Aluminum wire for battery relocation???
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TECH Junkie
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Joined: Mar 2002
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From: East Brady, Pa
Aluminum wire for battery relocation??? Just curious if anyone has used aluminum wire for their battery relocation. I have some from doing some service entrances on houses. If it's good for a 200 amp entrance I can't see why it wouldn't work in a car. It would be way lighter and cheaper. Any feedback out there?
If I was relocating I sure as hell would. You want
some of the anti-corrosion glop that electricians
(the careful ones) use, and a copper block at the
ends. I have a big tube of the stuff in the shed
somewhere, used about 2 squirts when I put in
a transfer panel one time. You want an adrenaline
rush, try rewiring the 200A service hot.
For the ground side you could also just use plain
1/2" aluminum rod, or flat, bare. Ground is ground.
some of the anti-corrosion glop that electricians
(the careful ones) use, and a copper block at the
ends. I have a big tube of the stuff in the shed
somewhere, used about 2 squirts when I put in
a transfer panel one time. You want an adrenaline
rush, try rewiring the 200A service hot.
For the ground side you could also just use plain
1/2" aluminum rod, or flat, bare. Ground is ground.
I personally would not... I don't think it has as good of conductivity so I wouldn't be sure about your rating. Regular wire is not that expensive, and when you're running that length of wire I don't think you're going to want to have a problem with resistance that could potentially cause the wiring to catch fire etc... I may be wrong, but just my .02 without being too much of a wiring guru.
Aluminum wire is a VERY BAD idea. They outlawed using it in mobile homes because the wire would heat up and expand, and then cool down and shrink. This resulted in loose connections as well as arching. This caused many fires and many deaths as well. It isn't worth it at all, plus, the weight savings is minimal. That's my .02 worth. Just trying to look out for ya is all. 
TECH Regular
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 418
Likes: 0
From: Augusta Ks.
To do it you have to run a bigger wire than with copper and the joints never connect as well.I wouldn't do it because of wire size and the other pains it can cause and also no automotive enginer would recommend it.
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Aluminum wire is a VERY BAD idea. They outlawed using it in mobile homes because the wire would heat up and expand, and then cool down and shrink. This resulted in loose connections as well as arching. This caused many fires and many deaths as well. It isn't worth it at all, plus, the weight savings is minimal. That's my .02 worth. Just trying to look out for ya is all.
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you need to remember how the wire conducts the power. The amperage travels on the outer most coating of each strand. This is why you want a big gauge wire with very small strands. this keeps the travel of the electricity cool and provides plenty of amp's. when moving the battery to the back of the car you need as many amps getting to the front as possible. Most aluminum wire has big strands, so it will provide the 12volts but might not start the car. so i would just use the copper.
Surface area, like stated above is important. A single large wire isn't going to carry 1/2 the current a fine stranded one will. Plus the inherent issues with the alum wire with expansion, cracking, etc.
I wouldn't do it. The weight that you're gonna save vs the potential issues aren't worth it IMO. You'r probably only talking about 10 lbs, I can think of alot of ways to get 10 lbs off the car that aren't going to cause the potential problems that alum wire could.
I wouldn't do it. The weight that you're gonna save vs the potential issues aren't worth it IMO. You'r probably only talking about 10 lbs, I can think of alot of ways to get 10 lbs off the car that aren't going to cause the potential problems that alum wire could.
