Do ho alts absolutely need the big 3?

[Gatorade]

I installed a 250a alt in place of the stock 110a alt. The plan was to install the alt and the big 3 at once, so i had the battery disconnected. I ran out of daylight, so i figured i would do the big 3 the next day. I drove the car home and the radio wouldn't power on at all. I thought i must have blown a fuse. Today when I tried to start the car it acted like the battery was dead. After turning the ignition over to start the car it died completely in two seconds. So did i mess something up by running the alt with stock wiring? Where did I go wrong?

Click to read more...

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Hmm....dead battery perhaps. How old is it and what brand? How long have you had it?

And yes. Big 3 is a must when it comes to adding anything audio because those small wimpy wires restrict the current flow.

 

[tymoto21 10+ year member]

Could be a loose connection if you were going to do the big 3 but didn't

 

[Hertz Mafia]

Sounds like the alt is bad and your battery is drained dead. What brand alt is it. Hopefully it’s not Junk alt that doesn’t work from a no name company

 

[Gatorade]

The new alt is a delco ad244 250a

 

[Gatorade]

The battery is a 700cca autocraft

 

[bigblank69 10+ year member]

Did you do a Voltage check after installing the Alt to make sure it is functioning correctly?

 

[Gatorade]

No, didn't think it would much different with stock wiring. I have one on order that i was going to use with everything being installed.

 

[BOOMINGRANDPA 5,000+ posts]

No, didn't think it would much different with stock wiring. I have one on order that i was going to use with everything being installed.

jump battery start car then check alt volts.. if it's putting out good it could be battery.. if car runs well after charging batt but batt is dead next day that can mean alt has short or something., if u take + wire off alt and it don't drain battery over nite u know its the alt..

 

[Gatorade]

jump battery start car then check alt volts.. if it's putting out good it could be battery.. if car runs well after charging batt but batt is dead next day that can mean alt has short or something., if u take + wire off alt and it don't drain battery over nite u know its the alt..

Good deal, thanks man.

 

[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

check dc voltage at 2 locations, alternator +post and -case, and the battery terminals. should be the same, especially under load.