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  1. #1
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
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    Default Need some help running amp power wire to battery.

    Hey all, Happy Easter!
    I Need to run my amp power wire to my battery but I'm struggling with where to run it into the engine bay. Right now I'm thinking of drilling into the passenger side wheel well and into engine bay through the hole in the top left hand side of well. Would this be a good place to run it? It would be protected by wheel well plastic and would have a grommet on it. Only issue is my fuel pump relay powered wire and my fuel line also runs there. Would that be a issue? What other options do I have? Don't really want to remove my dash to run it.
    Here is a pic. So you can see where my fuel line and relay power wire is and where it enters the engine bay. Blue wire is my amp power wire.
    Attachment 135325
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  2. #2
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
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    Default

    Or maybe run it through where the passenger side kick panel is and behind the passenger fender?
    Attachment 135326
    Attachment 135327
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  3. #3

    Default

    No problem if you do it correctly.
    All wires need to have a good quality wire loom over them. That includes that red wire in the picture.

    You must put a good quality wire loom over over the power wire. Well, actually, only if you don't care about the possibility of your car bursting into flames. :-)

    Also, where the power wire and it's wire loom go through that opening, put a full coverage rubber grommet in the opening (will likely require some customization, but not a big deal).
    And/or, put some vacuum hose/or some Very High Quality Abrasive Resistant Loom(like they make for spark plug wires) over the "plastic/poly" wire loom, as additional protection. Tie wrap the additional covering in a few places.

    Imho, the following loom is very good to protect against abrasion:
    https://www.amazon.com/Aramid-Braide...dp/B079SP7CFM/
    3/4" Aramid Braided Sleeving - 10 Feet
    Price: $19.99

    0.75 Inch Flat - 10 Feet
    Flat: 3/4" | Diameter: 0.47" | Expansion Range: 0.32" - 0.61" (sP2B: make sure that's big enough) | Aramid Fibers Heat Resistant Braided Sleeving | Length: 10 Feet
    Up to 20 times Stronger than Steel | Ideal for Extra Heavy Duty applications in the most Extreme Environmental Conditions
    High Cut, Chemical and Abrasion Resistance | Requires Kevlar Shears for cutting product (sP2B: Or, good heavy cutting scissors , also put heat-shrink tubing on the ends.)
    Does not Melt, Burn or Support Combustion
    Durable, Soft, Flexible and Pliable | Extraordinary Tensile Strength


    Good Luck!
    Last edited by stangPlus2Birds; 04-04-2021 at 02:51 PM.

  4. #4
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
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    Default

    Ok thanks for the info. Think it's better to go through wheel well or through the kick panel? Or does it really matter?
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  5. #5
    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Default 2nd aux fuse panel, relay, wire to battery

    To be on the safe side, I added a maxi-fuse block in 2005 with cover and 30a fuse to new amp battery wire feed. Easy to do.
    Mounted the fuse holder on the fender by the battery. No splicing. Has large screw terminals for eyelet connectors.
    Feed wire routes thru a firewall grommet. Factory way is good enough for me.
    Less chance of damage there and easy access for routing and hiding wire inside an existing harness.

    While i was at it, had an idea.
    Needed fuses for radio, 50w x 4 power amp, two 12v power points for GPS unit, usb charging ports, spare 12v fused power taps.
    Eliminated the need to tap into, overload, modify, damage, the oe main fuse box when adding new era accessories.

    New hi power amp is now connected to a second 8 terminal fuse block i added behind the glove box for new accessories.
    The Bussman fuse block is connected via Dorman 12v relay to the maxi fuse. Maxi fuse is connected directly to battery.
    Was not comfortable knowing a non factory hi amp wire was live all the time direct from battery to amp in an unattended car.
    Connecting a standard 12v relay to allow 30a power to fuse box only when wired to a key on or acc feed. Works great.
    No worry of leaving on something and draining battery or catching fire when car is parked.
    Cost total for all new parts was under 30.00. All parts pretty easy to find at stores.


    Littelfuse brand maxifuse holder with translucent cover, rated 60a. Am using a 30a. Accepts large gauge wire connections.

    Standard 12v relay to connect maxi fuse to second fuse block allowing on/off switching of fuse block power via ignition switch.
    Or connect relay directly to amp. Either way the 10-12g amp wire is double fused (at maxi and amp).




    Pic (not mine) yellow wire connector is connected to 12v key on from the relay:

    Ground terminal strip for multiple ground connections:
    Last edited by gr79; 06-21-2021 at 09:54 AM. Reason: added title for future searches

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Sask84gt View Post
    Ok thanks for the info. Think it's better to go through wheel well or through the kick panel? Or does it really matter?

    My preference would be the wheel well, since that area has nice options for securely mounting wires, brake lines, etc.
    Also, if you have sub-frame connectors, the wire is then protected from scrapes from bottoming out. But, you still need to run a good loom.

    I agree with gr79, a fuse is a very good idea/required addition.
    I have a fuse between my upgraded battery wire and my battery. The bigger power wire from the alternator is a tight fit, no matter how you run it. Plus, 2G/3G alternators can short out internally, and cause a very bad day(potential fire and/or battery explosion) for someone.

    Good luck!

  7. #7
    FEP Senior Member Sask84gt's Avatar
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    Default

    Ok, I have a fuse that goes in line about 12" from the battery, came with the wire kit I bought. Ran the power wire through the wheel well and up into engine bay. Added a abrasion and heat resistant loom over the wire. Still need to protect the red wire. Just need to find something small enough. I'm the interior I added some plastic wire loom just to protect it a bit.
    Attachment 135336
    Attachment 135337
    Mustangs
    84.5 Gt T-top
    85 Gt

  8. #8

    Default

    Looks good!

    Don't forget to add a strain relief clamp on the new power wire, like you have on the other wires.
    You never want wires to move or flex as the car moves. If that happens, then "eventually", the looms and covers chaff off, and the individual strands of wire start breaking inside the cable.

  9. #9
    FEP Member Hans's Avatar
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    Default

    I'm so going to steal this brilliant idea from you Gr79.
    There is a Drive In movie night arranged by the Dutch Mustang club. But need a working FM radio for the movie sound.
    Time to add speakers, got only the center dash speaker. The original radio is very bad. Thinking to hide a new radio somewhere. But that is not very easy to switch radio stations.

    Verstuurd vanaf mijn ALE-L21 met Tapatalk

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