Downeast Johnny Posted April 5, 2013 Report Share Posted April 5, 2013 I didn't fuse the wire to the alt, you can though and knukoncepts has inline fuses on their website if you want to go the extra mile. Thanks for the come-back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbor_SS'n-it Posted July 23, 2013 Report Share Posted July 23, 2013 Thank you for the write up! I installed a optima in my truck and will do this next! The battery helped a bit with much better cranking amps but the lights still dim at night. I was going to go with a bigger capacitor but this sounds like something that should be done first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highvoltamps Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 (edited) Some good info for you guys if you didn't know. The wire size is inversely proportional to the resistance of the wire, the larger gauge wire equals less resistance which lets current flow easier. Keep your wire lengths to a minimum, more length equals more resistance. Also don't forget about any bonding jumpers for the ground, I like to beef those up too. Ground your amps at the closest single ground point to the cab frame, mechanical bolted not self tapping screw. Upgrading your battery to an AGM type like Optium or Kinetik will help out a lot, the battery acts as a buffer with the alternator when operating. I run a dual alternator setup with a 350 amp high output for my system/inverter and a custom made battery box holding a Kinetik HC2400 mount underneath the cab right under the amp rack. I'm an electician and been messing around with systems since I was a teenager. My latest system is built for competition and by far my best custom work. My neighbor just totalled my truck in May (wasn't his fault) so now I'm working putting everything in the new SSS, sucks but shit happens. Anyway, looking good nick. What are you running for the system? Edited October 3, 2013 by highvoltamps (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NipRing Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) Ok, question. I'm going to put a breaker in between the alt and the batt (same idea as the the fusible link wire from the alt to the red battery box). Right now i have the stock 105 amp alt but in the next few months i'd like to move up to the 145. I see the circuit breakers at 100, 140, 180, etc. How much over the alternator output should a fuse/breaker be? Edited October 12, 2013 by NipRing (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NipRing Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 Now i've got a problem. I added the 2 grounds but not the power because i'm going to put a breaker in that line. My truck is worse than before now. I bought the kolussus cable, the gold plated connectors, i even soldered the connections instead of the crimping. I wire wheeled the frame connection below the battery and it had two existing connections there already (one directly from the battery) now there is 3. Clean metal, clean ring connectors, and bolt securely. Now the second bolt that is circled in the how to picture, my ground doesnt connect to that one. It actually connects to another bolt below that one. I couldnt even see it but i followed the ground wire from the battery with my fingers. I'm 99% sure there was another much smaller wire grounded at this place as well. Again, this is where is attached my new cable. Same soldered connectors, total of 3 wires secured well at this point. I clean up, start the truck and right away i knew something was wrong. When i usually start my truck in the morning and the headlights are on and i turn on the two defrosters, its dips the rpms as low as 250 and the lights get dim. Well tonight when i started the truck and turned on the defrosters and the fan on high, it killed the engine. start it again, shut off all electrical, let the truck warm up (steady 500 rpm) and then i check the battery, 14.34 steady (used a meter). Soon as i turn on any kind of draw, same crap. I had to move the truck cause i was in the center of the driveway...it died twice. Did i miss some small wire? Should i not have attached my new ground to the same bolt on the engine and instead used the one circled on the picture? Is it doing this because i dont have the new power wire on? Its 1am right now and I'm done for the night but tomorrow i'm going to disconnect my two grounds at the battery and see if that makes any difference. Any suggestions or help would be much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highvoltamps Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 No need to fuse between the alternator and the battery just from the battery to your additional load. Here's a good chart, http://www.the12volt.com/info/recwirsz.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NipRing Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 I was worried about bypassing that fusible link wire. Also, this guy seems to use different ground points on his 06 silverado http://www.jrrod2004.com/silverado/bigthreeupgrade.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highvoltamps Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 As for your grounding, keep it wired in the stock locations. Just upsize the existing wiring to the battery and the bonding jumper to the frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highvoltamps Posted October 13, 2013 Report Share Posted October 13, 2013 (edited) I was worried about bypassing that fusible link wire. Also, this guy seems to use different ground points on his 06 silverado http://www.jrrod2004.com/silverado/bigthreeupgrade.html Your right, if your replacing that wire you should protect it. If your just going with a 145 amp alternator, I wouldn't change that wire. Get an AGM battery and connect your extra load directly to it fused within 18" of the battery. Ground your loads as close as possible to one grounding pont. Edited October 13, 2013 by highvoltamps (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigtoyz97 Posted December 19, 2013 Report Share Posted December 19, 2013 I was told to use a ANL fuse within 18" of the batt for your power wire for your system. The one (or should say two of them) were 200 amp ones. And then from there goto the caps and use them as distribution blocks. From the caps go to the circuit breaker fuse before the amp. And those are rated off of the amp draw. I had 6 amps and they each had their own circuit breaker off of the caps. I think you can get a 40 farad for couple hundred bucks now and probably take care of your light dimming. When they get that big....... you can kind of cheat and count them as an extra batt. They kind of act like a batt when you think about, they are fast charging/discharging devices is the only difference. And like highvoltamps said get a AGM for it. Specially if your gonna add a second one in the truck or someplace else. The wet cell batt's wont last long because of the vibs from the bass. But everyone has a different in how they want things to look. I personally try not to use distribution blocks, just more crap to deal with. And I always run grounds for audio straight from the batt. And how many watts is your system? Think they recommend 1 farad per 1000 watts of amp if I remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akslowroller Posted December 19, 2013 Report Share Posted December 19, 2013 When doing my big 3 I left all stock wiring and added 1/0 for my big 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chawkins6789 Posted December 19, 2013 Report Share Posted December 19, 2013 When doing my big 3 I left all stock wiring and added 1/0 for my big 3. Thats what I did, but I added a 300 amp billet case alternator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akslowroller Posted December 19, 2013 Report Share Posted December 19, 2013 When doing my big 3 I left all stock wiring and added 1/0 for my big 3. Thats what I did, but I added a 300 amp billet case alternator Haha me too I was running a t4000.1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chawkins6789 Posted December 19, 2013 Report Share Posted December 19, 2013 My system isn't that big, but you live in the cold, wipers, defrost, heat, stereo, headlights, and fog lights all at once were straining thw 105 amp alternator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harbor_SS'n-it Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Finally after 2 years lol I ordered the necessary wiring. I'm going to attack this small upgrade this coming weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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