Battery Cables for 1998 Cherokee

Need to replace the OEM battery cables. Has anyone used 3 or 2 gauge ? Does
anybody make a kit. And was looking for a quick-disconect for the top posts
on the battery.

Mike what did you use on your Cherokee.

Mark in Michigan

"mark diegel" > wrote in message
news:HvCdnZoxjI7In1vanZ2dnUVZ_ramnZ2d@wideopenwest .com...
> Need to replace the OEM battery cables. Has anyone used 3 or 2 gauge ? Does
> anybody make a kit. And was looking for a quick-disconect for the top posts
> on the battery.
>
> Mike what did you use on your Cherokee.
>
> Mark in Michigan
>

Most auto parts stores carry 4 ga replacement cables in various lengths,
just bring in your old cables and match them up length wise. 4ga. cables are
about twice as thick as stock. If you want/need something heavier you can use
welding cables.

On Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:31:25 GMT, "Mike" > wrote:

>
>"mark diegel" > wrote in message
>news:HvCdnZoxjI7In1vanZ2dnUVZ_ramnZ2d@wideopenwes t.com...
>> Need to replace the OEM battery cables. Has anyone used 3 or 2 gauge ? Does
>> anybody make a kit. And was looking for a quick-disconect for the top posts
>> on the battery.
>>
>> Mike what did you use on your Cherokee.
>>
>> Mark in Michigan
>>
>
> Most auto parts stores carry 4 ga replacement cables in various lengths,
>just bring in your old cables and match them up length wise. 4ga. cables are
>about twice as thick as stock. If you want/need something heavier you can use
>welding cables.
>

I've seen 2 AWG 'universal' cables as well. Though I agree, 4 AWG is
more than enough for this application.

mark diegel wrote:
> Need to replace the OEM battery cables. Has anyone used 3 or 2 gauge ? Does
> anybody make a kit. And was looking for a quick-disconect for the top posts
> on the battery.
>
> Mike what did you use on your Cherokee.
>
> Mark in Michigan
>
>

I used replacements for stock 'and' I ran a new dedicated body ground
full sized from the battery negative to replace that mesh cable from the
head to the firewall that likes to rot.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
'New' frame in the works for '08. Some Canadian Bush Trip and Build
Photos: http://mikeromainjeeptrips.shutterfly.com

> I used replacements for stock 'and' I ran a new dedicated body ground
> full sized from the battery negative to replace that mesh cable from the
> head to the firewall that likes to rot.

While braid tends to rot, RF likes it a lot better as RF travels on the surface.
I'd leave or replace the braid and add a heavy ground cable.

Scott in Baltimore wrote:
>> I used replacements for stock 'and' I ran a new dedicated body ground
>> full sized from the battery negative to replace that mesh cable from
>> the head to the firewall that likes to rot.
>
> While braid tends to rot, RF likes it a lot better as RF travels on the
> surface.
> I'd leave or replace the braid and add a heavy ground cable.

OK, I just gotta...

If the braid transmits RF better, wouldn't that allow spark and
alternator noise to pollute the body easier and be a bad thing?

I always thought it was for flex because of all the movement.

Mike

Mike Romain wrote:

> OK, I just gotta...
>
> If the braid transmits RF better, wouldn't that allow spark and
> alternator noise to pollute the body easier and be a bad thing?
>
> I always thought it was for flex because of all the movement.

Bass-ackwards, Mike. The braid is to establish an rf ground in common
between the engine/drivetrain and the body as well as the dc ground. The
flex was a bonus. Way back when, we commonly had to run braid straps
between the hood and the firewall or the tailpipe and the body. This was
most common with mobile transmitters but it made noticeable differences in
the radio. Of course, this was back in the days of AM radio only and I was
mostly in West Texas where the signals were weak, at best, anyway.

--
Will Honea

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Will Honea wrote:
> Mike Romain wrote:
>
>> OK, I just gotta...
>>
>> If the braid transmits RF better, wouldn't that allow spark and
>> alternator noise to pollute the body easier and be a bad thing?
>>
>> I always thought it was for flex because of all the movement.
>
> Bass-ackwards, Mike. The braid is to establish an rf ground in common
> between the engine/drivetrain and the body as well as the dc ground. The
> flex was a bonus. Way back when, we commonly had to run braid straps
> between the hood and the firewall or the tailpipe and the body. This was
> most common with mobile transmitters but it made noticeable differences in
> the radio. Of course, this was back in the days of AM radio only and I was
> mostly in West Texas where the signals were weak, at best, anyway.
>

General rule of thumb for RF. Any ground longer than it is wide isn't
an RF ground. Granted there is a bit of fudge for lower wavelength RF,
but pretty much applies. The advantage of the braid is you have orders
of magnitude more surface area, since the RF will tend to be skin effect
on a lot of smaller conductors rather than the less efficient fewer
larger ones. But yes, the better the path between the engine and body,
the less noise you get elsewhere.