Here is the best ”cheapest/cleanest” install that I can find that seems (to me) to be a good solution for the positive voltage supply for my radio. But I am a little concerned about electrolysis on the battery terminal due to dissimilar metals from the added gizmo on the positive terminal. (Any comments?)
There are some good install guidelines out there if you know where to look.
(hint: It's not usually the advice you get on amateur radio or hobby websites).
There are three approaches to this:
1. Get the connection away from the battery.
2. Maintain your battery so this doesn't become an issue.
3. Don't do any of the above, and then complain when your radios act up.
You'll find that option #3 is the most popular if you hang around here (or some other sites) long enough. I have no $@#^ing idea why.
Some large agencies have guidance that says you connect the positive power for your radios at the starter. That gets +12v right off the battery via a big conductor, and it keeps it away from the battery. This has served many large agencies well for decades.
But not everyone wants to do that. Which is OK.
I've been doing this stuff for a few decades. I've found that connecting to the battery positive terminal isn't an issue if one bothers to pop the hood occasionally and perform a tiny bit of preventative maintenance. I know "PM" is a four letter word for many. The "I let MY mechanic handle all that" seems to be a common attitude. Not sure why hams/hobbyists won't take the time to PM their systems, but that's fine with me.
The absolute worst is the hams that insist on fusing the negative radio lead to the battery. In their thinking, the negative strap to the chassis is going to fail and all that starting current is going to get pulled through their precious radio. I personally wonder about anyone that would let their battery get so bad that their negative chassis bond would fail and not notice. But they are out there, and they walk amongst us, so beware….
So, pop the hood. Visually inspect the terminals. If they are showing leakage, then maybe time for a new battery. At minimum, take the time to remove all the connections and clean the terminals/battery. It's not hard, it doesn't take long, and it pays off in the long run. Soap and water is a good idea. Use some baking soda and water paste if there's acid, but hopefully it doesn't get that bad. All terminals should be clean and shiny before reassembly. Don't goop up the connections with crap. Just keep them clean. Put a reminder on your calendar to do it again in a few months.
This little bit of PM not only helps your radios, but helps with starting the car. No reason to get to the point where the system fails due to lack of care.
BlueSea makes good stuff. I'm not sure I'd put one of those directly at the battery. Looks like a lazy solution to me. I prefer to run a large gauge wire from the battery positive terminal to a circuit breaker or large fuse on the fire wall near your battery. That makes for only one extra connection at the battery to maintain. One wire to run. One wire to hide. Size it correctly, and you never have to do it again. I usually run at least a 6 gauge. That's good up to around 100 amps. If you need more than 100 amps for radios/accessories, you probably want a second battery.
From the fuse/breaker, run that large gauge wire into your vehicle and install a suitable fused distribution block. Locate it near your radios to reduce wire runs and keep things looking neat. The larger conductor reduces voltage drop, also. This same power feed can support other accessories. Much better solution than trying to pull a bunch of individual wires through the firewall, and then having a bunch of extra connections at the battery terminal to deal with. Don't run the negative leads back to the battery. Connect a ground bus to a nearby body bolt. That also helps reduce some RFI.
There's some good guides out there that have been proven to work well. Might cost a bit more up front, but the long term lack of issues pays off.
State of California
dot.ca.gov
