alternator wire

[kingkong101 10+ year member]

Just got my new 150amp alternator, wondering, seems to come with a 10 gauge to the battery, do i have to take the take gauge off or will just adding another 8 gauge do the trick?

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[93EXT 10+ year member]

get at least 4 gauge. and do the big 3 while you're at it

 

[kingkong101 10+ year member]

yea but do i have to take the existing 10 gauge off and replace it with 4 gauge, or can i just add 8 gauge to the existing 10 gauge?

 

[kingkong101 10+ year member]

o wait its a 8 not a 10.. so two 8 gauge wires sufficient yes or no

 

[patrick1202 10+ year member]

Keep the 8 gauge and run a 4,2,0 gauge wire.

 

[patrick1202 10+ year member]

it's sufficient but it's will cost you like 3-4 dollars for a couple feet of 4 gauge

 

[kingkong101 10+ year member]

i dont have any lol thats why im trying to get away with 2 8's, ahhh

 

[plushDJ 10+ year member]

sadly this hobby aint cheap. Just give up the couple bucks tomorrow and buy some 4ga. What I did was just buy a 2ga amp kit off ebay for 30, that way I had more than enough wire and had other shit left over for spare parts.

 

[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

I would go to 2 gauge. 150 is pushing 4 awg's limit.

4 awg has a surface area of 21.2 square mms.

8 awg has only 8.37 square mms.

8.37 x 2 = 16.74

 

[patrick1202 10+ year member]

lol hell put two 8's then get some four gauge won't hurt

 

[patrick1202 10+ year member]

well someone can do some math lol im not good with that i just know 8 gauge would do too well by it's self

 

[kingkong101 10+ year member]

Ill add another 8 gauge? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Twilight 10+ year member]

See ultimate157's post above. You are going to need 3 (three) 8-gauge wires to match the load carrying capacity of one 4-gauge wire.

If you just spent the money for a new alternator, why not splurge the couple bucks and get wire that can properly carry its load? The cost/value analysis here seems obvious.

I'll put it this way: next few times you eat at McDonalds, pass on the supersized meal and instead place the 59 cents or whatever extra it is into your glovebox. Before you know it you will have enough for a length of 4 gauge wire.

(I don't mean to be condescending or anything, I too eat at McDonalds sometimes. Good luck!)

 

[kingkong101 10+ year member]

i dont eat fast food its the downfall of america thanks though.

 

[SilverSquared 10+ year member]

I'll have 4/0 on mine for my next system (we use that at work).

I thought of running straight copper BUSS Bars, lol. Heat-shrink wrap em, and use flex-joint connections, lol. Just kiddin.