Big 3 defined as:

* Alternator Positive to Battery Positive (optional fuse)
* Battery Negative to Chassis
* Chassis to Engine Block

This involves upgrades to stock wiring to 1/0 to help combat dimming and voltage drops.

Anyone do this on their trucks?

 

I was wondering the same. Which post does it go into @ alternator(2004)???

 

I have all the stuff to do it but I havent got it done yet.

 

I got a 250A Alternator on the way. I've done 1 of the 3 so far. I ran a new 0/4 gauge wire from the 125A factory alternator to the battery. Tomorrow when I swap my amps I'll go ahead and run my 0/4 battery ground wire. Don't really see a need to ground the chassis from the engine block unless someone can convince me otherwise.

 

Wondering if I should do this or not..

120-125 amp draw..?

 

My current setup is right at 1600w and I can't turn it up 75% without badly dimming the headlights. Toss on my 150w KC Daylighters, PIAA Fogs, and Silverstars and I'm running a serious power deficit. My poor factory alternator is trying but just can't pump out the electrons I want. Most people I've seen just do the main 2 and if that don't help move up to a bigger alternator.

 

How much is an upgraded alternator?

I wonder if I shouldn't just do an upgraded alternator with a blue top or yellow top battery.

I haven't installed anything yet, so not sure where I'll sit anyway. I guess i'll wait until I'm setup..

 

i have upgraded mine to 4 guage stereo cables. i did the battery positive and negative to the starter. the ground goes to the starter body mount to the block. i also did the ground that goes to the frame in the passenger front wheelwell. and i did the alternater to battery. remember that when you remove the alt to battery cable there is a little sense wire in there that will need to be reused or the battery light will come on. right now i have them going to a distribution block on the batery cover till i get my optima yellow top.

 

Mine is a custom job by www.excessiveamperage.com. I contacted Nate throught the realmofexcursion.com forums. Gave me a good deal at $400 for a 250A. I went with a red top since 90% of the time I am driving around when playing my stereo. So far it's working out. My alternator should be here mid next week. i'll post the results soon as I get it installed.

 

Thats your alternators ground...You should upgrade that. When your truck is running you have all those amps running through the big wire you upgraded from the alt to the battery, then the battery to the amplifiers, then from the chassis to that LITTTLE factory 10 gauge or whatever it is wire from your frame to your block. Its a bottleneck.

SSpiro, you can wait to see if you want to do it, but Im betting you will endup wanting to do it. 1500 watts here and I do get some slight dimmage. Im guessing your going to be right around the line for needing it though. Its just that much better for your electrical system if you do.

 

Wish I had some hands-on knowledgable friends that lived local..

I'm "handy" with 12v stuff, but get nervous when I have to pop the hood.

 

What size tubing did you get?

 

So there's no other routes in the engine except through that 10 gauge wire? I was figuring that grounds outweighed the power. I'll have to climb under there and gander some more. Soon as I get these bookselfs built and out of the garage.

 

if i remeber correctly it is all 1/2 inch tubing.

 

Anyone in Tampa area?