The path of least resistance

[Proximity 10+ year member]

I've heard that electricity follow the past of least resistance. Is this true? If it is, why would multiple runs of wire be better than just one? Why would leaving original wires be better than removing them when don't the big 3?

I'm not trying to troll, I just don't want to waste money of 1/0 that I don't need.

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[91Chevy 10+ year member]

Yes, it is true. Multiple runs just allow for a higher conductor size. It's similar to running larger wire. The more area that the conductor has, the less resistance it will have. When deciding on wire size just look at how many amps you will be running, and find the smallest gauge that will still leave adequate headroom.

 

[Proximity 10+ year member]

Right but if it's using the path of least resistance that's only one path which would render a second (or third) wire useless.

 

[shellfish 10+ year member]

Nope because it will just see it as 1 really big wire

and since the new wires will be used by the alt removing

the old wires is useless old wire

 

[Proximity 10+ year member]

^ Then obviously it doesn't take "one" path of the least resistance. I don't see how adding another wire (this is also relevant in my plans to run multiple 1/0 runs to my amps/second batt) would affect the physical resistance of an entirely separate one.

Or is the path of least resistance thing more on the "molecular level" and there is current flowing through all stands of all wire.

 

[jdawg 5,000+ posts]

most people say to leave factory wires cause well they just dont want to tell people to hack off factory wires if they dont know what they are doing. Most people on here cant even change their own oil, im not going to tell them to lop them off and replace them, they could be running elsewhere or branch off, then their car doesnt start and they cant figure it out. The wires on both my cars are replaced but I also have old cars so its pretty cut and dry where they go. I have seen newer cars where the wire off the alt branches off 3 places. In that case its just easier really to leave it in place and add a 1/0 to it.

 

[p3bumpin 10+ year member]

each individual run of wire has a certain amount of resistance. As you run the extra runs, you are parallelling the resistances together, dropping the total resistance. the lower total resistance will allow for more current flow.

 

[Proximity 10+ year member]

And this extends just beyond replacing/adding onto the big 3 wires.

 

[Proximity 10+ year member]

each individual run of wire has a certain amount of resistance. As you run the extra runs, you are parallelling the resistances together, dropping the total resistance. the lower total resistance will allow for more current flow.

Let me draw a picture:

Blue = Terminal

Red = Wires (2 of them)

black = Path of least resistance

The path of least resistance is the one the current will take (or as is my understanding). I don't see how the wire on the left would affect the wire on the right's resistance.

Excuse my ignorance.

 

[p3bumpin 10+ year member]

if both wires are coming from the same source and ending at the same point, they will parallel each other.

not all current will go to the lower resistance side, just the majority will.

 

[Proximity 10+ year member]

So the simple answer is that current doesn't just take the path of least resistance?

 

[p3bumpin 10+ year member]

yes, majority of current takes the path of least resistance but not all the current will. Kirchoff's current law (electronic fundamentals). wherever a point of more than one wire exists, the current will divide in the ratio of the individual resistances in comparison to resistance total.

 

[gotparts90 10+ year member]

current will follow the least but as heat builds in that path it will build resistance and then go to other wires as needed. I had checked this with an ammeter once you can even see as the amps run for a bit it will even out the load across the wires.

 

[forbidden 10+ year member]

And the longer the wire gets, the higher the resistance becomes. Is it easier to breathe just sitting there or with a mask on and a 50' garden hose attached? It will be way harder to breathe through the mask/hose due to the limitation of how much air can be pulled through the hose, the resistance. If your wire is too small, it will be doing the exact same thing. Electricity is a algebra equation, what you do to one side, you must do to the other.

 

[Proximity 10+ year member]

And the longer the wire gets, the higher the resistance becomes. Is it easier to breathe just sitting there or with a mask on and a 50' garden hose attached? It will be way harder to breathe through the mask/hose due to the limitation of how much air can be pulled through the hose, the resistance. If your wire is too small, it will be doing the exact same thing. Electricity is a algebra equation, what you do to one side, you must do to the other.

I don't see how that is relevant //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif

And what two sides are there?