Did I wire my Big 3 correctly?

[CplCuddles]

I'm getting A 320amp HO alt. I've been reading about the big 3 and its making my brain hurt. I'm just making sure what I did is correct. Alt + to Batt +. Alt - to Batt -. Batt - to Frame. How could I do a Big 4? Is it even necessary?

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[ThxOne Premium Member]

I'm getting A 320amp HO alt. I've been reading about the big 3 and its making my brain hurt. I'm just making sure what I did is correct. Alt + to Batt +. Alt - to Batt -. Batt - to Frame. How could I do a Big 4? Is it even necessary?

Big 4 will include a ground from the engine to the body. (Alt + to Battery +, Alternator case (-) to battery -, Battery - to body, Engine ground to body = Big 4)

 

[CplCuddles]

Is there is an actual benefit over the big 3?

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

Is there is an actual benefit over the big 3?

Yes, one more path for electrons to flow with less resistance. The big 3 and 4 can sometimes help your vehicle run better as well. Most vehicles will have the small 3 or 4 already... I say small because OEM usually use smaller gauges of wire and cables.

 

[CplCuddles]

Yes, one more path for electrons to flow with less resistance. The big 3 and 4 can sometimes help your vehicle run better as well. Most vehicles will have the small 3 or 4 already... I say small because OEM usually use smaller gauges of wire and cables.

Ok so, to do a big 4 from what I've got, I'd need to ground from engine block to frame? Or wat?

 

[BOOMINGRANDPA 5,000+ posts]

I'm getting A 320amp HO alt. I've been reading about the big 3 and its making my brain hurt. I'm just making sure what I did is correct. Alt + to Batt +. Alt - to Batt -. Batt - to Frame. How could I do a Big 4? Is it even necessary?

U say alt - to batt u mean bracket bolt to batt?, that what i used and ran 1 from frame to batt and added strut tower to alt bracket like pics.. but yeah a motor ground is really good, wish i could find a good bolt on motor (supercharger and pulleys beside battery make mine hard) https://imgur.com/erDiCfB https://imgur.com/kqYGsmV https://imgur.com/Do8shfP https://imgur.com/DQfKgJI

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

Ok so, to do a big 4 from what I've got, I'd need to ground from engine block to frame? Or wat?

To the body... sometimes "frame" mounted bodies are mounted on bushings be it rubber or urethane or what have you and may not allow for a complete ground back to the battery... frame grounds can potentially be a bad idea.

 

[CplCuddles]

To the body... sometimes "frame" mounted bodies are mounted on bushings be it rubber or urethane or what have you and may not allow for a complete ground back to the battery... frame grounds can potentially be a bad idea.

I've always been told to ground to frame.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

I've always been told to ground to frame.

So was I... lot's of people still use the term "frame" improperly or vaguely. If you have a legitimate frame say on a truck or a P71 Police Interceptor Crown Vic which is a body on frame car and you ground the battery to the frame, then ground the engine to that same spot on the frame as well as any other grounds from amplifiers just in case the body is isolated from the frame by bushings. Personally, I would ground to the body even if the vehicle has a legit frame.

 

[CplCuddles]

So was I... lot's of people still use the term "frame" improperly or vaguely. If you have a legitimate frame say on a truck or a P71 Police Interceptor Crown Vic which is a body on frame car and you ground the battery to the frame, then ground the engine to that same spot on the frame as well as any other grounds from amplifiers just in case the body is isolated from the frame by bushings. Personally, I would ground to the body even if the vehicle has a legit frame.

This is the "guide" I roughly followed. WrenchGuys BIG 3 Thread - Tahoe Forum - Chevy Tahoe Forum, Obviously ran my power the same. I grounded the the bumper support connected to the frame from the battery. then I grounded the battery to the alt ground. Should I run a 4th ground from the alt ground to the body ground like he has?

Now my rear amps ground is the Chassis, I do plan to drill through the chassis and ground directly to the frame, I'm just waiting until I get my big boy upgrades to do so.

 

[CplCuddles]

U say alt - to batt u mean bracket bolt to batt?, that what i used and ran 1 from frame to batt and added strut tower to alt bracket like pics.. but yeah a motor ground is really good, wish i could find a good bolt on motor (supercharger and pulleys beside battery make mine hard) https://imgur.com/erDiCfB https://imgur.com/kqYGsmV https://imgur.com/Do8shfP https://imgur.com/DQfKgJI

I grounded my battery directly to the frame, then grounded my battery to the alt bracket ground. I'm thinking I may need to ground alt bracket to the chassis.

Like this..

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

This is the "guide" I roughly followed. WrenchGuys BIG 3 Thread - Tahoe Forum - Chevy Tahoe Forum, Obviously ran my power the same. I grounded the the bumper support connected to the frame from the battery. then I grounded the battery to the alt ground. Should I run a 4th ground from the alt ground to the body ground like he has?
Now my rear amps ground is the Chassis, I do plan to drill through the chassis and ground directly to the frame, I'm just waiting until I get my big boy upgrades to do so.

I'd go Alternator to battery and you should be covered. This pic shows mine grounded to the body, the second 1/0 cable is grounded to an alternator case bolt. My last one is from the engine block to the firewall and is also a 1/0 cable.

 

[ThxOne Premium Member]

See his blue wire? See the braided strap... replace that braided piece with a big cable in the same spot the factory put it. That makes the 3 grounds. That braided cable is going to the engine block or cylinder head. His blue wire is what I ran to my battery negative post. That's the only difference.

 

[BOOMINGRANDPA 5,000+ posts]

I grounded my battery directly to the frame, then grounded my battery to the alt bracket ground. I'm thinking I may need to ground alt bracket to the chassis. Like this..

u have alt to batt already so yeah won't hurt and u gotta it easy af too.. alt right at battery mine on other side of tons a pulleys.. u should be able to just run that ground tight over top of motor to that body bolt (or when u get over top of the black wire harness loom just zip to the other ground wire).. i put a zip tie between all wires or even brackets so wire really never touches anything else that i zip to if that make since.. look up gp audio big 3 video..