Big 3 question

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

all right i think i'm finally gonna get around to installing my 200 amp alternator. i know someone who will install the alt. for free but doesn't know how to do the big 3, nor will he let me explain it to him. i noticed i can do the big 3 without having to take out my alternator. so i was wondering would it be all right for him to put in my 200 amp alt. and no big 3, and i run the car like that until i get it home and can do the big 3? my question really is will that 200 amp alt. fry the small stock wiring because i don't have my big 3 done? i won't run the system i just want to be able to drive it from my house to his house. and also what size fuse do i use in the power wire from alt + to battery +? it's a 200 amp alt. with 1 guage wire and it will be pretty short, like under 3 feet i would say. i'm assuming i use a 200 amp fuse but want to make sure.

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[Scarenius 10+ year member]

You're fine to drive it with a 200 amp alt, in fact, you could probably even run all your electronics and your amps, too. It will be necessary to do the big 3, no doubt there, but it's not at the moment critical. It depends on the stock wire size. If it's 8 guage, I'd go REAL easy on it for the ride home. If it's 2, pound away.

Think of it as a bomb, one with a hidden timer. Without the big 3, eventually you'd end up melting a wire (again, wire size dependant, but you do have an extra 90 or so amps that can go through them.), the only question is when, and you're guaranteed a window from the drive to the store to get wire and terminals, to friends for showing off, to home to install the big 3.

For the alt to battery +, you'll want to use a 300 amp fuse. It's just in case this wire gets sheared and grounds out. In that case, it's 100% of your CCA going through it. Anywhere from 500 to 900 amps.

Good luck and stuff.

 

[lotas 10+ year member]

whats the big three again? batt, wire and what?

 

[g30ffr3y 10+ year member]

whats the big three again? batt, wire and what?

its three very specific wires... not sure what they are...

 

[Scarenius 10+ year member]

Battery negative to chassis.

Battery positive to alternator.

Alternator mount to chassis, or if your alternator has a ground on it, that to chassis.

 

[kbkid 10+ year member]

This may help you...

http://forum.sounddomain.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=007801