What do I need for the Big 3 Upgrade?

[Angelboy863 21]

How many ft of wire? what wires? and where do the wires go? Thanks!

[shizzzon 461]

Wire length is based on your vehicle, keep it as short as possible.

What wires you will need is based on your goal.

If you are not looking to upgrade alternator, running 4-6awg wire for the Big 3 is plenty.

3 locations of wiring-

Remember, never replace, but add this wire.

Ground your starting battery to chassis

Ground your alternator's case to chassis.

Run power cable from alternator's charge post to battery + post

(remember to fuse this line)

[Angelboy863 21]

Wire length is based on your vehicle, keep it as short as possible.

What wires you will need is based on your goal.

If you are not looking to upgrade alternator, running 4-6awg wire for the Big 3 is plenty.

3 locations of wiring-

Remember, never replace, but add this wire.

Ground your starting battery to chassis

Ground your alternator's case to chassis.

Run power cable from alternator's charge post to battery + post

(remember to fuse this line)

When you say never replace, but add, are you saying I don't get rid of the previous stock wire? and just add these new ones to those?

[swagger_wagon468 53]

aas stated above.

But u can also ground from engine block instead of alt case. But either will work. Also, you will find that there are many who do not choose to fuse the wire from alt+ to batt+. I didn't. But its a good precaution I guess.

[shizzzon 461]

grounding from engine instead of alt case defeats the whole purpose!

The purpose is to reduce resistance and maintain voltage....

grounding from anywhere but the alt case forces the ground from the alt to go through other brackets and mounting points before it get to the chassis...

[knockinthastreetzof608 1]

Wire length is based on your vehicle, keep it as short as possible.

What wires you will need is based on your goal.

If you are not looking to upgrade alternator, running 4-6awg wire for the Big 3 is plenty.

3 locations of wiring-

Remember, never replace, but add this wire.

Ground your starting battery to chassis

Ground your alternator's case to chassis.

Run power cable from alternator's charge post to battery + post

(remember to fuse this line)

i dont understang on why not use 1/0 for the big 3 no matter on amperage of the alt, might explaining me on that?

When you say never replace, but add, are you saying I don't get rid of the previous stock wire? and just add these new ones to those?

and yes just pretty much piggy back the wires man

aas stated above.

But u can also ground from engine block instead of alt case. But either will work. Also, you will find that there are many who do not choose to fuse the wire from alt+ to batt+. I didn't. But its a good precaution I guess.

excatly my thoughts mosty ppl go fuse crazy tho lol, i never fuse that wire and never had a problem with it,

and i just got lucky on mine alt my mechman270 had a dedicated ground on it

[shizzzon 461]

yea about not fusing...

So.. i wonder somethin...

What happens when you slam into somebody for whatever reason and the power cable going from the alt to batt breaks off?

Oh.. it's just dangling there and BOOM!, as soon as it hits ground.. constant arcs.. hmm, what happens next?

Fire? acid? explosion?

I don't know exactly either but safety first, performance second.

[Angelboy863 21]

What could go wrong if i just replaced the old wires ? lol

[knockinthastreetzof608 1]

yea about not fusing...

So.. i wonder somethin...

What happens when you slam into somebody for whatever reason and the power cable going from the alt to batt breaks off?

Oh.. it's just dangling there and BOOM!, as soon as it hits ground.. constant arcs.. hmm, what happens next?

Fire? acid? explosion?

I don't know exactly either but safety first, performance second.

makes sense, so when what fuse do you reccomend? on the wire amperage limit? or the alts?

[shizzzon 461]

why replace the old wires?

Do you not understand the purpose of the Big 3?

I think you need to research WHY to do it before asking anymore questions at this point.

[shizzzon 461]

yea about not fusing...

So.. i wonder somethin...

What happens when you slam into somebody for whatever reason and the power cable going from the alt to batt breaks off?

Oh.. it's just dangling there and BOOM!, as soon as it hits ground.. constant arcs.. hmm, what happens next?

Fire? acid? explosion?

I don't know exactly either but safety first, performance second.

makes sense, so when what fuse do you reccomend? on the wire amperage limit? or the alts?

well... typically user is suppose to fuse according to wire's rated ampacity...

However, using a smaller fuse will just make things safer.

EXample- lets say user uses 4awg wire. That may be able to handle 150A BUT since the factory wiring is still connected, fuse size doesn't need to be that big if you do not want it too....

If running 100A stock alt, typically fuse size can be around 100-120A factory.

User could run 2nd run and fuse anywhere between 60-150A if running 4awg.

Smaller the fuse, quicker the pop as long as it doesn't pop all the time because it's too small, know what i mean?

[MKader17 332]

This could all be answered by a simple search. This is really a waste of a thread. There should be any more posting in this until there is a useful question.

[Angelboy863 21]

Alright thats all understandable. Thanks everyone for the info, and um, some of you need a chill pill

[MKader17 332]

And you are wasting peoples time and cluttering the forum.

[Angelboy863 21]

Wasting peoples time? I'm here to gain all the information i can from people with experiences. You're the dumbass that clicked on this thread.

[knockinthastreetzof608 1]

Alright thats all understandable. Thanks everyone for the info, and um, some of you need a chill pill

dude relax no need to start stuff on people espically on a mod,

never ends up well, remeber this is hobby no need for drama espcially over the internet

[knockinthastreetzof608 1]

yea about not fusing...

So.. i wonder somethin...

What happens when you slam into somebody for whatever reason and the power cable going from the alt to batt breaks off?

Oh.. it's just dangling there and BOOM!, as soon as it hits ground.. constant arcs.. hmm, what happens next?

Fire? acid? explosion?

I don't know exactly either but safety first, performance second.

makes sense, so when what fuse do you reccomend? on the wire amperage limit? or the alts?

ahhh yes it does, i got lil project to do today then thanks

well... typically user is suppose to fuse according to wire's rated ampacity...

However, using a smaller fuse will just make things safer.

EXample- lets say user uses 4awg wire. That may be able to handle 150A BUT since the factory wiring is still connected, fuse size doesn't need to be that big if you do not want it too....

If running 100A stock alt, typically fuse size can be around 100-120A factory.

User could run 2nd run and fuse anywhere between 60-150A if running 4awg.

Smaller the fuse, quicker the pop as long as it doesn't pop all the time because it's too small, know what i mean?

[MKader17 332]

Wasting peoples time? I'm here to gain all the information i can from people with experiences. You're the dumbass that clicked on this thread.

Again, make it useful or leave it alone. There is plenty of information on this site for you to read with out having to post such a genric question that can only lead to generic answers.

From http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/forum/topic/13994-attention-noobs/

Electrical System QuestionsFor those of you that are interested in SPL competetions, or using the hottest high power amplifier out there to drive your subwoofers, this is a very important piece of the puzzle.

To help get the information you desire when wondering this type of question, please include the following information.

• All equipment being used
• Vehicle which the equipment will be used in
• Other electrical devices installed into the vehicle.
• Musical preferences
• System goals
• Current electrical system
• List any research you have previously done

You have provided none of this.

[Angelboy863 21]

Well I got the answers I needed without providing all that information. Some people just know things through experience versus research. But thanks anyway for your participation.

[Angelboy863 21]

yea about not fusing...

So.. i wonder somethin...

What happens when you slam into somebody for whatever reason and the power cable going from the alt to batt breaks off?

Oh.. it's just dangling there and BOOM!, as soon as it hits ground.. constant arcs.. hmm, what happens next?

Fire? acid? explosion?

I don't know exactly either but safety first, performance second.

makes sense, so when what fuse do you reccomend? on the wire amperage limit? or the alts?

ahhh yes it does, i got lil project to do today then thanks

well... typically user is suppose to fuse according to wire's rated ampacity...

However, using a smaller fuse will just make things safer.

EXample- lets say user uses 4awg wire. That may be able to handle 150A BUT since the factory wiring is still connected, fuse size doesn't need to be that big if you do not want it too....

If running 100A stock alt, typically fuse size can be around 100-120A factory.

User could run 2nd run and fuse anywhere between 60-150A if running 4awg.

Smaller the fuse, quicker the pop as long as it doesn't pop all the time because it's too small, know what i mean?

Thanks! that all makes sense. I have a stock alt. and if i grabbed a 250-300 fuse, that probably wouldnt be right.. better getting the 100A fuse

[MKader17 332]

Well if you're in to random generic information that's cool.

Have a good day.