interesting read....

[Beatin' 10+ year member]

I can't post links so go to bcae1 dot com and on the right hand side find "charging system upgrades".

Here's some things I found...

The 'Big-3':This is something that most everyone does but in most cases, it's useless and sometimes dangerous. The '3' are the wires/cable/straps that make various connections. One is from the battery to the body of the vehicle. Another is the wire between the battery and the alternator. The third is the ground between the engine block and the firewall. The connection between the battery and the body and the connection between the engine block and the firewall can be done without any problem. The one from the alternator to the positive battery terminal can cause some safety issues. In some vehicles, there are over-current protection devices in the battery-alternator line. In older systems, the device was a fusible link. A fusible link is a short length of wire that's smaller than the wire it protects. When too much current flows, the wire burns open. For most wire, this would be dangerous but fusible links have a fire-resistant silicone insulation that contains the molten copper. In other vehicles, the protection device is a fuse in the fuse box under the hood. If these are bypassed and there is an alternator failure that causes a direct short to ground, there could be an electrical fire.

I'm particularly interested in how the author says it's "useless".

Extra Batteries:Extra batteries are great if you want to listen to your system with the engine off. While the alternator is charging, the extra batteries will only draw current which could otherwise be going to your amplifiers. For proof, all you have to do is measure the voltage while the engine is running. It should be approximately 13.5-14.4 volts DC. Then turn the engine off and measure the battery voltage again. Now it'll be around 12-12.5 volts. Whenever the voltage at the battery is near 14 volts, there is current flowing into the battery. The only time that the battery supplies current with the engine running is when the current capacity of the alternator has been exceeded. When that happens and the batteries are the source of power, the voltage supplied by the batteries will be significantly less than the voltage of an alternator that's capable of supplying the required current.

Given this information, what exactly is the point of having extra batteries?

Click to read more...

 

[calebkhill 10+ year member]

Good point. I was just on that site earlier.

 

[alexn09 10+ year member]

I've never believed all of this 0 gauge wiring and extra battery stuff. It just seems like a great way to sell more crap to people.

 

[calebkhill 10+ year member]

I've never believed all of this 0 gauge wiring and extra battery stuff. It just seems like a great way to sell more crap to people.

Probably should start believing its probably the most important part of your system...

 

[momax_powers 10+ year member]

For the first part....when doin the big 3 it's recommended to fuse right after the alt and right b4 the batt pos therefore putting your own safety device in place like the manufacturer does with the stock wire.... As for the second part, usually guys with ho alts use battery banks because there is more power to store and the bank of battery acts like one big battery for that one big alternator to give constant power to that big demanding amp

 

[calebkhill 10+ year member]

For the first part....when doin the big 3 it's recommended to fuse right after the alt and right b4 the batt pos therefore putting your own safety device in place like the manufacturer does with the stock wire.... As for the second part, usually guys with ho alts use battery banks because there is more power to store and the bank of battery acts like one big battery for that one big alternator to give constant power to that big demanding amp

Makes sense if using a ho alternator

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

I've never believed all of this 0 gauge wiring and extra battery stuff. It just seems like a great way to sell more crap to people.

thats because you have no idea what you.re talking about ...go ahead hook up a 3.5k amp. to ur stock electrical systen with 4 gauge and see what happens

 

[xShoWTeKx 10+ year member]

No words for how stupid the person that originally wrote that is. He clearly has absolutely no idea of simple electrical fundamentals.

extra batteries - there for when your amp/car is drawing more current than your alternator can constantly produce its that simple.

big 3 - there for when your alternator is putting out more current than the cheap 4ga or sometimes 8ga wiring they use from the factory can handle and seriously how hard is it to put a fuse in...

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

theres some real ignorance going on on whatever website this came out on...this isnt even car audio knowledge ..jus simple electrical

 

[calebkhill 10+ year member]

But couldn't an extra battery be stressful on a stock alternator in Some cases

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

no just gives u extra reserve granted batteries only help on a stock alt up to some point where u will need a ho alt ..but to say it will hurt is nonsense ..unless u let you.re battery bank get drained by never charging it

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

if you are reaching the limits of youre stock alt batts can only help and if u try to exceed the output of ur alt without batts ..that alt wont last very long

 

[ewadz3006 10+ year member]

Big wires an batteries are just mumbo-jumbo.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

Tis all true, I changed stock wiring from 4g to 16g and took out stock batt and put in a AA. Now able to run 32kw with no problems....

 

[NASTY08IMPALA 5,000+ posts]

Tis all true, I changed stock wiring from 4g to 16g and took out stock batt and put in a AA. Now able to run 32kw with no problems....

huh ..well ill be damned ......after i read the op my brain hurt and i automatically had a billy madison rant flash back