Started my big three today. Good so far?

[phemps 10+ year member]

I started my big three today. It ended up being a real pain in the ass since my battery is the trunk, I used 20feet on the alt to batt and battery tovground. So I need t buy more for engine block to chassis. Okay so a question I have is when I ran my alt to bat I left the stock one on that goes down to the starter and back to the batt, and I just added the 0 gauge also and just ran it from alt directly to bat. Is this okay? and what I did so far didn't help the dimming at all is it cause I just need a better battery? I plan on buying two deka intimadadors next

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[91Chevy 10+ year member]

Yes, you're supposed to add on. It may not be helping due to the stock grounds.

 

[rgplayer 10+ year member]

Are u supposed to connect the alt directly to batt I thought it was through the main fuse block?

 

[91Chevy 10+ year member]

Alternator + to Battery +. Some people add inline fuse holders for added security.

 

[slim j 10+ year member]

picz?

 

[KyleBechtold 5,000+ posts]

you won't see a gain until you do the grounds.. if you did the grounds and see no difference than it could be a few things

 

[rgplayer 10+ year member]

Someone told me connecting it direct the alt would fry the car so I just connected it to the main under hood fuse box where the battery cable is connected. Will that work the same?

 

[slim j 10+ year member]

Someone told me connecting it direct the alt would fry the car so I just connected it to the main under hood fuse box where the battery cable is connected. Will that work the same?

picx

 

[z0n3d0u7 10+ year member]

Look at the bright side, Atleast now u dont gotta use another 20' to run back to ur amps.

U arnt seeing no gains from it for one of two reasons, One being ur stock grounds. They are more important then the positive side, IMHO. U need the grounds to complete the circuit. Two COULD BE the fact your alt cant keep up with the load ur pulling. A bigger battery can "Mask" this problem, But wont nessicarily "FIX" it. If ur amps are pulling too high of a load, Your battery will eventually not be able to keep up. You are on the right track tho. Big 3 will help ur alt deliever the needed amps to ur battery. An upgraded battery will then help your alt handle the load, But it isnt anything magical. It still needs the ALT to be able to keep up, Or it will EVENTUALLY turn into a problem as well.

Get them grounds done, Then give us another progress report.

Also, Did you run 20' of ground to the front of the car as well? You "Should" have found a nice ground near your battery, As everybit of metal in your car is essentually a ground.

 

[rgplayer 10+ year member]

This isn't my exact car but same model and how I did it.

 

[z0n3d0u7 10+ year member]

Someone told me connecting it direct the alt would fry the car so I just connected it to the main under hood fuse box where the battery cable is connected. Will that work the same?

Ull still need a run from your alt, to your other 1/0. If not youve got a bottle neck. This could very well be the problem. Pix please.

Edit: that single pic tells us nothing.

Edit again: It does tell me something, Your still running the stock alt lead [From what i can tell you] And this is indeed a bottle neck. No use in having the 1/0, If you got a 4ga from the alt to that post.

Personally id take that 1/0 and put a fuse on it, Then run a lead from the other end of the fuse to the alt. You also need a fuse withing 18" of your batt, Just incase u get T boned, IMHO.

 

[91Chevy 10+ year member]

Before you start jumping to conclusions upgrade the grounds. They make or break the upgrade.

 

[phemps 10+ year member]

Look at the bright side, Atleast now u dont gotta use another 20' to run back to ur amps.
U arnt seeing no gains from it for one of two reasons, One being ur stock grounds. They are more important then the positive side, IMHO. U need the grounds to complete the circuit. Two COULD BE the fact your alt cant keep up with the load ur pulling. A bigger battery can "Mask" this problem, But wont nessicarily "FIX" it. If ur amps are pulling too high of a load, Your battery will eventually not be able to keep up. You are on the right track tho. Big 3 will help ur alt deliever the needed amps to ur battery. An upgraded battery will then help your alt handle the load, But it isnt anything magical. It still needs the ALT to be able to keep up, Or it will EVENTUALLY turn into a problem as well.

Get them grounds done, Then give us another progress report.

Also, Did you run 20' of ground to the front of the car as well? You "Should" have found a nice ground near your battery, As everybit of metal in your car is essentually a ground.

No no ha I grounded my battery right next to it. I grounded it to the stock location which is on the battery mount so I'm thinking it's not too good of a ground so I'll redo a better one when I get the wire to do the engine block ground

 

[rgplayer 10+ year member]

Hang on I'll get some pics of my actual car.

 

[z0n3d0u7 10+ year member]

Before you start jumping to conclusions upgrade the grounds. They make or break the upgrade.

Indeed, BUT there is no since in having 20' of 1/0, If you got the stock alt lead inline with it.

I also just figured out were talking about two seperate cars. lol