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<blockquote data-quote="lbridges" data-source="post: 1308283" data-attributes="member: 551466">I have some thoughts I&#039;d like offer - take &#039;em for what they&#039;re worth.1) Just like a fuse between the battery and an amp, the wire between the alternator and the battery should always be fused. The factory wire is fused (usually a fusible link) for a reason, same applies here - if the wire shorts without a fuse it starts an electrical fire. That&#039;s why the fuse was recommended to match the wire, not the amp draw or alternator output - you&#039;re protecting against a short, not the alt or batt. This is a safety thing &amp;amp; only you can say what your car, system and whatever else is around is worth.2) Assumed: original wires retained...Stating electricity follows the path of least resistance may be misleading to some. Maybe this will help. The electrons making up the current flow will follow both paths - more going down the bigger wire, but it will still flow through both. 4-gauge has about 0.00025 Ohm/ft resistance and 8-gauge (typical OEM size) has about 0.00063 Ohm/ft resistance (what&#039;s that, 2 &amp;amp; 1/2 times as much?). So think of this like a parallel resistor network. If that&#039;s too hard, think of electricity flow like water flow. With two pipes - one big, one small - most will go down the big pipe, but not all of it.3) Last thought (I promise). For those of you who don&#039;t want to do all three, at least do the chassis ground to battery with a wire as big as you run to your amp...think about it, if the electrons makes it to the amp, they got to get back into the battery somehow...</blockquote>

[QUOTE="lbridges, post: 1308283, member: 551466"] I have some thoughts I'd like offer - take 'em for what they're worth. 1) Just like a fuse between the battery and an amp, the wire between the alternator and the battery should always be fused. The factory wire is fused (usually a fusible link) for a reason, same applies here - if the wire shorts without a fuse it starts an electrical fire. That's why the fuse was recommended to match the wire, not the amp draw or alternator output - you're protecting against a short, not the alt or batt. This is a safety thing & only you can say what your car, system and whatever else is around is worth. 2) Assumed: original wires retained...Stating electricity follows the path of least resistance may be misleading to some. Maybe this will help. The electrons making up the current flow will follow both paths - more going down the bigger wire, but it will still flow through both. 4-gauge has about 0.00025 Ohm/ft resistance and 8-gauge (typical OEM size) has about 0.00063 Ohm/ft resistance (what's that, 2 & 1/2 times as much?). So think of this like a parallel resistor network. If that's too hard, think of electricity flow like water flow. With two pipes - one big, one small - most will go down the big pipe, but not all of it. 3) Last thought (I promise). For those of you who don't want to do all three, at least do the chassis ground to battery with a wire as big as you run to your amp...think about it, if the electrons makes it to the amp, they got to get back into the battery somehow... [/QUOTE]

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