Hot Rods #2 gauge wire for a 72" battery cable??

I need a 6' battery cable for my wagon.Is 2 gauge the correct size or do I need 1 gauge?
The engine is a 400 SBC and I have no accessories IE A/C,power windows etc.

 

#4. Someone posted a chart a while back. Here's one I found on GOOGLE:

http://alternatorparts.com/wire-size-chart.html

 

Use welding cable---I did!

 

Hello Oldfart,
That #2 will work perfectly for that distance.
Bill

 

Welding cable is the bomb...plus...it is very flexible and easy to route around the ch***is.

 

Add grounds using the same cable.

 

#2 welding cable will be perfect - I have used it in my avatar, my 40 coupe, and my 40 p-up project. You would never know the battery is that far away from the engine ....

 

Most Farm stores carry welding cable in bulk and sell the ends as well.

 

Yes welding whip cable. Have them crimp the terminal on the cable.

 

I'd be highly tempted to go to a #1, or maybe even a #0. How much current does a starter draw when turning over a 400ci V8? Kinds depends on compression ratio, temperature, etc. but I don't think 200 or more amps is beyond reason, especially considering that the minimum recommended battery rating for a lot of vehicles that the 400 came in is 540 cca. #2 seems kinda light to me. It'll probably work, but you'll have a lot less voltage drop and faster cranking with a heavier cable.

But then again, I only studied this stuff for four years in college to get that BSEE degree, so what would I know?

 

Go to Ebay and buy some 1/0 for $3 @ foot. Red or black.

 

I used #2 welding cable back in the day for 3 years of daily driving (383 Mopar with trunk mounted battery) no problems.

 

Oh well, I probably use the keyboard faster than I think. I use #4 as a whip cable on my Miller ABP 300 welder and have used it at 400 amps for quit a while. the cable becomes noticeably warm after 3 of 4 rods are burned. I really doubt that the cheby starter would live under the amperage attack. # 2 or #4 is safe.

 

farm and fleet or tsc has the welding cable in reels just get what ya need

 

Sumitt has a nice cable selection too. NAPA may even have it on a reel.

Years back when I was building my Nova stock car, I ran into some heavy gage aluminum wire at a s**** dealer. It worked just great no matter how hot the car got if I had to restart it.