The Big 3: whats the point?

[Grinder1989 5,000+ posts]

I read the Big 3 thread and I'm not really seeing the purpose of doing it? I guess I don't understand why you'd go through all that trouble?

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[Duke 10+ year member]

Better current flow, less light dimming.

 

[PhatTonyDeMarco 5,000+ posts]

I read the Big 3 thread and I'm not really seeing the purpose of doing it? I guess I don't understand why you'd go through all that trouble?

Larger wires = less resistance = better current flow = better electrical system

It will not be a night and day difference, and will not solve any major problems, but together with a proper charging device and adequate wiring to the accessories it will all come together.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

picture it this way. get a straw put in your mouth seal your lips around it and plug your nose and breath through the straw. now try running. now take that straw out unplug your nose and now try running, a lot easier eh?

 

[Grinder1989 5,000+ posts]

Larger wires = less resistance = better current flow = better electrical system
It will not be a night and day difference, and will not solve any major problems, but together with a proper charging device and adequate wiring to the accessories it will all come together.

But its only 3 wires that are a short distance apart.......I just think its not gonna make that much of a difference....unless I'm really wrong, I'm not doing it.

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

Replacing/adding larger wire to these three critical spots can reduce or rid your electrical system of dimming and voltage drops. Overall, giving your charging system a larger surface area to travel over, will stabilize power and relieve strain on the alternator and battery.

If you have little cash to spend on a High Output (HO) alternator at the moment.. and the thought of even buying a new/better battery is daunting to you, this is a cheap and quick solution for your voltage issues.

Each wire serves its own special purpose, so you need to upgrade/replace all three for maximum potential of this mod. The Alternator Positive to Battery Positive wire is pretty small on a stock electrical system, so quite obviously upgrading that particular wire will increase power flow from the alternator to the battery. In DC power systems, power flows negative to positive. So upgrading the main grounds is just as important as the main power wire is. And lastly, since the alternator is grounded to the engine block, you need a way to transfer that energy back into the system.

like the 2nd or 3rd paragraph

 

[iceteebone 5,000+ posts]

But its only 3 wires that are a short distance apart.......I just think its not gonna make that much of a difference....unless I'm really wrong, I'm not doing it.

it increases you current flow. you're saying well i can only run an 8 gauge wire to my 3000 watt amp cause it's only one wire

 

[Grinder1989 5,000+ posts]

I see your point on the big 3 and I'm buying a 140 amp alt to make up for my 78 amp alt.

 

[Radioflyer97 10+ year member]

Electricity is alot like water flowing through a hose.

AC current (aka house current) carries alot of power because it travels at such a high volate pressure (aka 120V i think) this means it doesn't doesn't need to put out high amps to get a high wattage (given the formula Volts X Amps = Watts) ....we won't get into the messy business of transformer and power stations)

DC current doesn't produce as much voltage (typical automotive systems function between 12 and 14.4) this means there must be a much higher amp level to achieve a desired wattage when compared to AC.

if one were to equate this to water, AC current would be like a super soaker: a relatively small volume of water traveling at a high speed/pressure. A DC current would be like an open garden hose: less pressure but more volume.

How does this relate to the Big 3?

The Charging system is based on DC current which means there's alot of amperage that needs to be moved and to get desired wattage, it must travel in large volumes which means it needs a bigger wire (hose) to push the electricity through

Another thing to consider is that the lower voltage of an automotive DC system results in electrical ineffeciency over longer distances of wire. Again like water, electricty being pushed over a longer distance requires more effort to push. So to get the best conductivity out of a 12v system, you need the biggest wire (reasonably) possible to reduce the electrical resistance and increase your electrical effeciency.

 

[spacegear 10+ year member]

try reading it all over again. wat happens to your 23 gauge wire used in wiring 300 watts floodlight? compared to big wires...