2 alt, 3 batts, and still dropping like crazy...

[Redlineaudio 10+ year member]

We had a 4k in my truck for a but and we run a short peice of 4/0 through the cab to the frame and up front from the frame to the batt.

 

[boostNbeer]

Well I was always under the impression grounding to the frame was the end all ground lol

But you guys think the way I have it now is lacking?

 

[k_schutte 10+ year member]

I have everything grounded to the frame on all four of my cars... works MUCH better IMO as long as you have GOOD, SOLID grounds!!

as for your problem... try just connecting that 12V wire from your alt directly to your stock battery just to make 100% sure it ALWAYS has voltage and a decent amount of amperage going to it... I honestly have no idea if that wire needs a certain amount of current or anything liek that so.... As I stated, mine is a direct wire to the battery with a toggle switch as it is in a race car. you could just as easily use a relay so you don't have ot flip a switch to turn the reg. on/off like I do...

But yeah, try hooking that green/red wire up directly to you stock battery and see if that changes anything...

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

But would it not be just as great to keep the 2 positive runs, and ground the rear batts straight to the frame of the car, in the rear, like 20" pieces??
Ground both batts individually.... or keep the wire that connects the 2 grounds of my rear batteries, and only have one 2/0 going to the frame

No.

Like I said before, you are trying to pull too much current through steel (steel is a poor conductor even when it's in perfect shape), welds, and sheetmetal.

You need a better grounding point.

 

[boostNbeer]

I have everything grounded to the frame on all four of my cars... works MUCH better IMO as long as you have GOOD, SOLID grounds!!
as for your problem... try just connecting that 12V wire from your alt directly to your stock battery just to make 100% sure it ALWAYS has voltage and a decent amount of amperage going to it... I honestly have no idea if that wire needs a certain amount of current or anything liek that so.... As I stated, mine is a direct wire to the battery with a toggle switch as it is in a race car. you could just as easily use a relay so you don't have ot flip a switch to turn the reg. on/off like I do...

But yeah, try hooking that green/red wire up directly to you stock battery and see if that changes anything...

I will try hooking that wire straight to my factory alt in an hour or so as soon as I sober up!!

 

[boostNbeer]

No.
Like I said before, you are trying to pull too much current through steel (steel is a poor conductor even when it's in perfect shape), welds, and sheetmetal.

You need a better grounding point.

Whats a better grounding point then straight to the frame?? My factory battery ground goes straight to the frame...

 

[k_schutte 10+ year member]

I will try hooking that wire straight to my factory alt in an hour or so as soon as I sober up!!

factory BATTERY... yeah, I think you should sobr up first LOL

 

[S.B.C. 10+ year member]

Keep drinking and just ground it all!!

 

[jdmferio13 10+ year member]

factory BATTERY... yeah, I think you should sobr up first LOL

should you actually ground the alt to the car my stock didnt have one and neither does my ho alt

 

[etznova 10+ year member]

should you actually ground the alt to the car my stock didnt have one and neither does my ho alt

yes it does it is grounded to the engine block through the bolts it is mounted with then the engine block is grounded to the frame which is usually very poorly ground which is why it is highly recomended to ussually do the big 3

 

[boostNbeer]

Fuk I was tanked this morning, Ill go switch that wire around now

 

[k_schutte 10+ year member]

for the grounds question(s)... your alt. is grounded from the factory, it is grounded to the engine block which is grounded to the chassis which is connected to the ground of the battery.

My cadillac is grounded with all the factory grounds and I added all of these using 1/0

ground from battery to engine block

ground from battery to chassis

two grounds from engine block to chassis (one in front, one in back)

amps are grounded to the chassis in two different spots each with "dual foot" terminals

grounds from my BatCaps to the chassis (no longer have these, turned them into the amp grounds)

I have never had ANY voltage drop issues, not with stock electrical and 2kw+, not with a HO alt and 4Kw+ and not with HO alt, 2) Batcap 2Ks and 6Kw+... My Bravada, RX7 and SuperCoupe are all grounded exactly the same way. Just make sure when grounding to chassis you don't ground to sheet metal! you need somethign pretty dang thick and you need to make sure you get down to bare metal when you attach the ground. People think I am crazy when they see all the grounds I have but then when they have voltage issues they come to me and I fix 'em good ;-)

 

[boostNbeer]

Well I changed the green wire over to my front battery and it did nothing. The seller of the alt told me I should try the pigtail first and get it checked. So I just pulled that.

 

[godhatescivics 10+ year member]

maybe you should give up on the car audio thing huh noob

 

[k_schutte 10+ year member]

You just need to take the alternator in and have it tested... Pigtales don't really go bad... if the wires are there chances are it's good. Seems to me like it might just be a bad altetnator...