LilMsPrelude
09-05-2008, 12:25 PM
*THE BIG THREE HOW TO GUIDE:
As many of you know, upgrading the "Big 3" wires in your engine compartment can lower the overall resistance of your entire electrical system. The effects of the lower resistance are typically:
1) Reduced dimming and smaller voltage drops
2) More stable voltage and better current flow
3) Less strain on your vehicle's charging system
So for those of you looking for a relatively inexpensive and easy way to upgrade your audio system, and help out your electrical system, without adding a high output alternator or an aftermarket battery, this is the modification for you. If you have heavy dimming or are getting large voltage drops during loud bass hits, but you don't have the money to spend on a high output alternator or a battery, upgrading your vehicle's "Big 3" will usually help to reduce and sometimes even eliminate the problems. So without further ado, the "Big 3" wires are:
1) Battery negative to chassis
2) Alternator to battery positive
3) Chassis to engine
Now, I suppose it would help if I explained what each of these wires do. Think of your vehicle's charging system as two different circuits, one consisting of your amplifier and your battery, and the other consisting of your alternator and your battery. The current in your electrical system flows from your positive battery terminal to your amp, from your amp's ground to the chassis, and then from the chassis back to the negative battery terminal. But how does it get to the positive terminal in the first place? That's where the alternator comes in. Current in the second circuit flows from your alternator's positive post to the battery's positive terminal, then from the battery's negative terminal to the chassis, and from the chassis back to the block, which happens to be the grounding point for your alternator.
So, from your battery, you have the power wire going to the power terminal on your amplifier and then your amplifier is grounded to the chassis of the vehicle. From here the current needs a way to get back to the negative battery terminal, and that way is through the first of the "Big 3," the battery negative to chassis wire. Upgrading this wire will "upgrade" the circuit between your battery and your amp by giving the current a larger path ( less resistance) to flow through and get back to the battery.
From the positive post on your alternator, you have the second of the "Big 3," the alternator to battery positive wire supplying "power" to your battery. From there the battery, just like your amp, is grounded to the chassis through the wire mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Again, the current needs a way to get from the chassis back to the alternator's "negative terminal" and that way is through the last of the "Big 3," the chassis to engine wire. Since your alternator is most likely mounted to your engine block using a metal or conductive mounting bracket, you can simply add your new wire from the chassis to one of the mounting posts for the alternator. Upgrading these two wires will "upgrade" the circuit between your alternator and your battery, again giving the current a larger path to flow through.
----------------------------------------------
PARTS LIST:
-20+ Ft. of Large Gauge Wire-vehicle Dependant. Most people use 1/0
-Crimp or solder "lugs"
-Crimping device or table mounted vice
-Plastic Zip wire ties or other attaching hardware.
-Propane Torch or Heat Gun
-Heat Shrink tubing
-Misc Sockets and wrenches (since this tutorial is applicable to all types of vehicles.
----------------------------------------------
CREATING Your Crimped Connections:
I decided to use an affordable ($40) tool that makes good quality connections, instead of a table vice). The connectors I used are solid all the way around, unlike the split units. I believe this style of crimp is MUCH better at holding the wire secure. Especially in the car environment.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/DSCF1020.jpg
The crimper tool:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20004.jpg
Get all of your parts together:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20006.jpg
Place the heat shrink, boot, tech flex, or whatever you are going to protect your wire and end connections with first. Strip the wire back with a sharp knife JUST the depth of the barrel on the crimp:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20007.jpg
Put it in your crimp tool and smack the heck out of it with a heavy hammer, or preferably a 2 or 5 lb. sledge.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20009.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20010.jpg
Due to the fact this tool MUST be used on a solid surface, I pre-measured all of my wire runs with a thick piece of nylon rope. This allowed me to cut each piece of wire and prepare it properly.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20011.jpg
----------------------------------------------
The INSTALL:
Your wires are cut and crimped, and you understand exactly what the "Big 3" do, it's time to do the install. You can use regular power wire from installing your car audio equipment, ring terminals, and crimping equipment just the same as you would for any other install. Let's start with the first of the "Big 3," the battery negative to chassis wire:
1) Disconnect your battery's negative terminal and get the stock wiring out of the way. You might have to cut it and crimp a new ring terminal onto it. I found it helpful to use aftermarket battery terminals with multiple ports on them also.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/BatTerm.jpg
2) Scrape away the paint and drill the hole for your connection of the larger wire, or connect it to the stock grounding point. Either way you do it, make sure it is bare chassis metal, not covered by paint, and that the connection is as tight and secure as possible:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20020.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20029.jpg
3) Secure the new wire to the chassis and reconnect the vehicle's stock chassis ground, but DON'T reconnect the vehicle's negative battery terminal yet! You may find it helpful to cover the negative battery terminal with a cloth or other non-conductive material and just lay the terminal on it until you're ready to reconnect it later.
Moving on to the next of the "Big 3," let's upgrade the alternator to battery positive wire:
4) Locate the vehicle's alternator and look for a terminal post connected to it. The post shouldn't be hard to find. It should have only one wire connected to it, and it should lead to the positive terminal on the battery, possibly through the fuse box.
5) Disconnect the stock alternator to battery positive wire from the positive post and connect it to the post again with the new wire added.
*
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/tutorials/03.jpg
6) Run the wire either through your fuse box if applicable or through a fuse. The fuse should be sized to match the max ampacity of your wire, not the output capability of your alternator. (see wire chart below)
The last of the BIG THREE Steps is the engine block to Battery connection.
In My 92Si (H23) I found a stock bracket underneath the starter so I used this for my engine to Batt Neg connection.
This picture is the before of the neg connection and the Starter wire.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/DSCF1022.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/DSCF1025.jpg
I took my Dremel and cleaned up the bracket:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20016.jpg
And I attached the new ground wire to this chassis location.. I ALSO went ahead and replaced the starter Cable at the same time.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20015.jpg
However, because your alternator is grounded to the block, you can also find a bolt somewhere on the bracket and connect it to the Battery Negative post.
9) That's it! You're done. Reconnect the vehicle's negative battery terminal and check out the difference! Below is a shot of the "Big 3" Battery connections: (missing still is the Amplifier lead-Coming soon)
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20028.jpg
----------------------------------------------
Helpful hints:
1) You can Leave the stock wiring attached after you're done. Current will take the path of least resistance anyway, so if you are using the stock wiring, say it is 4AWG, and you add another run of 4AWG, you are STILL improving the current flow.
2) You Should fuse the Alt to Battery wire for safety. Some will argue this is not necessary so if you chose not to, do so at your own risk. When fusing your alternator to battery positive wire, fuse it toward the battery end of the wire.
3) Lastly, prepare all your materials and tools BEFORE you are ready to upgrade. Know what you are doing before you start so you can be done as quick as possible. The majority of vehicles have computers that will reset after the battery is disconnected for a long time and they can cause older vehicles to do strange things if they reset.
Hopefully this clears up most of the questions you had about why we upgrade the "Big 3" and how it helps to stop dimming and other electrical problems.
*Parts of this tutorial and the information/pictures provided came from SoundDomain.com
-----------------------------------------------
What did I notice with this upgrade?
The first thing I discovered is that my car didn't sound like it was struggling to start. I know this is for many reasons, obviously the battery upgrade and the larger wires, But because I am getting more amps to my starter, both the positive lead to it and the better ground completing the circuit, there is Much less strain.
I have NOT re-installed my stereo yet-- it will only be about 800 Watts or so, but I have heard others praise the upgrade/systems ability to maintain the voltage draw and it virtually eliminated the light dimming, etc. I will add more as I get working on my own system and will update this regularly.
As many of you know, upgrading the "Big 3" wires in your engine compartment can lower the overall resistance of your entire electrical system. The effects of the lower resistance are typically:
1) Reduced dimming and smaller voltage drops
2) More stable voltage and better current flow
3) Less strain on your vehicle's charging system
So for those of you looking for a relatively inexpensive and easy way to upgrade your audio system, and help out your electrical system, without adding a high output alternator or an aftermarket battery, this is the modification for you. If you have heavy dimming or are getting large voltage drops during loud bass hits, but you don't have the money to spend on a high output alternator or a battery, upgrading your vehicle's "Big 3" will usually help to reduce and sometimes even eliminate the problems. So without further ado, the "Big 3" wires are:
1) Battery negative to chassis
2) Alternator to battery positive
3) Chassis to engine
Now, I suppose it would help if I explained what each of these wires do. Think of your vehicle's charging system as two different circuits, one consisting of your amplifier and your battery, and the other consisting of your alternator and your battery. The current in your electrical system flows from your positive battery terminal to your amp, from your amp's ground to the chassis, and then from the chassis back to the negative battery terminal. But how does it get to the positive terminal in the first place? That's where the alternator comes in. Current in the second circuit flows from your alternator's positive post to the battery's positive terminal, then from the battery's negative terminal to the chassis, and from the chassis back to the block, which happens to be the grounding point for your alternator.
So, from your battery, you have the power wire going to the power terminal on your amplifier and then your amplifier is grounded to the chassis of the vehicle. From here the current needs a way to get back to the negative battery terminal, and that way is through the first of the "Big 3," the battery negative to chassis wire. Upgrading this wire will "upgrade" the circuit between your battery and your amp by giving the current a larger path ( less resistance) to flow through and get back to the battery.
From the positive post on your alternator, you have the second of the "Big 3," the alternator to battery positive wire supplying "power" to your battery. From there the battery, just like your amp, is grounded to the chassis through the wire mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Again, the current needs a way to get from the chassis back to the alternator's "negative terminal" and that way is through the last of the "Big 3," the chassis to engine wire. Since your alternator is most likely mounted to your engine block using a metal or conductive mounting bracket, you can simply add your new wire from the chassis to one of the mounting posts for the alternator. Upgrading these two wires will "upgrade" the circuit between your alternator and your battery, again giving the current a larger path to flow through.
----------------------------------------------
PARTS LIST:
-20+ Ft. of Large Gauge Wire-vehicle Dependant. Most people use 1/0
-Crimp or solder "lugs"
-Crimping device or table mounted vice
-Plastic Zip wire ties or other attaching hardware.
-Propane Torch or Heat Gun
-Heat Shrink tubing
-Misc Sockets and wrenches (since this tutorial is applicable to all types of vehicles.
----------------------------------------------
CREATING Your Crimped Connections:
I decided to use an affordable ($40) tool that makes good quality connections, instead of a table vice). The connectors I used are solid all the way around, unlike the split units. I believe this style of crimp is MUCH better at holding the wire secure. Especially in the car environment.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/DSCF1020.jpg
The crimper tool:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20004.jpg
Get all of your parts together:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20006.jpg
Place the heat shrink, boot, tech flex, or whatever you are going to protect your wire and end connections with first. Strip the wire back with a sharp knife JUST the depth of the barrel on the crimp:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20007.jpg
Put it in your crimp tool and smack the heck out of it with a heavy hammer, or preferably a 2 or 5 lb. sledge.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20009.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20010.jpg
Due to the fact this tool MUST be used on a solid surface, I pre-measured all of my wire runs with a thick piece of nylon rope. This allowed me to cut each piece of wire and prepare it properly.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20011.jpg
----------------------------------------------
The INSTALL:
Your wires are cut and crimped, and you understand exactly what the "Big 3" do, it's time to do the install. You can use regular power wire from installing your car audio equipment, ring terminals, and crimping equipment just the same as you would for any other install. Let's start with the first of the "Big 3," the battery negative to chassis wire:
1) Disconnect your battery's negative terminal and get the stock wiring out of the way. You might have to cut it and crimp a new ring terminal onto it. I found it helpful to use aftermarket battery terminals with multiple ports on them also.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/BatTerm.jpg
2) Scrape away the paint and drill the hole for your connection of the larger wire, or connect it to the stock grounding point. Either way you do it, make sure it is bare chassis metal, not covered by paint, and that the connection is as tight and secure as possible:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20020.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20029.jpg
3) Secure the new wire to the chassis and reconnect the vehicle's stock chassis ground, but DON'T reconnect the vehicle's negative battery terminal yet! You may find it helpful to cover the negative battery terminal with a cloth or other non-conductive material and just lay the terminal on it until you're ready to reconnect it later.
Moving on to the next of the "Big 3," let's upgrade the alternator to battery positive wire:
4) Locate the vehicle's alternator and look for a terminal post connected to it. The post shouldn't be hard to find. It should have only one wire connected to it, and it should lead to the positive terminal on the battery, possibly through the fuse box.
5) Disconnect the stock alternator to battery positive wire from the positive post and connect it to the post again with the new wire added.
*
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/tutorials/03.jpg
6) Run the wire either through your fuse box if applicable or through a fuse. The fuse should be sized to match the max ampacity of your wire, not the output capability of your alternator. (see wire chart below)
The last of the BIG THREE Steps is the engine block to Battery connection.
In My 92Si (H23) I found a stock bracket underneath the starter so I used this for my engine to Batt Neg connection.
This picture is the before of the neg connection and the Starter wire.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/DSCF1022.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/DSCF1025.jpg
I took my Dremel and cleaned up the bracket:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20016.jpg
And I attached the new ground wire to this chassis location.. I ALSO went ahead and replaced the starter Cable at the same time.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20015.jpg
However, because your alternator is grounded to the block, you can also find a bolt somewhere on the bracket and connect it to the Battery Negative post.
9) That's it! You're done. Reconnect the vehicle's negative battery terminal and check out the difference! Below is a shot of the "Big 3" Battery connections: (missing still is the Amplifier lead-Coming soon)
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u4/TheDancingDuck/Prelude/june20028.jpg
----------------------------------------------
Helpful hints:
1) You can Leave the stock wiring attached after you're done. Current will take the path of least resistance anyway, so if you are using the stock wiring, say it is 4AWG, and you add another run of 4AWG, you are STILL improving the current flow.
2) You Should fuse the Alt to Battery wire for safety. Some will argue this is not necessary so if you chose not to, do so at your own risk. When fusing your alternator to battery positive wire, fuse it toward the battery end of the wire.
3) Lastly, prepare all your materials and tools BEFORE you are ready to upgrade. Know what you are doing before you start so you can be done as quick as possible. The majority of vehicles have computers that will reset after the battery is disconnected for a long time and they can cause older vehicles to do strange things if they reset.
Hopefully this clears up most of the questions you had about why we upgrade the "Big 3" and how it helps to stop dimming and other electrical problems.
*Parts of this tutorial and the information/pictures provided came from SoundDomain.com
-----------------------------------------------
What did I notice with this upgrade?
The first thing I discovered is that my car didn't sound like it was struggling to start. I know this is for many reasons, obviously the battery upgrade and the larger wires, But because I am getting more amps to my starter, both the positive lead to it and the better ground completing the circuit, there is Much less strain.
I have NOT re-installed my stereo yet-- it will only be about 800 Watts or so, but I have heard others praise the upgrade/systems ability to maintain the voltage draw and it virtually eliminated the light dimming, etc. I will add more as I get working on my own system and will update this regularly.