mine but I plan on adding one.

 

[nyteshades]

That's a lot of juice.....I may not get that put in this time.

 

[flareside_thun]

I did the larger cable upgrade on mine...unfused, I'm a poor *******.

 

[ford390gashog]

I used pre made 6 foot 4ga battery cable from the parts store with an eyelet on both ends. The mega fuse holder is optional.