HO Alt Wiring Question

[CplCuddles]

So I'm going to be ordering a HO alt within the next few days and it is going to be a 320amp. I know that OFC is rated at 300amps so I plan on running two runs of 1/0 gauge to the battery as well as running a second run of 1/0 gauge to my power distro at my amps. Since I am running 2 1/0 guage wires from the alt to batt to back. Do I need to run more grounds? if so, from where to where? like do I need 2 1/0 from batt to alt ground and/or frame etc etc?

Thanks guise

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[wew lad 5,000+ posts]

You are running 1/0 power to the alt right? It may be rated 320a but you'll mostly get ~200a and 280a in short bursts when it's stone cold.

1/0 ground to the alternator, and 1/0 ground to the battery is what you need. An extra 1/0 from the battery to the frame isn't a bad idea. I just used 2-4 awg from the batt ground block to the engine block, and one to the front frame ground. power/ground battery block terminals are necessary

You have a GM. Should be easy, it's easier for me because the second alt has a bare bolt i just add a ground lug to. You can either a) get a longer oem stud or b) drill out the back threaded portion of the alt mount and use an aftermarket bolt and then bolt the ground onto the back of the alt case.

Your 320 doesn't have a ground stud on the case?

 

[CplCuddles]

Ok, So I planned on doing 2 runs of 1/0 gauge for superfluous purposes. I plan on doing dual 320s eventually, by the end of my build. the main thing I was asking was that if I ran multiple runs of 1/0 for my "big 3" do I need to run just as many ground wires as I run power? I've already got a single run of 1/0 gauge from alt + to batt +, batt - to alt -, and batt - to frame.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

I'm guessing we're talking about your Tahoe, in sig? If so, I just did a ground from alt bolt to batt on mine.

What alt are you getting?

 

[CplCuddles]

yes and Mechman 320, specifically this one.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Ah that is a nice alt. Have you checked with CES, Jonathon Patrick might be able to get you something in a cheaper pricerange.

 

[CplCuddles]

I have, I just feel like getting something "reputable." Also I want this decal... lol.

 

[Boomin_tahoe 5,000+ posts]

Understandable. I just dumped my Redtop not long ago. Actually, it wouldn't hold a charge and went with Interstate instead from Costco. Less than 100 bucks, and cheaper than auto parts stores batteries, pretty happy with it.

 

[CplCuddles]

Yeah, I'm needing to get an AGM for my front batt. When I originally bought my redtop, I didn't realize it wasn't an agm, fml.