Anybody Contemplating The Big 3 Upgrade

[miker 5,000+ posts]

Ya thats why then. Mine are a least half that size.

So basically the "big three" is pretty much done... Besides "engine block to chassis"??

 

[jkulysses 10+ year member]

I'm also running close to 3kW on a stock 90A and an upgraded Interstate battery. I do get voltage drop to low 12s and sometimes below 12 if I'm HAMMERING on it at a stoplight at idle... when running on the highway, I stay well above 12V 95% of the time, even at very high volume. However, I do still get headlight dimming, so I'm going to try the Big 3 just to see how much it helps.

I tested mine at the amp tonight after the upgrade and i'm getting between 13.8 and 13.4.

If your getting headlight dimming then you will notice a difference with this upgrade.

 

[miker 5,000+ posts]

I tested mine at the amp tonight after the upgrade and i'm getting between 13.8 and 13.4.
If your getting headlight dimming then you will notice a difference with this upgrade.

How do you test the volts you are getting?

 

[jkulysses 10+ year member]

i just put my multimeter on dc setting.

 

[tRidiot 10+ year member]

The thing is, a little headlight dimming doesn't bother me. I'm not one to go rushing out to buy a capacitor or a high-output alt or any of that shit if it's not necessary. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'm not reaching the potential of my system, and I could do much better with a 300A alt and 2 new big-*** batteries, but simply a little headlight dimming in the absence of major voltage drop isn't worrying me. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[sdmtnbiker420 10+ year member]

Is it really safe to bypass the stock fusebox when doing the big3?

or are none of the wires even fused? I think the alternator > battery one is fused on my car but not sure.

I want to do the big 3.....

 

[jkulysses 10+ year member]

The thing is, a little headlight dimming doesn't bother me. I'm not one to go rushing out to buy a capacitor or a high-output alt or any of that shit if it's not necessary. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure I'm not reaching the potential of my system, and I could do much better with a 300A alt and 2 new big-*** batteries, but simply a little headlight dimming in the absence of major voltage drop isn't worrying me. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

Not sure where this is coming from??? I agree but never said anything about bigger alt or anything. Mine was getting severe dimming with only a 800 watt amp. Thats not normal. I spent $20 for the wire, loom and the connectors.

 

[jkulysses 10+ year member]

Is it really safe to bypass the stock fusebox when doing the big3?

or are none of the wires even fused? I think the alternator > battery one is fused on my car but not sure.

I want to do the big 3.....

You can fuse it if you want too, but as long as you run your wire correctly and don't let anything arc it out you'll be fine. Even with a fuse the stock wire is always hot wether the car is on or not, hook a multimeter up to it.

 

[tRidiot 10+ year member]

Not sure where this is coming from??? I agree but never said anything about bigger alt or anything. Mine was getting severe dimming with only a 800 watt amp. Thats not normal. I spent $20 for the wire, loom and the connectors.

No biggie, I was just making a general comment, nothing really aimed specifically at anyone. Just wanted to point out that headlight dimming isn't a big deal.

 

[bryce-man 10+ year member]

i had enugh wire after wireing my amp to do the big 3 twice.. so i said the hell with it and did the big 6 haha (big 3 with 2 runs of 1/0)

running ~2kw and still have diming...same truck as the original poster

i havnt actualy checked with a dmm to see how low it actualy goes though

 

[jkulysses 10+ year member]

i had enugh wire after wireing my amp to do the big 3 twice.. so i said the hell with it and did the big 6 haha (big 3 with 2 runs of 1/0)running ~2kw and still have diming...same truck as the original poster

i havnt actualy checked with a dmm to see how low it actualy goes though

Your talking about 2kw too though. It gets to a point were just big wire isn't enough if you know what i mean, lol.

 

[jkulysses 10+ year member]

This is the response I got to the same post at a ranger forum "I have a capacitor and a 1500 watt amp, two tv's, two kicker comp 12's, underbody lights, interior lights, fog lights and an extra set of lights behind the grille with no dimming.....so i dunno. Maybe you just didn't hook the cap up right." Dumbass

 

[Scoobydoo 5,000+ posts]

i thought about it once, thanks for asking

 

[jkulysses 10+ year member]

i thought about it once, thanks for asking

I didn't put a ? mark at the end so it wasn't really a question, more of a general statement. lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[tRidiot 10+ year member]

This is the response I got to the same post at a ranger forum "I have a capacitor and a 1500 watt amp, two tv's, two kicker comp 12's, underbody lights, interior lights, fog lights and an extra set of lights behind the grille with no dimming.....so i dunno. Maybe you just didn't hook the cap up right." Dumbass

Yeah, that 1500W amp is prolly a flea-market special. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif