Why do you need the BIG 3 on stock electrical?

[-unknown-]

Lol.. then i guess they wouldn't be done fixing it yet then would they?
Ironically, most of us do not use mechanics believe it or not.

When you get really involved with car audio, you either know or source out others in this hobby who can weld, swap engines, etc..

We are just a large family in this hobby and that's basically how many hobbies work in the Auto field.

I know that, I just mean if you think cars don't have dedicated grounds, you're sadly mistaken. You're computer wouldn't work without them. I know that car audio is like a big family, I'm like that too, I hope I'm not ruled out because of this lol.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

No you install the BIG 3 using way too big of wore you'll never take advantage of and basically get lucky. Nothing wrong with that, I'd do the same if I had that high of a power demand. I'm just trying to prove a point, a stock 99 Jeep cherokee with about a 117 amp alternator doesn't need 1/0 wire if 8 awg is more than enough and you will damage your alternator before the wire. Same applies everywhere else. I'm not attacking anybody either. It just seems ridiculous to have a tiny alternator and gigantic wire that's the basics. It seems there is a lot of brainwashing. The only difference is with 1/0 you won't ever have to redo it to bigger wire if you get a bigger alternator.

Are you incapable of reading and comprehension? Nobody said use 1/0 awg wire. They said every vehicle is different and if you do the big 3 use minimum 4awg wire.

 

---------- Post added at 06:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 PM ----------

 

I know that, I just mean if you think cars don't have dedicated grounds, you're sadly mistaken. You're computer wouldn't work without them. I totally get that car audio is like a big family, I'm like that too, I hope I'm not ruled out because of this lol.

We only accept people who understand the science. People who come in here and spew bull**** usually have a very short stay around here.

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

None of you make any sense on this subject. You just assume if you don't have the BIG 3 you're not in the car audio "game". Somebody says something then a lot of more inexperience beginners come along and say something else. My advice is don't **** a mechanic off, they could remove one thing from your car and you wouldn't be able to start it.

And this is why you guys have the rep of scumbags. You are all the same. And this is why you're stuck in your old world and your old ways. Crawl away to thag cave and die already old man

 

[-unknown-]

Are you incapable of reading and comprehension? Nobody said use 1/0 awg wire. They said every vehicle is different and if you do the big 3 use minimum 4awg wire. 

---------- Post added at 06:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 PM ----------

 

We only accept people who understand the science. People who come in here and spew bull**** usually have a very short stay around here.

Are you incapable of reading and comprehension? It doesn't matter that I said 1/0. The point is the stock wires are fine if you don't upgrade the alternator, as long as they are in good condition. Skip the reading and look at the chart here for a source to backup my information. Look strictly at the amps and length and see what you come up with.

How to determine the best wire gauge

 

[shizzzon 10+ year member]

No you install the BIG 3 using way too big of wore you'll never take advantage of and basically get lucky. Nothing wrong with that, I'd do the same if I had that high of a power demand. I'm just trying to prove a point, a stock 99 Jeep cherokee with about a 117 amp alternator doesn't need 1/0 wire if 8 awg is more than enough and you will damage your alternator before the wire. Same applies everywhere else. I'm not attacking anybody either. It just seems ridiculous to have a tiny alternator and gigantic wire that's the basics. It seems there is a lot of brainwashing. The only difference is with 1/0 you won't ever have to redo it to bigger wire if you get a bigger alternator.

Ok, you are now getting back on topic and i will go back and say the SAME thing again i said before..

AMPERAGE is NOT the only factor in wire sizing.

Please say that 100x before replying.

The larger the wire with the SAME amps running through it will have LESS voltage drop.

In case you did not know, under maximum load in a vehicle, whatever source is drawing the most current is the point of the most potential voltage drop FROM the alternator point.

And yes, there is voltage drop in a vehicle.

I'm surprised you've never said this yet but i will-

Purchase a newer vehicle, wait til nighttime, let it idle with headlights on at night.

It's not uncommon for light to dim when the cooling fan kicks on, or when Traction Control kicks in(this is protected by LARGE fuse in most vehicles) or when AC kicks on, etc..

These instances of headlights dimming is voltage drop and large at that since it's visible to the eye without tools.

And we are not necessarily even talking about this voltage drop, but this is from stock wiring.

Yet, the car is fine because there is a degree of acceptable voltage drop that will not cause damage.

But that's not acceptable. It needs to be more efficient.

And if you think i or we are being too technical about it-

Go look at Power Conditioning units for house.

They prevent power surges in the house from effecting electrical devices.

IE- there are thousands of surges in a house annually from it's STOCK wiring.

It's all from using the bare minimum.

Surges are what weaken electronics.

We want to prolong the life of the money we invest in this hobby.

 

[whitedragon551 5,000+ posts]

Are you incapable of reading and comprehension? It doesn't matter that I said 1/0 the point is the stock wires are fine if you don't upgrade the alternator. Skip the reading and look at the chart here for a source to backup my information. Look strictly at the amps and length and see what you come up with.
How to determine the best wire gauge

Ha thanks for proving our point. Most vehicles will draw 80amps alone just using standard car functions. Toss in anything auxiliary and your over 8awg. Kthxbai.

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

No you install the BIG 3 using way too big of wore you'll never take advantage of and basically get lucky. Nothing wrong with that, I'd do the same if I had that high of a power demand. I'm just trying to prove a point, a stock 99 Jeep cherokee with about a 117 amp alternator doesn't need 1/0 wire if 8 awg is more than enough and you will damage your alternator before the wire. Same applies everywhere else. I'm not attacking anybody either. It just seems ridiculous to have a tiny alternator and gigantic wire that's the basics. It seems there is a lot of brainwashing. The only difference is with 1/0 you won't ever have to redo it to bigger wire if you get a bigger alternator.

You're supposed to vet a bigger alt period. But broke jokes dont and tbey hope the bigver wire fixes everything. Now listen old man this is it before you're banned. The bigger wires help out period. Stock alt or not they help. Doesnt need to be 0 gauge but the second your car has a amplifier installed it is no longer stock and meeds modding to keep up. If you agree then post video test showing both ways. Now quit being annoying before the ban hammer comes down

 

[-unknown-]

And this is why you guys have the rep of scumbags. You are all the same. And this is why you're stuck in your old world and your old ways. Crawl away to thag cave and die already old man

Really? Shouldn't you be banned for this? Telling somebody to die for a conversation? Where do you live? This can't be acceptable on a car audio forum. I know I upset all you BIG 3 users, but telling me to die, that's a stretch isn't it? lol

 

[michaellane 5,000+ posts]

And this is why you guys have the rep of scumbags. You are all the same. And this is why you're stuck in your old world and your old ways. Crawl away to thag cave and die already old man

None of you make any sense on this subject. You just assume if you don't have the BIG 3 you're not in the car audio "game". Somebody says something then a lot of more inexperience beginners come along and say something else. My advice is don't **** a mechanic off, they could remove one thing from your car and you wouldn't be able to start it.

And this is why you guys have the rep of scumbags. You are all the same. And this is why you're stuck in your old world and your old ways. Crawl away to thag cave and die already old man

 

[kcr357 10+ year member]

I think he's under the impression that since the alt only puts out 100 amps or whatever, that is the max current that will ever need to be conducted through the car's electrical system.

 

[-unknown-]

You're supposed to vet a bigger alt period. But broke jokes dont and tbey hope the bigver wire fixes everything. Now listen old man this is it before you're banned. The bigger wires help out period. Stock alt or not they help. Doesnt need to be 0 gauge but the second your car has a amplifier installed it is no longer stock and meeds modding to keep up. If you agree then post video test showing both ways. Now quit being annoying before the ban hammer comes down

You don't like my thread, leave, you shouldn't be able to ban me because you don't like me or you disagree. I'm 17 for your information. You also threatened to kill me? You should be banned. I have something called the 1st Amendment you know, because I live in the United States. I also have the 2nd Amendment and I dare you to come to my house.

 

[els1989]

You don't like my thread, leave, you shouldn't be able to ban me because you don't like me or you disagree. I'm 17 for your information. You also threatened to kill me? You should be banned. I have something called the 1st Amendment you know, because I live in the United States. I also have the 2nd Amendment and I dare you to come to my house.

Statement of the year... I'm 17 I know everything about electrical engineering

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[-unknown-]

I'm not worried about resistance if I have good voltage and an alternator to back it up I don't care. If I was so worried about resistance I'd be unplugging the factory wiring harness, and checking resistance on every wire in my vehicle.

 

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 PM ----------

 

Statement of the year... I'm 17 I know everything about electrical engineering

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you.

 

[els1989]

I'm not worried about resistance if I have good voltage and an alternator to back it up I don't care. If I was so worried about resistance I'd be unplugging the factory wiring harness, and checking resistance on every wire in my vehicle. 

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:45 PM ----------

 

Thank you.

Don't worry kid the boss audio equipment your cousin kissin azz can afford will be fine on your stock electrical lol

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

---------- Post added at 06:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:47 PM ----------

 

Back to the swamp now

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[adulbrich 5,000+ posts]

Well id say that the smaller wires may not be big enough to move every bit that the alt is putting out straight from.the factory. So a bigger cable does t hurt. Doesnt have to be 0 gauge but bigger isnt hurting anything. Also the second you add anything aftermarket it is now needing more amd is tryi g to pull more to support this newly added stuff. And with this new idiot generation of young people its almost 100% necessary . It use to be on stock you didnt go over 1200 watts and did a big 3 and agm up front. Now these ylung idiots run 2500 on stock everything. Cant even keep their voltage up and arent even seeing 2k rms on a good day. In short do your big 3 with whatever gauge wire you want. The 0 gauge is overkill but if you're there already why not over kill it. I'm sure there are typing errors I'm on my phone I'm not going back to fix them

I once ran a 4k amp on completely stock electrical //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

60 amp alternator and a small lead acid battery. Didn't even do the big 3.

Amp was ran at 2 ohms nominal, but still had terrible voltage drop. I was that young idiot in your example a few years ago, lol

What is the highest voltage you can have on a standard 12v battery? I've been told if you go over 15v you are damaging you're battery. For example, if you heat something in a plastic bag in a microwave, it's going to pop. The battery fumes have nowhere to go and the battery keeps expanding until it pops. The most common failures of batteries is overcharging. Is this true? This is what somebody is telling me, I'm just asking.

I don't like to go over 15v. Occasionally when it's really cold, my alts will charge up to 15.3v when I first turn my truck on. After I turn my system on and the alternators warm up, voltage drops down to a safe level.

Yeah, but, has anyone done the BIG 3 with stock size wires, or does everybody assume bigger is better?

That would completely defeat the purpose unless the wires were damaged. Even then, I would replace them with larger wire.

That brings me back to my point about stock wires can handle stock alternator amperage.

Wire can handle much more than "rated" specs in bursts. How much current wire can carry varies based on a number of factors. The longer the run of wire is, the less current it can carry safely. Also, when it gets hot under your hood, that extra heat adds resistance, which adds heat, ect.

If you have a 140 amp stock alternator (like I had), you may still have 8 gauge stock wiring. My truck did. In short bursts like when you start the truck up after the battery was drained, the wire can carry the current to the battery. However, if there was a serious load on my electrical system, that wire wouldn't carry 140 amps all day in the summer.

I remember reading an interesting writeup about fuses a while ago. Even fuses can take much more than their rated current for short bursts, and not blow. The longer that current is traveling through the wire, the more heat will build up, which adds resistance, which causes more heat, ect.

When you add an extra load on the stock electrical system like an amp, things change. If you don't upgrade your charging wires, those are often the weakest link. A couple things could happen. Commonly, you would have bad voltage drop and your aftermarket equipment would be damaged.

If you upgrade your wiring and are constantly placing a high load on your electrical system, you alternator and/or batteries will still be taxed. I really don't feel like continuing this explanation, because you won't listen anyways.

I'm sorry, are you an ASE certified mechanic with 40 years experience of working on cars, trucks, buses or a certified professional garage mechanic?

What's your point? You know stock electrical. You don't know serious car audio.