Battery wires
#1
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Belleville, Il
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Battery wires
i would like to up grade my wires for the battery on my truck since i am goin to be running a bigger altenator on the truck and then adding batterys so i can power the system and the lights that i plan on adding. So how hard is it to change the power wire on the altenator and on the grounds??????????
#2
#3
"Battery Wires" isn't really specific and it isn't really what you need to upgrade. The only thing your battery feeds that is high current is your starter and the stock wires are sufficient. If you are putting in a bigger alternator, you would want to get a larger gauge wire to replace the one currently going from your alternator to the master fuse panel under the hood. I'm pretty sure it goes to the screw terminals on the front of the box through two fusible links right near the box.
If you plan to have your accessories connect to the battery posts, you'll want the same large gauge wires going from (-) to chassis and from (+) to that point on the master fuse box.
If you ground your accessories at the battery (-) post, you'll want the same large gauge wire going from the chassis to that (-) post. If you ground the accessories to the chassis elsewhere, it will not be be neccessary.
In this setup, you can connect your lights & stereo to either point and you'll have the 'big power' available.
Again, upgrading the actual wires from the battery to wherever will accomplish nothing since it is not the source of power while your truck is running.
If you plan to have your accessories connect to the battery posts, you'll want the same large gauge wires going from (-) to chassis and from (+) to that point on the master fuse box.
If you ground your accessories at the battery (-) post, you'll want the same large gauge wire going from the chassis to that (-) post. If you ground the accessories to the chassis elsewhere, it will not be be neccessary.
In this setup, you can connect your lights & stereo to either point and you'll have the 'big power' available.
Again, upgrading the actual wires from the battery to wherever will accomplish nothing since it is not the source of power while your truck is running.
Last edited by FireRanger; 08-27-2005 at 08:34 AM.
#4
It doesn't matter if you get a bigger alternator, you don't need bigger wires. The PCM actually uses the stock wire size to calculate target charging system voltage. If you start trying to run really big wires it's going to have TOO low of resistance and keep pushing the system higher until lights start blowing. How old is your truck? If you want to check the wires and make sure they're okay get a digital multimeter from somebody and start your truck up and check DC voltage from the negative battery post to the alternator case and then from the positive battery post to the big wire on the alternator. They should show no more then 0.3 of a volt and the wiring is okay. If it's higher you have high resistance or a loose/dirty connection somewhere. My suggestion is just run an Optima battery...
=john=
=john=
#6
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I've upgraded a bunch of my wires. I ran 4g ground from the stock alternator right under the intake tube to the body. 0g to my stereo system in the ext cab. 4g ground from my large amplifier straight to the battery. 4g + from alternator output to + on battery. 4g ground on battery right to body. I also have an Optima yellowtop. My truck runs smooth, it's a 2001, I don't know if it helped out at all performance wise, but i'm sure it helped with the stereo system. I left all of the stock wiring in, it's real easy to do. I got my terminals at Autozone or Advance auto for like 10$ each.
What size alternator are you planning on getting, and what power are you running for your system?
What size alternator are you planning on getting, and what power are you running for your system?
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