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canadian357
06-01-2010, 12:55 PM
So I'm in the process of doing my Big 3 with 4 gauge welding wire, and I have one question... Assuming I threw a fuse on the wire, it would be a good idea to run a wire directly from alternator+ to battery+, right?

AccordB20A
06-01-2010, 04:39 PM
yeah i did cause my stock one used to get really hot

gtmst3
06-02-2010, 05:39 PM
big 3?

canadian357
06-02-2010, 05:59 PM
Updating your engine and battery grounds as well as your main charging wire. Somebody told me to fuse my alternator to battery wire, but I only have a 65 amp alt, I don't really see it being necessary with 4 gauge. I might do that one in 1/0 wire or 2 gauge though.

gtmst3
06-03-2010, 10:58 AM
what is the benifit of this?

canadian357
06-03-2010, 01:49 PM
Improves starting, throttle response, supposedly torque too, and makes it run smoother.

gtmst3
06-03-2010, 02:13 PM
how would it improve throttle response and torque

2ndGenGuy
06-03-2010, 03:01 PM
Updating your engine and battery grounds as well as your main charging wire. Somebody told me to fuse my alternator to battery wire, but I only have a 65 amp alt, I don't really see it being necessary with 4 gauge. I might do that one in 1/0 wire or 2 gauge though.

Fuse it. It has nothing to do with how many amps or the size of your wire. As soon as that wire shorts out, or your alternator shorts out internally, you're going to be putting 600+ amps through it and you'll have a fire quickly.

canadian357
06-03-2010, 03:50 PM
K sounds good. What, like a 70 amp fuse?

lx-i coupe
06-04-2010, 11:43 PM
i would probably go with whatever the factory alternator fuse is rated for, where everything else is stock

Civic Accord Honda
06-05-2010, 04:49 PM
i just ran a new wire for my alternator, i just need to get a fuse for it and connect it lol

import racer
06-06-2010, 07:49 AM
If you run it like the factory one you won't need a fuse.

lx-i coupe
06-06-2010, 06:41 PM
you can do that too, you'd just need to upgrade the battery to fuse block wire too

canadian357
06-07-2010, 04:47 AM
wouldnt i get better charging going straight to the alternator? and on a side note, 4th gen alts just bolt up to our car dont they?

import racer
06-07-2010, 06:05 PM
It's not a plug and play but can be done.

canadian357
06-08-2010, 11:56 AM
I'm just trying to find something in the 90-120 amp range. I'm a little worried that 65 amps is going to be a bit too weak to throw a sound system into my car.

1987lxi
06-25-2010, 09:31 PM
Improves starting, throttle response, supposedly torque too, and makes it run smoother.

Charge rate as well. Itll give you a stronger elec system, which in turn would give you a stronger spark thus upping power. I wouldnt bet on a big power gain tho.

canadian357
07-01-2010, 10:54 PM
I finished this a couple weeks ago, forgot to mention it though. I'll post a mini how-to soon just because the electrical upgrade how to wasn't quite the same in the how to section. My only other worry here is am I gonna be ok running a 1500 watt RMS system, aftermarket fogs (i know they dont take too much power) and a 500 watt inverter? Maybe its just me, but these alts seem really anemic. I would feel so much better with a 90-120. Are there any high output solutions? Searching has turned up zilch for me.

gtmst3
07-02-2010, 05:58 AM
i was running a 1500 watt system and some 89 prelude fogs and when i would turn on my fogs it would kill the whole car but other than that the lights would dim real good with the system. i dont know if i had a short or what but when i turned on the fog lights it would b fine for a little bit then the car would start to stumble and die so i would turn thm off nd it would b fine. also with the engine off i could kill my car battery with just my system in 20 seconds.

canadian357
07-03-2010, 07:24 AM
I'm not too worried about my battery. I won't run the sound with the car off, and my battery is a beast anyway.

gtmst3
07-03-2010, 04:16 PM
I'm not too worried about my battery. I won't run the sound with the car off, and my battery is a beast anyway.

well like i said even with the car running the lights would flicker bad so i suggest upgrading the alternator

88lxi-shortram
07-03-2010, 11:22 PM
also with the engine off i could kill my car battery with just my system in 20 seconds.

what a friend of mine did was if youve got a spare battery laying around secure it safetly in the trunk and run 0 gauge from the pos. terminal on battery A (in the engine bay) to the positive battery (in the trunk) and your system will sound nicer and you'll have that extra battery for when you need it

gtmst3
07-04-2010, 05:59 AM
what a friend of mine did was if youve got a spare battery laying around secure it safetly in the trunk and run 0 gauge from the pos. terminal on battery A (in the engine bay) to the positive battery (in the trunk) and your system will sound nicer and you'll have that extra battery for when you need it

isnt this the same as a capacitor?

88lxi-shortram
07-04-2010, 07:08 PM
im not sure as ive never used a capacitor but if you decide to use a capacitor make sure you buy this thing that keeps extra voltage from returning through the wire because if it does it may overload your ECU and cost big$$$$ ill try to come up with a part name on that

canadian357
07-05-2010, 09:42 PM
Basically a cap/battery. A few audio companies make them, i.e. Power Acoustik, and the most popular one would probably be Kinetik. I know of them but they aren't the ideal solution for me.

3ERDGEECARBHATCH
07-19-2010, 11:38 AM
If you run it like the factory one you won't need a fuse.

This is wrong. ALL wires in a vehicle MUST be fused... if they short out, as it was said, you will have an electrical fire, and cost versus cost, a fuse and hardware is cheaper than a carpet shell. Think about it. Every system on your car has an electrical saftey on it. It's required under all motor vehicle acts.

On more of a direct approach to your upgrade, adding a second ground wire onto your main battery of equal or larger gauge size will make the biggest difference, because most people that are in the know will tell you that electricity in a caer runs from the negative back to the positive... as it does in the battery. So increasing the flow path for electrons, just makes good sense.

I dug up this "how to" on adding a second abttery using an isolator, which will give priority to your staring battery, which means you never ahve to tell your date you're walkin home, lol

http://www.ehow.com/how_5097729_add-second-battery-vehicle.html

lx-i coupe
07-29-2010, 09:16 PM
if you ran it like factory you won't need to add a fuse(since there is one already there); i think is what he's meaning