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General Information => General => Topic started by: stewardc on January 24, 2010, 06:14:38 pm

Title: Current draw
Post by: stewardc on January 24, 2010, 06:14:38 pm

What does a diesel starter draw on a cold morning (how many amps)?

Title: Re: Current draw
Post by: Vincent Waldon on January 24, 2010, 06:27:03 pm

There's a lot of variables at play actually:  actual cold compression, weight and type of oil, age of starter, health of starter bushing, health of grounds.... but the general range is 300-400 amps peak.  I've read folks report as much as 500 amps (broken-in engine with nice high compression, really really cold Arctic morning, etc).

Title: Re: Current draw
Post by: stewardc on January 25, 2010, 03:45:22 am

Wow, I had understood that 150 amps was about the highest. It looks like I'll have to resize my "shopping list" for my battery relocate. I'd planned on #2 wire, but that's definitely too small. Looks like 00 is about right.

Title: Re: Current draw
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on January 25, 2010, 09:12:51 am

1/0 should get you by just fine.

Title: Re: Current draw
Post by: dyoungen on January 25, 2010, 11:01:24 am

I'm using 1/0 on my F250 Diesel 6.9. Just replaced all of the positive cables about a month ago.

Title: Re: Current draw
Post by: Rabbit on Roids on January 25, 2010, 11:33:55 am

Quote from: dyoungen on January 25, 2010, 11:01:24 am

I'm using 1/0 on my F250 Diesel 6.9. Just replaced all of the positive cables about a month ago.

there we go, if 1/0 can spin a 6.9/7.3, then it should be able to carry enough current for 4 vw diesel starters.