Step 1 of the "Big 3"

[M@nJo 10+ year member]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/drool.gif.b5e863e893038027711d4402f340dad0.gif Have you thought about buying a capacitor? Hmmm, I have a Honda Civic running about the same amount of power. I had dimming lights and hard starts. Well since I put a 1fared Cap it sounds better, hits harder, and guess what else. No dimming, no more hard starts. I found the best deals on caps on the net at all the companies listed on CARAUDIO.com This alt to batt thing has me concerned, do it wrong and you may loss more than dimming lights. I'm running 4 gage wire, split to a 4ch (65 x4) and 2 ch (300) amp. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

im more worried about my electrical system than just dimming. i want to do the big cause i plan to "upgrade" in the future as well. i was going to buy a cap, but i thought "investing as much into a capacitor is the same amount for the big 3 upgrade". so i decide to go big-3 route since it doesnt only help dimming issues, but strain on the electricals.

100-150 amp ANL fuse eh? lets say i plan to run 1000watts in the future after the big-3 upgrade, should i go with 150 ANL then? and is 150 still on the safe side for just 500rms watts and my crappy 4awg power wires?

 

[Nightskye 10+ year member]

If you're running 1000 watts you definately want to consider moving to 1/0. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/cool.gif.3bcaf8f141236c00f8044d07150e34f7.gif

150 is as high as I'd go for 4 gauge. Any higher and if something bad happens the wire would likely burn up instead of the fuse blowing like it's supposed to in those situations.

 

[Ti22 10+ year member]

save the money you would spend on a cap and buy a larger alternator, caps have a use, but not in your occasion.

 

[MikeofTulsa Moderator]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/drool.gif.b5e863e893038027711d4402f340dad0.gif Have you thought about buying a capacitor? Hmmm, I have a Honda Civic running about the same amount of power. I had dimming lights and hard starts. Well since I put a 1fared Cap it sounds better, hits harder, and guess what else. No dimming, no more hard starts. I found the best deals on caps on the net at all the companies listed on CARAUDIO.com This alt to batt thing has me concerned, do it wrong and you may loss more than dimming lights. I'm running 4 gage wire, split to a 4ch (65 x4) and 2 ch (300) amp. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

sorry man...but caps are pointless unless your charging system is already up to par......the problem of dimming may be solved for now.....but the problem with your alt not providing enough power is still there......and a cap is just another thing for your alt to have to supply power to......

 

[Nightskye 10+ year member]

Agreed. A cap will only make things worse by adding to the power draw.

 

[M@nJo 10+ year member]

heres the DIY off sounddomain's DIY http://forum.sounddomain.com/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=007801;p=

1) Battery negative to chassis

2) Alternator to battery positive

3) Chassis to engine

someone please clearify if i have this correct in my honda civic ex:

1) negative batt terminal to chassis (use ground point or find another hole?)

2) alternator to positive batt terminal (does it have to be postitive alternator post?)

3) radiator support (replacing this factory ground point w/4awg) to engine

would replacing the factory wires of the radiator support ground to engine with 4awg still count as step-3 of the procedure (chassis to engine) ?

thanks

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

#3: Chassis to engine

Put end 1 as close the alt as possible. On my Taurus, it's attached to the alternator case. Then find whatever part of the chassis is closest to end 1, and attach end 2 to it.

This step is so freaking vague. Nobody gets it. That alt may only have one fat wire out of it, the positive line, but it's entire case is doing the part of ground. Normally it goes from alt -> brace -> block -> brace -> chassis. Step 3 changes that to alt -> wire -> chassis. There's a lot less resistance. Every step is equally important in this equation. Doing just one won't accomplish anything, because only with all 3 are you completing a circuit.

Hope that helps. It took care of my car's very small dimming problem back when I thought I had one. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[M@nJo 10+ year member]

it may sound easy, but i know honda vehicles are hard to work with. mainly with the alt below aside the block.

but im gonna go ahead and do my #3 as "alternator mounting bolt to closest chassis possible"

 

[M@nJo 10+ year member]

i took a look to find a ground for #3 of the big-3. (chassis to engine)

now my question is: can i ground my alternator by "alternator mounting bracket to radiator support?" the radiator support already has the factory ground wire going to the engine but would it hurt to add additional ground wire from the alternator to this ground point of the radiator?

OR can i just replace the factory ground wire that goes from "radiator support chassis to engine "with a 4awg power wire?

 

[Raven 10+ year member]

Well, sounds good to me. But that does add another connection in there, the support itself. If you can sacrifice an extra 6-12 inches of wire to hit a nice clean spot directly to the chassis it would work out better.