Safe to run wire outside car?

[BigAl 10+ year member]

I'm getting ready to add an extra battery in the trunk of my town car. I'm using a couple runs of 0 guage wire and thereK is an access hole in the trunk. What u wanted to know is that is it dangerous to run wire outside the car because if I ran it on the inside my carpet won't lay flat by the wire being so thick.

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[Bettr n' Revrse 5,000+ posts]

Yes just make sure its wrapped well and away from anything that could melt it or damage it... Id run it inside the frame in some PVC or A layer of Techs Flexs and Wire loom at least...

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

No, it's fine just make sure you keep it away from any moving parts and secure it very well. The only time I ever did this one of my zip ties broke and the wire ended up rubbing against my tire which rubbed almost all the way through the 1/0 (insulation AND copper). So like I said, SECURE IT WELL.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

And be sure to use a good strain relief or grommet in the hole, like always.

 

[jokers10 10+ year member]

I would use wire loom all the way under the vehicle. It is cheap at Harbor Freight.

 

[bubbagumper6 5,000+ posts]

Honestly the only thing cheap wire loom is going to do is keep the wire clean...and the wire has insulation for that so if you want to shield it with something, get something stronger (maybe techflex) but that cheap loom is just a waste of money IMO.

 

[keep_hope_alive Premium Member]

best option under the car is liquid-tight flexible metallic tubing. secured to the frame and away from heat or suspension.

 

[bhsdriller 10+ year member]

6 runs ziptied to the frame....2+ years and it's fine, just dirty but that doesn't affect anything

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

6 runs ziptied to the frame....2+ years and it's fine, just dirty but that doesn't affect anything

But a truck is different than a unibody car.

 

[groundpound4200 5,000+ posts]

I ran 3 runs under the car about 2 years ago and have been in the ditch and got hit with a hood going down the highway that I subsequently ran over without any issues.

 

[bhsdriller 10+ year member]

But a truck is different than a unibody car.

the wires are still outside underneath the vehicle?

 

[SourDeez 10+ year member]

I was gonna do this in my marquis (same car) and decided to run it under the carpet.. I used fat 1/0 welding cable and it fit fine along the door sill.. cant tell its there.. I also have a 4 gauge and 3 sets of rca's run in the same spot.. cant see any of it, it was actually super easy. Now that I think about it, it would have probably been harder to go under the car lol. I already had a hole drilled.. hardest part was trying to snake the cable thru the hole in the firewall once it's in the hole its cake.. 10-15 mins max.

the wires are still outside underneath the vehicle?

It would be probably an 18-20ft run under these cars.. they are long as ****, and theres alot of stuff in the way.

OP, trust me, once you get the cable thru the hole in the firewall (really not THAT hard took me 5 mins to limp it in there) its easy as ****

 

[bhsdriller 10+ year member]

my runs go from under the hood to batteries in the bed, so the runs are pretty long.

I get what he's saying about them being different now

 

[hatedonmostly 5,000+ posts]

In trucks you can tuck them in the frame rails...also trucks sit much higher than passenger vehicles.

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

I used nylon flexible conduit:

McMaster-Carr

Secured with zip ties and screw clamps. It's not going anywhere.